A violinist’s album featuring Sting aims to raise funds to save the rainforest

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An album of collaboration between violinist Patrick Roberts, Sting and guitarist Tommy Emmanuel aims to do its bit for reforestation efforts, by donating 50 per cent of its proceeds to the Rainforest Fund.

The Rainforest Fund was co-founded by Sting, Trudie Styler and Dr. Franca Sciuto in 1989. The charity is dedicated to supporting Indigeonous peoples and traditional populations in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfill their rights. The Fund provides grants to three autonomous sister organizations: the Rainforest Foundation United States, Rainforest Foundation Norway and Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom.

26.4 million acres of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest were scorched in 2023, a 35.4 per cent increase from the previous year. Deforestation from agriculture and cattle-ranching is the main driver of forest fires in the Amazon and efforts to expand and secure land rights of Indigenous peoples is believed to be one of the best ways to protect the Amazon.

Recently released on Decca, Fragile is the new album by Sting, Tommy Emmanuel and Patrick Roberts. Australian violinist Roberts says, ’It is an honour to also be donating 50 per cent of the proceeds of this album to Sting’s Rainforest Fund to help in their mission in preventing mass global deforestation.

’The protection of the world’s rainforests have always been a cause I have wanted to get behind and I am hoping this album can certainly aid in the protection of the indigenous people surrounding these beautiful rainforests as well as protecting the grounds that they grow on.’

The classical-crossover artist is no stranger to performing for charity. Proceeds from his 2015 debut album Pink went to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to go towards breast cancer research, incentivised by his mother who was a breast cancer survivor. In addition, he has performed each year live on the Good Friday Appeal on Australia’s Network 7 in support of the Royal Children’s Hospital and Vision Australia’s Carols By Candlelight in support of the blind and vision impaired.

Roberts aims to bring his rainforest mission to audiences as he embarks on his world tour, which includes an appearance at London’s Hippodrome on Saturday 25 May 2024.

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