© 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

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

 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.