BU Research Blog

Today was the first session for our rehearsal for the BUDI orchestra. We (BUDI team and the BSO players) had no idea how this would pan out as this is the first time that we are aware of where people with dementia have been given the opportunity to work alongside orchestra musicians and to gain confidence/ relearn or to learn for the first time instruments. It was something of a leap of faith to try to do this based on a hunch I had that if people can come together as a choir could we not also do this as an orchestra? Anyway, I was completely humbled by the successful use of the creative skills of the BSO musicians and BUMusic scholars as they led an initiative for those living with dementia and their family members and support workers today. As a result I have decided to do a regularish piece on my observations of the process (not the actual research which we are doing as part of FIF grant) as the sessions progress that will then culminate in a BU FOL performance on the 14 June at the Winton Life Centre. The photo gives you an idea of what happened, and when our video clips become available I will post these, but it was amazing to experience people with dementia who had lost their musical skills or perhaps more accurately their confidence bringing their instruments – a double bass and mouthorgan and regaining their musical confidence to play alongside the professional musicians. And perhaps more amazing that some of our participants who had never touched a string instrument learn some notes and then play a piece, Bolero, together –  and some other classical piece that I had never heard of before (I am not a musician). I too managed to play a few notes on a violin, or maybe it was a viola, anyway the community musician knows his stuff and directed us all to enable the musicians to get us all to play something – and in relative harmony! Two of our BUMusic scholars, while a little hesitant initially, then took the initiative to lead some of the singing that was part of this initial rehearsal and again their skill in using their talents to engage and encourage the group was amazing to watch. I had the pleasure of being taught how to play a few notes (badly) on the double bass by one of our participants with dementia which was probably the best part of the morning for me. I have a soap box position that many will have heard before about how when someone has dementia it is possible to continue to learn new things and also for people with dementia to help us learn new things. Today was just another inspiring example of that.