Wigmore Hall takes its dementia choir to Buckingham Palace
mainpress release:
Wigmore Hall’s choir for families living with dementia Singing with Friends will this evening perform a very special concert at Buckingham Palace.
The event honours Princess Alexandra’s Patronage of Music for Life, Wigmore Hall’s pioneering programme for people living with dementia, as well as that of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir and Alzheimer’s Society.
The four organisations will come together for a unique performance which celebrates the power of music and its ability to enrich the lives of people living with dementia, and their families, friends and carers.
John Gilhooly, who will introduce the concert, said “Tonight we celebrate the power of music and how it can transform lives. A diagnoses of dementia can bring great challenges, but all of our work with these choirs proves that many lives can be enhanced and enriched, and these activities deserve to be recognised and supported.”
About Music for Life
Music for Life is a pioneering programme for people living with dementia and their family friends and carers. The project was founded by Linda Rose in 1993 and has been led by Wigmore Hall since 2009. Over the course of the years the programme has continued to develop from working primarily in care settings to incorporate a growing number of projects and events in community settings and at the Hall itself. We are proud to work in partnership to provide a range of meaningful opportunities for people at all stages of dementia.
We believe that dementia should not stop people from doing the things they love, or from trying new things. With the right support people can live well with dementia, and Wigmore Hall is committed to this goal: helping to build a dementia-friendly society and enabling people living with dementia to continue accessing high quality, life-enriching musical experiences.
Physical activity, be it exercise or singing, or whatever, helps keep the brain stimulated. I believe that there have been studies that show that people who are more physical active can postpone Alzheimers or can diminish it effects. People with dementia, like people with mental illness, can respond to music when they can respond to little else. May Music for Life have a long and happy life and not be plagued by funding cuts!
OMG, you just opened yourself to a litany of snide comnents.
Where’s rehearsal?
When’s rehearsal?
Rehearsal? What’s that?
Choir?
You look like my grandson…
only from snide, cruel people utterly devoid of empathy. cheers!
You’re hilarious, aren’t you? I’ll bet what your friends most cherish about you is your deep empathy with human suffering. That and the rapier wit of your humour.