When Words Fail, Music Speaks - Lost Chord

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It has long been recognised and accepted that listening to and taking part in musical activities has an effect on our feelings and emotions. 

We all have pieces of music or songs which reminds us of a particular event or time in our lives and most of us can recall when the hairs on the back of our neck stood up, we had goose-bumps on our arms and shivers down our spine at the musical sounds we were hearing. I am fortunate that I was brought up within a family who loved music - my father a pianist and church organist, my mother a pianist and a member of numerous choirs. I have lovely memories of singing 'around the piano', duets with my mother, especially at bath time, and my attempts at harmonising from the age of about 3 years old. 

Musician Billy Joel once said "I think music itself is healing. It is an explosive expression of humanity and something we are all touched by. No matter the culture, we all love music". Most of us, I'm sure, agree with this statement and it is this universal bond with music which has led researchers across the globe to investigate it's therapeutic potential. 
The elements of music - rhythm, melody, pitch, tempo etc, are echoed in our physiology, functioning and being and we have such a deep connection to music because it is 'hardwired' into our brains and bodies. 

Given this connection, it is not surprising that numerous studies have shown that music can benefit our mental health. The mood enhancing chemical dopamine is increased in the brain when listening to music or singing and so is a feasible, natural treatment for depression and many other 'illnesses'. Increasingly, researchers are finding that the benefits of music may also go beyond mental health and as a result, health experts are calling for music therapy to be more widely incorporated into health care settings.

Lost Chord is a charitable organisation founded by Helena Muller in 1999. It's earliest beginnings, with 11 residential homes in my home town of Maltby, Rotherham has now expanded into many parts of South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire with satellite schemes in Coventry, London, Bury St Edmonds and Ipswich.

"We are unique in that we are probably the only organisation in the country which visits the same homes each month in order to build on the responses achieved in previous successive concerts. The past years have been an exciting journey of discovery into dealing with dementia."   Helena Muller - Founder of Lost Chord

In 2021, musician Clare Langan  took on the role of Chief Executive to the organisation, which she has done with flair and passion and is an excellent ambassador for Lost Chord. 

"In the summer of 2021 it was my honour to be asked to consider building on the incredible legacy Helena has devoted her life to for the past 22 years".  Clare Langan 
  
Lost Chord produces more than 1300 interactive musical sessions a year which are designed to stimulate responses from people with dementia in residential care homes, day centres and also now in community settings, such as church and parish halls - anywhere that people can gather together to enjoy the music and song and take part or simply enjoy the atmosphere and sense of well being which is created in sessions.  

Requests for musical sessions and concerts are increasing rapidly, which means that the organisation is always looking for further income generating opportunities, to enable them to reach out further to many more people across the UK.

It was my own pleasure to meet Clare at a Lost Chord session at 'Vintage Booth' in Maltby last December and to offer my support as a volunteer with them.  Whilst waiting for my DBS to be completed, I have visited and taken part in a number of sessions, including 'Soup and Song', and have seen the pleasure and benefits to all who attend, regardless of age or circumstances. The building on my own sense of well being and self esteem cannot be underestimated and seeing the reactions and participation of others is a joy in itself. What more could anyone ask for ? 
When words fail, music truly does speak. 

I am so looking forward to becoming an 'official' volunteer and if you have not as yet, been to one of Lost Chord's sessions, I definately recommend them. 






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