Pieces of me

Cellist Matthew Barley's Light Stories project has helped him to work through trauma dating back to a psychotic event in his teens, as he tells Ariane Todes

- Ariane Todes

It would be simplistic and even trite to claim that art saves us or makes all our problems go away. Some trauma is too profound. But sometimes it can be part of a journey through that trauma. This is the case for cellist Matthew Barley, whose own mental health issues began at school, were buried for decades, and re-emerged last year in the cathartic form of Light Stories. Alone on stage save for the box of electronic tricks beneath his feet, and with the background video art of a man dancing and writhing, he plays a programme ranging from JS Bach to his own compositions, itself formed around the structure of 'voyage and return'. The project made its debut last year with the release of an album and performances at Queen Elizabeth Hall. It continues its journey this month on tour around the UK.

Music came easily to Barley. He describes his early years in Sheffield: 'There was an incredible Music Service. There were three or four Friday night orchestras, Saturday morning recorder consorts, chamber groups, and everything was free – even my cello and cello lessons. I wasn't so serious that I'd go and practise 15 hours a day, but I enjoyed it so much. I lived through it and learnt the joy of making music with other people.'

He was also born with a natural facility, although he admits this allowed him to slack off somewhat: 'I was incredibly lazy until the age of 30. One of my problems was that I was talented. I was the one who could learn a concerto in three days and a cadenza on the day of a performance. If I hadn't been so quick I would have been forced to work more, but I could always get away with it. In a way it was a disadvantage, as my playing was never really high quality.' He was good enough to get into the National Youth Orchestra and Chetham's School of Music, but this talent didn't protect him from being bullied at school in Sheffield – often to the extent of fearing for his life – or falling in with the wrong crowd there.