Concerts in Care Homes & Hospices

Elderly people enjoying a concert

© Michael Whitefoot

The idea of bringing music into care homes and hospices was initiated in 2007 by the ESO cellist Corinne Frost who, along with her colleagues, was aware that live music was hugely beneficial to people who would not otherwise have access to musical stimulation in their daily lives.

ESO’s care home concerts are integral to our ethos as musicians and performers. Our professional orchestral musicians have many years of experience in this field and are committed to bringing their talents to members of society who are living with dementia or other life debilitating conditions and are therefore unable to attend public performances.

Research supports our experience that live music benefits people living with dementia by stimulating memories, reducing agitation and stress and improving communication between residents and staff.

Whilst delivering high quality music into care homes and day care centres, our musicians also bring a tremendous sense of warmth, humour and sensitivity to their concerts, raisingthe spirits, alertness and responsiveness of their primary audience, staff, relatives and visitors in all the venues in which they play.  One musician once remarked “We give lots of concerts of all types, yet I think our performances in dementia care homes are one of the situations where we genuinely make a difference to somebody’s life.”

On arrival, ESO musicians are able to assess the mood and level of engagement of their audience and adapt their choice of music accordingly. Lasting around an hour, all the concerts are very interactive events with informal chat and information about each piece from the players, and audiences encouraged to join in if they wish – this frequently leads to foot tapping, clapping, singing and dancing! Players are more than happy to stay after the concert to join audience members for refreshments, often resulting in unexpected, stimulating and interesting conversations.

When a resident is too ill to attend a communal concert, our musicians will frequently visit them in their rooms and play something especially for them.

If you are involved with or know of a day care centre, care home or other venue that would welcome an ESO Care Home Concert then please do get in touch:

Mary Stevens carehomeconcerts@eso.co.uk or call 07929 620987

About these Concerts
Many of these are private events – please contact Mary Stevens, Manager Concerts in Care Homes, at carehomeconcerts@eso.co.uk for more information.

Tuesday 5th May @ 12pm
Dementia Friendly Concert – ESO Wind Quartet
Malvern Theatres, Studio One
Open to the public

Programme:
Elgar: Chanson de Matin
Gershwin: Promenade (Walking the Dog)
Weissenborn: Polka
Trio Grieg: Morning (from Peer Gynt) (fl.ob.fg)
Trio Brahms: Hungarian Dance No 5 (fl.cl.fg)
Traditional: Oh Waly Waly
Traditional: Molly Malone
Trio Traditional: Danny Boy (fl.ob.cl)
Trio Howard: Fly Me to the Moon (ob.cl.fg)
Goodwin: Those Magnificent Men
Traditional: Mexican Hat Dance
Haydn Wood: Roses of Picardy
Richard M Sherman & Robert B Sherman: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (More dates coming soon Mary Poppins)

Artists:
Catherine Handley, flute
Odette Cotton, Oboe
Alison Lambert, Clarinet
Rosemary Cow, Bassoon

Book Tickets

(free entry but booking advisable)

More dates coming soon

String Quartet

“Residents who usually leave music activities half way through stayed for the entire performance and sang along; the musicians played requests that encouraged a sing along, the event was professional while still making the residents a key focus.  I am delighted with how the whole event was planned organised and executed. Key to the success was the interaction – it was not just an entertain and then leave performance, the residents loved the interaction”

Mill House, Chipping Campden
April 2019

Downside Up visiting gentleman dying in his room

“What you’ve done in my last days. You people have been brought here for a purpose. I feel like I’ve got a family. I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better, playing music here. I can’t think of anything more wonderful.”

Rashwood, Droitwich
September 2019

Wind Quartet

“While the musicians were playing you could hear a pin drop. Every resident was so transfixed and engaged.  Everyone was at peace and relaxed. The residents were much calmer after the performance and less restless. The rest of the day the residents remained in uplifted spirits.”

Whittington House Nursing Home, Cheltenham
December 2019

Downside Up

“An amazing duo. I have had the pleasure of hearing them at one of their concerts. Unfortunately lockdown prevented concert no 2 for me. This has been a great substitute. Thank you.’”

String Quartet, Holmer C of E Academy and Coldwells House Dementia Friendly Choir

“Our ongoing link with the ESO has been a great boon to us as a choir, not only because of the quality of their technical performance but because of the exuberance with which they engage and encourage our participation. The new intergenerational project with the ESO and Holmer Academy brought us much joy and, during lock down, receiving the joint performance from you both was AMAZING.”

Sadie Harris, Activities Co-ordinator, Coldwells House, Hereford
July 2020

Support our work in Care Homes

Donations are the simplest way to help us bring the gift of music to those whose circumstances would otherwise deny them the benefit, so if you have enjoyed them, please consider supporting our work in care homes and hospices by making an online donation here or DONATE BY CHEQUE Payable to ‘ESO (2006) LIMITED’ and send to:
Care Home Concerts
ESO, c/o Elgar School of Music
16-20 Deansway
Worcester
WR1 2ES, UK.

If you are a UK taxpayer, please let us know your name, email address and address so that we can claim Gift Aid on your behalf.

Mary Stevens
Manager & Fundraiser for Concerts in Care Homes & Hospices
Producer, ‘Music to Lift the Spirit’ DVD

Click here to donate
Click here to get in contact

 Since the COVID-19 lockdown, we have made videos of our Wind Quartet, String Quartet and String Duo;  the String Quartet have also made a video to which thirty Primary School children have contributed remotely from their homes.  Fittingly, the last time we did a live intergenerational concert with these children, their favourite song was ‘Over the Rainbow’, which is what they have sung in the video that you can view here.

Research supports our experience that live music benefits people with dementia by stimulating memories, reducing agitation and stress and improving communication between residents and staff.

For information on the DVD ‘Music to Lift the Spirit’, please click here.

Keeping connected during COVID-19