Turtle Song

About Turtle Song

Turtle Song, our well-known project for dementia sufferers and their carers, continues and flourishes this spring with projects in Cambridge and Wolverhampton, and follows two remarkable collaborations in the autumn with both the Royal College of Music and the Dulwich Picture Gallery, both of which culminated in performances just before Christmas. The Dulwich Picture Gallery project was a partnership also with Dulwich College, involving sixth-form music students.

The project is a long-term partnership, now entering its 6th year, with Turtle Key Arts and the Royal College of Music. In 2013 we collaborate for the first time with the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

Turtle Song aims to bring music, movement and singing to people with Alzheimer’s and all forms of dementia and their carers. Each project lasts for 10 sessions spread out over 10 weeks. Over the course of the project the participants write the lyrics and compose the music for their own song cycle. The piece is then recorded on CD and shared with friends.

Turtle Song at Clare College, Cambridge

In the spring we revive our exciting new partnership with Clare College. The words and music of the new songs will be created in response to a chosen theme. Students from Clare support the professional team, which is led by composer John Barber and director Hazel Gould. Sessions begin on January 17th and run on Thursday mornings until a performance at West Road Concert Hall on the 7th March.

If you, or a friend or partner, are interested in taking part in the project please contact Charlotte Cunningham at Turtle Key Arts on 020 8964 5060, charlotte@turtlekeyarts.org.uk or Tim Yealland at English Touring Opera on 020 7833 2555, tim.yealland@englishtouringopera.org.uk.

Turtle Song in Wolverhampton

A brand-new collaboration begins in February. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and Wolverhampton Art Gallery host a new project, in which students from the Music Department of Wolverhampton University join composer John Webb and writer David Calcutt to help generate a new song-cycle in partnership with people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Sessions begin on February 19th and run on Tuesday mornings until a lunchtime performance at the Grand Theatre on Wednesday the 17th April. We are joined also by a student from the Royal College of Music.

If you, or a friend or partner, are interested in taking part in the project please contact Charlotte Cunningham at Turtle Key Arts on 020 8964 5060, charlotte@turtlekeyarts.org.uk or Tim Yealland at English Touring Opera on 020 7833 2555, tim.yealland@englishtouringopera.org.uk.