Our Concerts

Live music can improve the quality of life for patients, residents, and carers by enhancing the environment within which they live and work.

Music in Hospitals arranges live music for all kinds of healthcare centres throughout the UK. Concerts can take place in hospital wards, day rooms, lounges, halls and by the bedsides of patients too ill to be moved.

Our concerts are given by small groups of professional musicians who tailor repertoire to suit the individual needs of the audience. Programmes range from classical to jazz, folk, pop, show and old time; often a number of these styles can be included within one concert. In addition to their high standard of musicianship, our musicians possess exceptional communication skills, which enable them to involve audiences beyond a musical level and "bring the person out of the patient."

A Music in Hospitals concert lasts just over an hour, but our musicians provide more than just live music. They will arrive in good time for their performance, allowing time to meet their audience, and will stay to chat afterwards. We often find that the musicians take on the role of friend and listener as they chat to patients about the kind of day they have had or the memories the music has sparked. This is particularly welcomed by patients who have little contact with relatives or friends.

Music forms part of the social fabric of our lives. Sharing the experience of a live musical performance can help reduce levels of anxiety, pain and depression, as well as break down social and cultural barriers. A live performance provides a focal point and an opportunity to participate in meaningful discussions after the event.

As a therapeutic tool, music has numerous emotional and physical benefits. Music has an inherent ability to generate an emotional response in the listener. It stimulates relaxation leading to physiological changes in the body by reducing stress leading to lower blood pressure, improved respiration, reduced heart rate, and an easing of tension in muscles.

Active participation in a musical performance acts as a natural form of physiotherapy through clapping, tapping feet and moving in time to the music. Positive changes in patients’ mood, level of communication, response and reaction, range of movement, cognitive abilities, confidence and self esteem are well documented in feedback reports and healthcare staff never fail to be amazed by the reaction to the music from those in their care.

Our concerts in Wales

Our musicians based in Wales are bi-lingual and are able to perform concerts in both Welsh and English/ Mae pob un o'n cerddorion o Gymru yn ddwyieithog ac yn gallu perfformio yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg.