A ground-breaking musical collaboration between one of the world’s top orchestras and a care organisation is in the running for another award.
The project at Pendine Park, in Wrexham, has also inspired the development of a new staff training course which it’s hoped will be rolled out across Wales.
The partnership with the Hallé was facilitated by Arts and Business Cymru, who bring the worlds of arts and business together.
In 2008 Pendine Park’s artist in residence Sarah Edwards and proprietor Mario Kreft were presented with a Sustainability Award at the Arts and Business Awards because of their “truly inspirational” work with the residents.
Now they’ve been shortlisted for another award at this year’s glittering awards ceremony that’s being held in Cardiff on July 12.
Pendine Park’s Artist in Residence, Sarah Edwards, is passionate about the value of the work with the Hallé and the new qualification.
The aim is to trial it as an in-house course for staff with a view to developing it into a nationally recognised qualification that could be rolled out across Wales.
Sarah said: “We were absolutely blown away to have the opportunity to work with the Hallé and we really wanted to build on that and embed music into the lives of all the patients and staff at Pendine Park.
“Music can bring out a range of emotions in people – laughter, tears, happiness, joy – and one of the interesting comments that a resident made was that it made her feel equal, and she hadn’t felt like that for a long time.
“To do something like that where it has such an impact on somebody’s wellbeing well it sums up what we’re trying to achieve in Pendine Park generally.”
“It takes people’s mind off their everyday problems. For that moment in time they’re free to express themselves, to enjoy themselves, and to just have a good time – it’s priceless.”
“We wanted to continue this partnership and we feel that the best way forward for us would be to start training our staff.
“We’re developing a staff training programme in arts awareness which will be developed in conjunction with our in-house training arm, Smartcare Training.
“It will be will be made up of several modules, one of which will involve music and the arts, which is the one we’re currently focusing on now.
“We will also be working on visual art and colour therapy, laughter therapy and creative writing as well.
“Research has shown that the benefits of facilitating creativity and allowing people to express themselves has a very positive impact in terms of leading fulfilled lives.
“Dementia patients in particular still have resonance with certain pieces of music, and we want to tap into that, and that’s going to be quite a significant phase in the project.
“We’re now hoping to train our own staff to deliver music as a tool to enrich the lives of our residents when the Hallé aren’t here.
“At the moment it’s going to be a unit diploma and we’re hoping that it’s eventually going to become part of a diploma qualification.
“Janet Simpson, our Musician in Residence and other musicians from the Halle, will work with Smartcare to conduct staff training workshops.”
The Hallé’s Education Officer, Steve Pickett, is delighted that the musical collaboration is being taken to a new level.
He said: “This is a very exciting new phase in our on-going partnership.
“Music stays with us all our lives and hopefully, because in this case you are part of live music making process it will provide the participants with a deeper experience.
“What’s always surprising is that it is different every time and it shines through that people have that sense of music making.
“You don’t have to be a musician to have music in your soul. If you’re heart’s beating and you’re breathing, it’s there within us all – and we can all tune into that and just respond because music is an emotional experience.”
“It’s not a one-way thing at all. We are also enjoying it and we find it uplifting – it’s incredibly satisfying.”
