According to the NHS, there are currently over 940,000 people in the UK with dementia, with numbers projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040. The Centre of Excellence for Music and Drama is a new organisation formed of a collaboration between British Chamber Orchestra the Manchester Camerata, Alzheimer’s Society and the University of Manchester. Training a workforce of over 300 ‘Music Champions’, the volunteers will continue the Camerata’s research-based music therapy program ‘Music in Mind’ as well as developing Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ which aim to offer musical support to people living with dementia across Greater Manchester. The long-term goal of the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia is to use the next three years worth of research to analyse how the incorporation of music into dementia care can reduce the need for healthcare services, as well as improving quality of life for patients.

Within the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, the 300 Music Champions will deliver ‘Music Cafes’ to over 1000 people living with dementia. Created in partnership with the University of Manchester, they implement fundamental principles of music therapy; bringing people living with dementia together to sing a variety of songs and perform vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and wellbeing.

Manchester Camerata’s Chief Executive, Bob Riley said: ‘This is a colossal moment built on over ten years of work and research in partnership with The University of Manchester. We know it will bring much-needed support for people living with dementia and their carers. It will create new opportunities for our amazing musicians in the UK, and bring about changes in the way we invest in music to bring the widest possible benefits to society’ with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham adding ‘This project will provide life-changing support to people with dementia and their carers in our 10 boroughs – support that is grounded in our communities and delivered with a real expert focus. It will also generate groundbreaking research that will influence health and care policy across the country while directly improving lives across Greater Manchester.’