Digital Media Intern Kristi Ng shares her experience

I’m Kristi and I have just completed a six week Digital Media internship funded by The Robertson Trust with Music in Hospitals & Care during my summer break from university. My role was to organise the photos and videos the charity has on file in preparation for moving to a cloud based media platform. I also went to observe live music in Scotland and took photos to categorise and save in the media library.

In June I had the privilege of watching live music at the Linburn Centre in West Lothian, a community group for visually-impaired veterans. The room was sedate when we arrived, with some veterans having conversations in small groups. Once musicians Fiona and Dougie began to play, and people started to recognise the songs, you could see how everyone became united by the shared knowledge of well-known tunes: everyone was smiling, tapping their feet to the beat, and some were singing along.

One particular moment that stood out to me was when a lady danced to the music. She said that she hadn’t moved so energetically in a long time, and was nervous to, but the music had inspired her. After watching her dance, many other veterans and staff felt more confident in enjoying the music more visibly. For instance, shortly afterwards, a small group linked hands and swung them in the air to the rhythm of a song.

It was lovely to see the effects of the music on people, especially as the selection of music was tailored for the veterans. In that moment, staff and group members were connected by the music, enjoying a break from their usual routines with a trip down memory lane.

Earlier this month I was invited to the children’s unit at Victoria Hospital in Fife, where I was able to watch musician Amy Rayner. There was intimate live music at bedsides as well as in the waiting room for outpatients. The children in some of the bays on the ward were unsure about receiving music, but were encouraged by Amy who gave them instruments to join in and prompted them to finish a lyric. Amy displayed a perfect balance of enthusiasm to bring children out of their shell, while showing respect and professionalism when some children did not want to have music.

In the waiting room, Amy managed to take requests from every child and created a bustling environment as children enjoyed trying and sharing different instruments with others during the songs. The parents were also included and sang along to classic songs, like ABBA and The Beatles. One particular moment I enjoyed was when Amy made chord shapes with her fingers on her guitar and sang, as a young boy named Oscar strummed to complete the song. It was also exciting to watch the session being filmed by one of Music in Hospitals & Care’s funders for a video they are making.

I have really enjoyed my time at Music in Hospitals & Care. Music has always been something close and personal to me throughout my life, helping me through tough times. Being part of a team that truly understands and utilises the positive impact of music for those who need it most made me feel confident in the charity’s vision that everyone can access and experience the
joy of live music.