2021 Influential Businesswoman Awards

14 Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2021 Jul21298 Best Wellbeing Solutions Founder 2021: Tessa Marchington Offering musical solutions to common business issues, Music in Offices works with some of the UK’s leading companies using music as a way to connect, motivate and empower. We speak to Founder, Tessa Marchington, about her journey and the struggles she has encountered. ringing music to the world of work, Music in Offices is dedicated to hosting musical activities, instrumental lessons and choir ensembles in banks, law firms, consultancy firms, production companies, media companies and charity events with the aim of addressing wellbeing in the workplace. The company also creates outdoor events for people to make music in their community and meet other people working or living in their area, again with a real emphasis on wellbeing. Founded by Tessa Marchington, the focus is on ensuring that Music in Offices is delivering a high-quality service, that its musicians are supported and have a viable income stream, and that pupils and clients are understanding the value and benefits of what music can bring to their company, as well as the benefits for the individuals for their wellbeing. Tessa’s musical experience comes from her time spent as a pianist and by studying accompanying as a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music. “As an accompanist you have to listen, collaborate and create at a very high standard learning new music very quickly and coaching singers in their diction, performance and communication,” she explains. “All these skills are transferrable to business and it is through this lens of music that I approach every project, every brief and every way that I bring a new idea to a team.” The consistent thread that runs through Tessa’s work is building a greater understanding and value of the arts in different sectors. Through this she hopes to help create sustainable careers for artists and musicians, as well as increasing the value that people place on the role of the artist in society. As a woman working in the corporate environment, Tessa has seen her fair share of challenges along the way, one of which is that of trying to convince large corporations that have no interest in music to bring it into their business. “It is tough enough as a women in the corporate environment, but a women in the arts, speaking with a partner in a law firm about the benefits of music to the firm and to their employees takes a leap of understanding,” she states. “I have learnt the language of my clients, so I can speak to them in a way that they can relate to and B understand what it means for them, I have learnt the value of the business benefits, of HR ‘buzzwords’ and how music can help to bring together people working in silos.” Tessa herself employs a larger percentage of women conductors than men and notes that the opportunities for women conductors and musicians have certainly increased over the 12 years that Music in Offices has been operating. Also, the activities provided by the company do naturally attract a more female clientele which, in turn, creates a female lead community internally, especially through the choirs. “These really do empower and create new relationships through which individuals can operate, can know who to pick up the phone to within the choir and it builds up networks in a non-hierarchical and effective way.” From her experiences, Tessa is keen to support women in positions of power and to encourage more females to push themselves forward. Outside of her workplace, she is a trustee for British Youth Opera, encouraging people from different backgrounds to join the industry, not just as opera singers but as stage directors, choreographers, lighting and technicians too. She is also a mentor for the Women of the World Festival and has been for three years, mentoring schoolgirls and offering support and advice needed. “It is confidence and knowledge which above all can change people’s perceptions of what you are bringing to them,” Tessa elaborates. “To reach the top and in order to be in the room where decisions are being made, I believe the key attributes are listening, responding with a flexible mind and ensuring that everything you say and deliver is above the standard and expectations of people in that room. It is always worth spending the extra preparation time in order to make sure your understanding and delivery is absolutely at the top.” Regarding the future, Tessa is hoping to expand in the last quarter of 2021 as people return to work and will be partnering with the Culture Mile to create a Big Sing in the City of London to bring people together. “I will continue to work on creating placements for artists and musicians in different companies and to encourage people to consider having an artist on their board to challenge the thinking and status quo,” she says, speaking of her plans for the next few