Emmy was captivated by the sound of the harp at a very young age – when at last she was given the opportunity to play, she devoted herself to this magnificent instrument. Now in adulthood, she has found her own style, combining her classical training in French Impressionism, with the exciting rhythms and textures of West African Kora Music. She also offers lively covers of songs requested by patients, as this emotional connection to music is what she is most passionate about.
Emily Burridge is a virtuoso cellist, composer and arranger crossing genres between classical, folk and world music. Her performance repertoire for solo cello includes classics as in the Suites for unaccompanied cello by JS Bach and a whole roster of mellow cello tunes with her arrangements of classical and popular music.
In November 2019 a reviewer wrote, “Emily Burridge lifts the subtle art of cello to new dimensions with her inspirational, moody, soulful and joyous musicianship.” Find out more on Emily’s website, including viewing videos or listening to clips of her music.
Jane plays the harp and ukulele to accompany songs from 18th, 19th and 20th century folk music, as well as all 20th century styles of music. She currently enjoys playing music and singing with patients at Yeovil District Hospital and Bridport Community Hospital, always encouraging participation, unless just gentle harp music is required.
She is a founder of Right to Play, a group of musicians who are currently funded to play music at nursing homes, the hospital, Stroke Club in Bridport and a Tripudio movement to music exercise class for people with physical challenges.
Jane is also an oboe and saxophone player with the Arranz Ensemble based in Bridport who play live music composed by Robert Lee for silent movies.
View videos made by Jane for ‘Elevate artists at home’ on our Youtube channel.
Frankie has been working as a community musician singing and performing in care homes and hospitals since graduating from her music degree back in 2012. She works in a patient-led way, talking to patients about their musical tastes and picking songs to accommodate them and she enjoys hearing the memories and stories that her singing evokes. Frankie sings and plays ukulele with songs in her repertoire ranging from 30’s jazz standards, show tunes, the Beatles classics and traditional folk tunes. She tries to have something that appeals to everyone.
View videos made by Frankie for ‘Elevate artists at home’ on our YouTube channel.
Dan started violin at six and singing at eight, but having been teased at school for having singing lessons, he switched to piano instead. His interests musically range from J.S.Bach keyboard works to James Brown and everything in between. For the hospital, I play a mixture of jazz, gypsy jazz and vocal jazz, with some ballads, and also requests (if I know them!). Dan works seamlessly to provide an hour of entertainment in an easy going fashion.
View original songs and recordings made by Dan for ‘Elevate artists at home’ on our YouTube channel.
Chris sings songs and accompanies himself on the guitar and ukulele. He is well-known for his brightly-coloured waistcoats. His repertoire is extensive, covering songs from the 1940s through to the 1960s, from the Andrews Sisters and Fred Astaire through to Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Join in and singalong!
Hannah is an experienced community dance and movement artist, specialising in work with early years children, families and older people. She has worked extensively in early years, in delivery, training and exchange with over fifty UK settings and practitioners from across Europe and from Egypt, Mexico and India.
Hannah’s work with older adults includes leading Take Art’s Time to Move Dance Project for older people in Somerset (2006-9) and the Direction of the Tacchi Morris Bolder Dance Company, from its inception in 2013, to 2018. Hannah has taught Community Dance at Plymouth and Roehampton Universities and London’s Laban Centre and lectured in Early Childhood at Canterbury Christchurch University from 2013 – 18.
In hospitals, Hannah enjoys engaging responsively with patients, through conversation, song or sensory stimuli. Hannah is a self-taught ukulele player and finds this brings a gentle, accessible sound to people’s bedsides.
In her spare time, Hannah lives in an off-grid cabin, where she and her partner take care of a large ornamental garden. For her own development, Hannah has participated in multiple coastal movement workshops with Helen Poynor in Devon and takes increasing inspiration from the natural environment in her work. Visit Hannah’s website
View videos made by Hannah for ‘Elevate artists at home’ on our YouTube Channel.
Alex is a guitarist and singer who performs music to patients across Salisbury District Hospital and the community hospitals of Wimborne and Sherborne. Alex plays a mix of jazz and pop music from 30’s-60’s. Outside of his work with the Elevate programme Alex also performs professionally and teaches the guitar and ukulele in the local North Dorset area.
View videos made by Alex for ‘Elevate artists at home’ below and on our YouTube channel.
David is a Written and Spoken Word Arts for Health Facilitator. His background is in community development, education and training and feature making for BBC Radio.
David’s work focuses on participants’ personal interests and life experience using poetry reading and writing and visual art alongside objects, artworks and photographs. He aims to enable participants to gain confidence, skills and social connections and to significantly improve their mental health and independence.
David currently devises and leads residencies and creative sessions with people with a range of acute and long-term health conditions (mainly mental health conditions, spinal injury, brain injury, stroke and memory loss) in community and healthcare settings. This includes hospitals, GP surgeries, museums, art venues, and residential care. He is also commissioned in arts and health research and development, and to enable primary care patients to form self-running creative well-being groups.
Sarah is a pianist who plays a wonderful range of music from Bach and Mozart to Bob Dylan. She can relax you with gentle musical impressions or rouse your spirits with a sing-along number. She also takes requests.
Karen Wimhurst is a freelance composer, clarinettist, choral conductor and educator. She has worked both creating and performing music with all ages, from mothers and babies to senior citizens.
For Elevate and hospital settings, Karen focusses on a light jazz repertoire, encouraging people to sing along as well as improvising on the clarinet.
Karen has been commissioned by numerous festivals, ensembles and theatre companies throughout the UK. Recent works in a diverse portfolio include the theatre piece ‘w_RAP’, written as composer in residence with MoDiP; ‘Get Up and Tie Your Fingers’ (about women and herring fishing in Eyemouth); ‘Freedom, Bread and Peace’, multi-media music theatre exploring the rise and fall of communism for Bournemouth Festival by the Sea); Heartwood, a processional work celebrating the ash trees of Britain; and Miriam, a chamber opera for Electric Voice Theatre exploring the life of entomologist Miriam Rothschild.
Her recently released album Clarion, with accordionist Paul Hutchinson is featured in Songlines Top of the World CD 2016. Other recent albums include Timepiece with the jazz quartet ‘Misbehavin’. Visit Karen’s website: www.karenwimhurst.co.uk
Stephanie is a theatre maker and will lift your spirits with pictures, music and all sorts to unlock your imagination and the stories of your life.
View videos made by Stephanie for ‘Elevate artists at home’ on our YouTube channel
