Locked-down? Music24 continues online!

Sorry we haven’t posted an update for a while. As you can imagine, things have been rather hectic. In fact, we have been busier over the last 4 months than ever before!

So just an update: Music24 have moved all their sessions online, providing 11 sessions a week for various groups/locations including an Open Session on a Thursday morning. We’re so pleased that we have been able to adapt during this time of uncertainty.

This has only been possible because of our amazing staff and the funders that have helped to make this happen.

We’d therefore like to give a HUGE THANK YOU to our funders that have helped us throughout the Covid Pandemic: BLCF and London Luton Airport, Herts Community Foundation, Childwick Trust, The Co-op Foundation, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, Watford Mayor’s Fund, Welwyn & Hatfield Council and the Bedfordshire Charitable Trust.

We’re also extremely grateful to the Arts Council for supporting our work during the pandemic and are please to tell you all that we have received £10,000 to support our work in Bedfordshire.

A big thanks also goes to The Postcode Lottery Trust as we have been lucky enough to secured our Herts service for a whole year following an award of £20,000!!! We are over the moon!!

Brindley Sherratt shows his support for Music24!

We’d like to introduce our new Patron, Brindley Sherratt - International Opera Singer,who has shown his support for our work having experienced the great things we do first-hand. Brindley visited the group that features in our short film, the Neurotones Choir, in Leighton Buzzard in February last year.

Below is a video where Brindley talks of his own experience and the many powers of music. P.S. turn the sound up! :D

We celebrate 5 years for BBC Music Day 2019 with a 24-hour MUSICATHON!

MUSIC24’s 24-Hour MUSICATHON

Wednesday 25th Sept, 6pm - Thursday 26th Sept 6pm 

For updates, check out www.facebook.com/music24uk > EVENTS, or call Teela on 01582 250024.

For BBC Music Day 2019, Music24 is celebrating 5 years of delivering Music across Beds and Herts! We’ll have performances and workshops over the course of 24 hours, featuring our groups: Mind Our Music (6 – 8 pm on Weds evening), Minds in Motion (10 – 11.30 am Thurs morning) & local community music group, First Note (2 – 4 pm Thurs afternoon).

Where: Mind, 46 – 56 Dumfries Street, Luton, LU1 5BP

FREE Entry, refreshments will be available, supplied by Tesco in Dunstable & Sainsbury’s in Bramingham. 

TOP RAFFLE PRIZE: 2 x JOOLS HOLLAND TICKETS, COURTESY OF WATFORD COLOSSEUM!! THANK YOU!! 

Visit from the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire

In July, our group in Hoddesdon had a visit from the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. The group had a wonderful time meeting Sarah and loved sharing their glorious music with her, making it a wonderful Friday morning for all. Thank you!

Music24 works with Mark De-lisser at #LutonSingsQueen

Music24 was lucky enough to be invited to take part in a local project led by Gail from the Big Music Company. The plan was to create a flashmob in the Mall in Luton, singing Queen’s famous ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and Pink’s ‘What About Us’. Over the course of a week, our mental health group, ’Mind Our Music’, took part in learning the songs led by talented choral arranger and vocal coach, Mark De-lisser.

The project involved 85 participants local to Luton, most of which hadn’t met eachother before, let alone sung together. Gail and Mark gave the opportunity for people to learn, sing and perform together.

Teela, Music24’s CEO, states: “We are eternally grateful to Gail for this amazing opportunity to work with Mark De-lisser. It offered the members of our mental health group a wonderful opportunity to engage in something that was really special and it connected with everyone in a deep way. Mark’s approach towards singing for all levels and general ethos resonated with everybody in that room and he built a wonderful ‘team’. It was a truly inspirational experience and it was a pleasure to witness.”

WATCH #LutonSingsQueen

Mark conducting the Choir at the Performance in the Mall, Luton

Music24 release our Dementia Playlist for #DAW2019

Here at Music24, we realise the importance of accessing music in our day-to-day lives. Everybody has their own ‘Life’s Playlist’. Whether you use music to chill out to, motivate you to workout or to party to at the weekend, everybody should has a playlist.

For Dementia Action Week, one of our actions is to release our playlist: Music24 Dementia Playlist Songbook 1: https://open.spotify.com/user/1vppswdd1x0fsgjbk65vqqqm0/playlist/1xgQfHyXPaM3AVGPsUCKjD?si=J9dE1Gx7RR2VtdjyJeBjGw&fbclid=IwAR2cDadDsY2_bEXHdYBPi1kZkt3yiaUkt9YvsGKEXH_cOnicUO1sRrZafDQ

These are by far the most popular songs requested and played in our music therapy sessions. We may add a few or take out the odd one, but this book has been going strong since day one. Our book is bursting at the seams and contains an enormous variety of different genres and styles, ones that hold great meaning and likewise some that are just plain fun… all packed into one book! We cater to an age range of 55 - 90 so there’s hopefully something in there for everyone.

If you’d like to create a playlist, we’d highly recommend Playlist For Life. Support in creating your own playlist can be found here: https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk

Happy DAW2019! Listen and learn from one another’s experience, always. You are the experts in looking after your loved ones. The journey in dementia can be difficult but music is one way that can help. Use it if you can and everyday if possible!

There's a New Project coming to Biggleswade

Music24 is please to announce the launch of their new pilot project in Biggleswade for adults with Learning Disabilities. The new project, entitled ‘Biggles Rock’ has been seed-funded by funding through the Tesco Bags of Help Scheme. Voting took place in the local Tesco Store in Sandy during Nov-Dec 2018. It was announced in January that Music24 had come 2nd place with their project and had been awarded £2,000 to set the venture up.

Music24 plan to use this funding to help set up a new group offering opportunities for singing, dancing and socialising. The group will take place on a Wednesday afternoon at the Masonic Centre (St Andrew’s Rooms). Music24 are holding taster sessions in the lead up to it’s launch in May 2019.

For more info, call Teela on 07521 248091 or email teela@music24.org.uk.