Musicians regularly perform for patients and staff
Luca Boscagin has been playing guitar in hospitals across north London since August 2023 which he calls the highlight of his week.
The musician has been performing for 40 years and now brings his talent to Barnet, Chase Farm and the Royal Free hospitals twice a week.
I kind of rediscovered what music is about: it’s giving something good to people.
Luca has noticed the profound impact his music has on patients with dementia. He explained: “I play songs like We’ll Meet Again and they love it – they start singing along and they remember the words to the songs.”
Sue Rothstein is one of many volunteers who use the power of music to uplift our patients. After spending a week in the Royal Free Hospital with a perforated bowel in April 2023, Sue decided to “give back” to the staff by using her talent as a harpist.
She began playing the harp at just 12 years old and now performs “soothing” music for our staff and patients in the foyer, on wards, or in the children’s school once a month.
Sue explained: “When you’re in a rotten place like I was and you’re not well, a lot of your focus will be on what’s going on: ‘Am I getting better? Is everything going okay?’ but with music it’s a different time scale. Your time goes somewhere else.
“If you do manage to lift someone’s spirit, if you bring them joy, or contemplation, or just a place to be… Music and art, they are really part of human beings. Music and art are a platform for the soul.”
Twice a week at the Royal Free Hospital, it’s likely you will also hear the melodic sounds of Matt Smith’s guitar. The music teacher at the hospital children’s school has been performing for patients and staff since 2017.
Focussing predominantly on the dementia and paediatrics wards, Matt has had many moving moments over the past seven years.
“A few years ago, I had an email from someone saying thank you: I played Somewhere Over the Rainbow and the family said that was the last thing that this person heard. That kind of significance is really intense and makes it feel worthwhile.”
Would you like to perform at one of the Royal Free London’s hospitals for patients, staff and visitors, either as a one-off or regular volunteer? If you are interested, please get in touch.