English Symphony Orchestra
The Worcestershire based English Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1978 by William Boughton. The idea behind the ESO is to share the joys of live music with as wide a population as possible. As well as visiting care homes and hospices, we run a full concert programme featuring performances by the String and Symphony Orchestras and also by chamber ensembles made up of members of the orchestra. We subsidise regular weekend courses for beginner and intermediate students and increasingly invite students to join us in our concert performances.
- Updated:
- 16 February 2016
- Location:
- West Midlands
- Sectors:
- Arts, Voluntary Sector
- Local Alliances:
- Herefordshire Dementia Action Alliance, Malvern Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
Music can provide comfort and hope to listeners in all stages of life but, all too often, when people reach their last days, the music stops.
The ESO are deeply committed to helping people in care homes and hospices whose well-being, health and happiness are greatly enhanced by the life-affirming power of live music. The ESO musicians are all passionate about performing in care homes. Commenting after the concerts, Stephen Warner, who plays double bass and guitar in Downside Up, remarked “We give lots of concerts yet I think our performances in care homes are the only situations where we genuinely make a difference to somebody’s life.”
Music can help bring comfort and hope to those with depression and serious illness and it can also be a crucial source of engagement and stimulus for people living with dementia.
The ESO recently made a DVD, entitled ‘Music to Lift the Spirit’, which was produced primarily as entertainment suitable for people living with dementia. Whilst fundraising to cover the cost of making this DVD, dementia support professionals and practitioners gave us overwhelming confirmation that such a resource would be invaluable. One nursing home owner, Richard White, from Stanfield Nursing Home, near Worcester, said ‘The work of the ESO and those promoting this DVD should be recognised as an essential and ground breaking development in improving the quality of care and life experience of our residents.’
Comments from viewers of the DVD include:-
‘Thank you for a lovely concert. How much do I owe you?’ – Elderly gentleman with mild/moderate dementia.
‘Oh that! I understand that!’ Resident with severe dementia who was unable to concentrate/comprehend other TV programmes/DVDs.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
As the ESO is a charitable organisation, our greatest challenge will be to raise sufficient funds to cover the cost of putting on regular concerts in care homes and hospices.
Member contacts
2. Actions
-
Concerts in Care Homes & Hospices
We aim to put on as many concerts as possible.
- Status:
- Planning
-
Work with Local Dementia Action Alliances
We are now working with our local DAA in Herefordshire (and plan to do so in Worcestershire as well) to raise awareness of the work of the ESO.
- Status:
-
Fundraising
We raised sufficient funds to put on the following concerts in 2015
DAY 1: Monday March 2nd 2015
ESO String Quartet
Stanfield Nursing Home, Rushwick
Latimer Court Care Home, Worcester
Astley Hall Care Home, Stourport-on-Severn
DAY 2: Tuesday March 31st 2015
ESO Wind Quartet
Hastings Residential Care Home, Malvern
Stanley House, Bosbury
Hill Ash House, Ledbury
DAY 3: Thursday April 2nd 2015
ESO Wind Quartet
Coldwells House, Holmer, Herefordshire
The Weir Nursing Home, Swainshill, Hereford
Charles Court Care Home, Hereford
DAY 4: Thursday May 14th 2015
ESO String Quartet
The Hawthorns Care Home, Evesham
Ambleside Care Home, Stratford-upon-Avon
Bancroft Gardens Residential Home, Stratford-upon-Avon
DAY 5: Tuesday June 9th 2015
ESO Downside Up duet
St Richard’s Hospice, Worcester
The Firs, Worcester
Regent Residential Care Home, Worcester
DAY 6: Wednesday June 10th 2015
ESO Downside Up duet
Waverley House Care Home, Leominster
West Eaton House, Leominster
Hendra House Residential Home, Ludlow
DAY 7: Friday June 12th 2015
ESO Wind Quartet
Whitegates, Bromyard
Hampton Grange Nursing Home & Gwen Wolford, Hereford
Field Farm House Residential Home, Hereford
DAY 8: Thursday 23rd July 2015
ESO Downside Up duet
Bradbury Court & Davenham, Great Malvern
Cleeve House, Great Malvern
The Springs, Malvern Link
DAY 9: Friday 24th July 2015
ESO Downside Up duet
Norton Hall, Norton, Worcester
Mowbray, Great Malvern
Perrins House, Great Malvern
DAY 10: Wednesday 9th September 2015
ESO String Quartet
Stanfield Nursing Home, Rushwick
Storer Court, Barnards Green, Malvern
The Chace Care Home, Upper Welland, Malvern
3 more days of Concerts are currently in the planning
- Status:
- Being implemented
2015 - Third Quarter Update
See above