‘Skye Songs’ at Tigh Na Drochaid Centre

Music in Hospitals & Care musicians Kirsten Easdale  & Gregor Lowrey  will be visiting the Tigh Na Drochaid Resource Centre in Portree on the Isle of Skye for a week of interactive music sessions culminating in a live performance for the local community.

This new four day programme, which is part of MiHC’s ‘Skye Songs’ project supported by the Co-op Members Scheme, aims to create shared social occasions using the therapeutic benefits of live music and hopes to engage regular visitors to the centre in addition to other members of the community such as older veterans.

The sessions, commencing on Monday 21^st October, will involve discussion around participants’ favourite pieces of music in order to select a programme for the performance at the end of the week, whilst exploring how they might like to contribute through playing, singing, percussion and/or movement. The activities aim to reduce social isolation, evoke joyful memories using familiar songs and provide the group with a sense of choice and influence over the programme.

“We try to play something for everyone so that we can hit on those cultural references which speak to certain generations and are important in that they can unlock long forgotten memories, particularly in those with Dementia.  When this happens, it is one of the most rewarding parts of being a Music in Hospitals & Care musician.” – Kirsten Easdale, Music in Hospitals & Care musician.

The performance at the end of the week will be attended by participants’ families and friends, the local community and representatives from the Co-op Members Scheme and Age Scotland.