An award-winning music project that aims to help penetrate the fog of dementia has scooped another accolade.
The partnership between the Wrexham-based Pendine Park care organisation and the world-renowned orchestra, the Hallé, earned glowing praise from judges at an awards ceremony.
It was highly commended at the prize-giving ceremony hosted by the Arts and Business Cymru organisation at the Millennium Centre, in Cardiff.
The recognition was for music workshops conducted by the Hallé, held last year as part of a pilot project facilitated by Arts and Business, which were hailed as a huge success.
Now, the Hallé are back at Pendine Park for a much more ambitious project with a series of eight-week music workshop courses involving residents from each of the organisation’s six care homes.
The courses are being led by the new Musician in Residence, Janet Simpson, who plays the piano and celeste for the Hallé.
Janet will be working alongside other players in the orchestra, including Hallé cellist, David Petri.
This time the chosen theme is Hands and there will be a “culmination performance”.
It will be a multi-media experience involving music, art work, photography and poetry.
Among those taking part in the project are residents with dementia for whom Pendine Park provides expert care.
Later this summer, the organisation will be opening a new centre of excellence, Bodlondeb, specialising in looking after people with dementia.
The project was the result of Pendine Park’s links with Arts and Business Cymru whose mission is to bring the worlds of business and the arts together.
Pendine Park’s long-standing relationship with their Artist-in-Residence, Sarah Edwards was first recognised by Arts and Business Cymru two years ago.
Sarah and proprietor Mario Kreft were presented with a Sustainability Award because of their “truly inspirational” work with the residents.
As well as her popular art classes and visits to art galleries, Sarah also organises photography classes.
The creative music sessions are being run by Hallé pianist Janet Simpson and cellist David Petri who are both enjoying the experience immensely.
Janet said: “We were very pleased with the way the first project was received. It’s wonderful to see how much the residents enjoy themselves during the sessions.
“The theme for this years project is “Hands” as it is such an appropriate one for people who live in a care environment.
“From caring hands, to hands of friendship; their use in the world of work, creating works of art or signalling happiness and sadness, hands are very expressive and even a small movement can communicate and control a musician playing live music.
“We hope the project will appeal to residents in many varied ways, and we aim to set the residents’ poetry and art work to music.
“We think it’s a project that will appeal to people on a lot of different levels and will also tap into people’s emotions.
“There are lots of smiles and laughter when we are doing the project but sometimes it can unlock sad memories as well.
“Musical memory is an ability which everyone seems to retain. Residents who suffer from dementia may often begin humming, singing or beating time – sometimes even conducting.
“It is very moving when this form of communication takes place. You hope you are giving something to the residents when in fact they often give you so much more.”
The sessions are greatly appreciated by Malcolm Crosbie, whose wife Audrey, 82, has dementia.
Mr Crosbie said: “Audrey has always been very musical and she used to play the piano. I have an MP3 player and I play music to Audrey and she hums along to her favourite tunes.
“It’s so nice to see all these people participating – everyone seems to be enjoying it. Music is a wonderful therapy.
Resident Marion Lloyd Jones, 90, who is now wheelchair-bound finds the workshops very enjoyable.
She said: “I am very fond of listening to music and this project is a lot of fun. I think it’s a great idea.”
Artist-in-residence Sarah Edwards was delighted to welcome the Hallé back.
She said: “The residents are responding brilliantly and it really brings them out of themselves. It’s a real form of escapism which you need and provides a value beyond the music.
“It enhances the quality of life, giving residents a focus away from their illnesses.
“Being able to work with musicians from an orchestra of such renown is an honour.
“We are so lucky to have such brilliant musicians from the Halle here and the residents really appreciate it.”
Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft is equally overjoyed that the project is proving so successful.
He said: “I have been in the care sector for more than 25 years and while we have had many inspiring experiences this ranks with the very best of them.
“We’re not new to music therapy at Pendine Park but we’re taking it to another level through our partnership with Arts and Business Cymru and the Hallé.
“I think it’s wonderful for supremely talented musicians like Janet and David to spend time with our residents and create something that is truly magical that touches the soul.”