International Helath Humanities Network: Humanities Subject Area Reports

The Rhythm for Life project has aimed to enhance wellbeing among older adults through the implementation and evaluation of creative music making initiatives. Run from the Royal College of Music’s (RCM) Centre for Performance Science, the project facilitated music learning opportunities for over 100 adults between 2010 and 2012, all of which were delivered by specially-trained and supported RCM students. Adult learners, aged 50 years and over, participated in free 10-week programmes designed for musical beginners, including one-to-one instrumental lessons in learners’ homes, small-group instrumental lessons in community spaces, and large-group creative music workshops. 

Converge offers courses in the arts to people who use mental health services. These courses are taught by university students and staff.

A dance performance by 3rd Stage Dance Company concentrating on piano studies by composers such as Scolding, Turner, Debussy, Schuman and Sculthorpe.

This narrative appears with additional quotes and pictures on the Case Studies section of our website: http://www.rbht.nhs.uk/about/arts/about-us/case-studies/

Aims

To engage people spending time on the adult surgical wards at Royal Brompton Hospital in a songwriting process, resulting in new musical material and culminating in the public performance and recording of this material. By providing the opportunity to work alongside professional musicians, rb&hArts aimed not only to relieve some of the stress and boredom of the hospital environment, but to facilitate the creation of high-quality compositions, sensitively incorporating participants’ creative input.

During this project, Firefly Burning worked in two distinct ways: performance, and composition. Both were intended to be as interactive as possible. One of the key aims was to experiment with these different ways of working to discover which was the most valuable in the hospital environment.

rb&hArts’ annual music programme funded the project, which served as a pilot for a longer music residency that would require dedicated project funding.