WATCH Composer Alexis Ffrench surprise Scala listener Matt Gibbs with a newly composed piece inspired by his COVID-19 story
'Forever Grateful' is the first composition written by Scala Radio's first-ever Composer in Residence Alexis Ffrench
In 2020 we spoke with Matt Gibbs, who asked to have a piece of music dedicated to the NHS staff who took care of him whilst he was suffering from COVID-19 at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey.
COVID-19 is an illness caused by a strain of coronavirus, which, over the course of a year has caused a global pandemic and brought about unprecedented challenges and changes to everyone's lives.
Within hours of arriving at Frimley Park Hospital, Matt was put into a coma in intensive care and was ventilated for 15 days, "I understand now I was patient zero for them really. I was the first person that they had to be in intensive care that was this ill.
"Without the work of the NHS and Frimley Park Hospital, in particular, I wouldn't be here. There's no doubt about that. The doctor said, "If I hadn't gone to the hospital on Friday, I wouldn't have made it through to the Monday". So it was that bad"
Knowing that he was a fan, the NHS staff at Frimley Park played classical music to Matt to help wake him up, and it was Grieg's March of the Dwarfs that was playing when he came out of a coma.
A year on from the start of the UK's first national lockdown, Mark Forrest revealed a special surprise for Matt.
Scala Radio recently announced that Alexis Ffrench was their Composer in Residence.
"I was just so moved by your story" said Alexis. "Your words and the sentiment in the call just touched me so deeply that I could feel that debt of gratitude was coming through so palpably.
"I just felt compelled to write a piece of music really inspired by your own personal story and know that obviously you would want to dedicate your own recovery to the NHS staff who obviously helped you to pull through and I just wanted to write a piece of music in response to that, and the piece I've written is called Forever Grateful.
"Thank you" Matt replied. "I don't know what to say. You're an extremely talented man. Scala Radio has got an absolute beauty with you as their Composer in Residence".
Alexis will compose a piece of new music every month in response to an event, landmark anniversary or a personal story shared by a Scala Radio listener.