Live Music Now Scotland is settling into autumn with two major series of regular music sessions in hospitals. Patients at the National Spinal Injury Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow are cheered by the changing colours of Horatio’s Garden, a UK-wide initiative which nurtures lives after spinal injury through the beauty and sanctuary of specially designed gardens. Music enhances and complements this experience for many patients.
In the Haematology Unit of the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh eight of our solo musicians are alternating sessions of playing music as patients receive treatments, alleviating stress and anxiety through a range of different sounds and styles. Earlier this month LMNS Classical Harpist Grace Stewart-Skinner performed at the Haematology Unit and a very beautiful clip was filmed by fellow LMNS musician and harpist, Siannie Moodie.
The two performers had a lovely time at the ward. Both musicians expressed the importance of reading the room and adapting the music to how the patients were feeling. Grace chose to play slower and more relaxed tunes, as these seemed to go down very well with the audience:
“I tried to be sensitive to the fact that the patients might be tired and just want to relax. I heard some very nice comments between the songs, one person said that they had missed the other concerts and were glad to finally get to listen to someone playing.”
If you would like to know more about our projects, and find out about any upcoming public concerts, please visit the Live Music Now Scotland website: https://livemusicnow.scot/