Free concert organised by Speaker to raise money for the borough’s homeless and migrants

Fight fire with choir: refugee group Woven Gold. Photograph: Hackney Council

Rock, classical and even an ensemble playing Turkish folk music on the saz will be just some of the sounds to be heard at free concert to celebrate Hackney’s diversity next month.

The ‘Hackney in Harmony’ concert has been organised by the Hackney Speaker, Cllr Rosemary Sales, in a bid to raise money for two small charities based in the borough.

Others performing on the night include the Woven Gold choir – a choir made up of refugees who have escaped persecution – local soprano Emma Dogliani, and others.

Cllr Sales herself will also take part when she, along with some of her fellow councillors, sings music by Verdi, Puccini and Beethoven as part of the Festival Chorus.

Instrument: a Turkish saz. Photograph: Andy Roberts via Flickr

The 6 May concert will raise funds for the Speaker’s charities, the Hackney Migrant Centre – which provides free legal advice and support for asylum seekers, refugees and recent migrants – and North London Action for the Homeless – which runs a twice-weekly soup kitchen and gives advice to homeless people.

A member of the Woven Gold choir, which has performed at events all over the country, said: “I believe that music is the best way to live without borders, in peace, as a world family. Woven Gold has shown us that though they may have different colours and notes, the sounds are universal.”

Cllr Sales said the concert, which will be held at St John of Jerusalem Church on Lauriston Road, was a chance to “bring together a diverse range of musicians to perform music [and] the harmony will, we hope, be in the music and in the sense of community it helps to create.”

You can reserve a free ticket by emailing speaker@hackney.gov.uk or visit facebook.com/hackneyspeaker for more information.