Category Archives: music therapy

Celebrating World Music Therapy Week

Nordoff and Robbins logo  

Celebrating World Music Therapy Week   Nordoff and Robbins  
It’s the first ever World Music Therapy Week! To celebrate, we’ll be debunking some common music therapy misconceptions.

We’ll be sharing a myth-busting blog from our music therapists, stories of how music therapy has a positive impact and discussing what exactly music therapy is!
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Tune into our social channels to be part of the conversation.

Find out more below, and catch up on more news from us.
Read the myth-busting blog    
Celebrating the power of music, together      
Our latest news
What do you know about music therapy?   Is music therapy really only for children? Does it only take place in groups? Test your music therapy knowledge, as our music therapists break down some common misconceptions.

Read now
Nordoff and Robbins  
How should we talk about disability?  
In this thought-provoking blog post, music therapist Stella speaks on how we can begin to take personal responsibility for our language use on disability – and why it’s important. 

Read now
     
Bringing music therapy back to Glasgow   We are very excited to have partnered with multi-disciplinary arts venue SWG3! This partnership will allow us to bring music therapy back to the people of Glasgow. ​

Read more

What’s it like to be a music therapy student?   Ever wondered what it’s like to study on our Master of Music Therapy programme? Chloe gives us a sneak peek of a day in her life as a student with Nordoff and Robbins.

Watch now
Nordoff and Robbins
Enquire about music therapy  
Music therapy can help people of all ages and circumstances. Did you know that you can refer yourself? Find out which of our centres are currently accepting new referrals, and how to apply. 

Find out more
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Nordoff Robbins June 2022 newsletter

Our flagship fundraiser, the O2 Silver Clef Awards, is just around the corner (tomorrow)! We’re looking forward to many special moments, including hearing the story of Inez, told in person by her father, Julian

Another special moment we’re eagerly anticipating is the auction of George Michael’s personal Bechstein piano. You can register and live stream the auction, below!

Why not stay up to date with the O2 Silver Clefs on social media tomorrow? 

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And we’d also love to invite you to TikTok, where we’ll be sharing video highlights of our flagship fundraiser!​

“Inez was mesmerised from the start. Fraser listens, and with the piano, he’s able to articulate something that she understands. Sometimes she just gazes into his eyes.” The incredible testimony Inez’s dad, Julian, gave on his daughter’s experience of music therapy with Fraser. Watch Inez’s story, below.
Watch Inez’ story

A very special auction of George Michael’s personal Bechstein piano With heartfelt thanks to George’s Estate, we have the privilege of hosting this auction at our O2 Silver Clef Awards. It’s open to anyone in the world, and you can live stream it on Friday 1st July at 2pm. Every penny raised will go towards music therapy. Register today
Music Mudder returns!
Is your business ready to face the music (and mud)? Music Mudder returns to Surrey on Friday 2nd September, challenging brave Nordoff Robbins supporters to the mud-run of a lifetime! This messy team-building fundraiser brings music and mud together, in teams of 10!
Sign up your team


Happy 80th Birthday, Macca!
The Beatles Story in Liverpool (a museum dedicated to the fab four) is celebrating Sir Paul McCartney’s 80th by raising funds for us! Beatles fans can sign Paul’s digital birthday card, and Donate – bringing to life the power of music, through music therapy. 
Read more and donate


Raising funds for music therapy – in the name of heavy metal! 🤘
Heavy Metal Truants finally hosted their London to Download Festival cycle after 2 years of virtual events. Joining the team was Rob Rolfe from Enter Shikari, who wanted to support us after visiting our London Centre. Sponsor Rob, below! 
Sponsor Rob

Nordoff Robbins May 2022 update

Announcing our 2022 O2 Silver Clef Award Winners

The O2 Silver Clef Awards return on 1st July! We’ll be honouring some of the biggest names in the music industry (including our O2 Silver Clef Award winner, the legendary Peter Gabriel!) All whilst raising hundreds of thousands in vital funding for Nordoff Robbins. Read more on who of your favourite artists have scooped an O2 Silver Clef Award, below!  
Read more on O2 Silver Clefs    
   
Jamal Edwards MBE will be honoured at the Music Industry Trust Awards 2022  
The prestigious MITs Awards 2022 will honour Jamal Edwards MBE. Jamal will be recognised for his outstanding contribution to the music industry. As a music entrepreneur, DJ and founder of the multifaceted music platform SB.TV.  
Read more about the MITs
       
Tickets now available for Legends of Rugby 2023  
The star-studded Legends of Rugby event will once again return, to bring music and rugby together! Raising vital funds for Nordoff Robbins. Congratulations to the 2023 Legends, Alex Goode and Emily Scarratt. Book your exclusive table, below!  
Buy Legends of Rugby tickets
       
Get your tickets to the Rock N Roll Circus in Newcastle this June  
We’ve partnered with Rock N Roll Circus! The all-new touring concept that will touch down in Newcastle this June. Enjoy Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Libertines, Years & Years – as well as a first class circus experience. All in aid of your favourite music charity!   
Buy Rock N Roll Circus tickets        
Our Summer School for music therapists returns in July 2022  
Are you a music therapist? Join our online Summer School to learn more about the Nordoff Robbins approach to music therapy. From workshops, seminars and discussions, to inputting on leading research. We’d love to see you there!   Read more about Summer School    
Thank you for supporting Nordoff Robbins.

You are helping us to create a world where through music therapy, human potential is recognised, witnessed and celebrated – regardless of profound disability, illness or social exclusion.

Nordoff Robbins – April update on all things music

   
   
This month Music for Dementia and UK Music released the Power of Music Report which outlines a blueprint to use music to help transform communities and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing. We also share Richard’s music therapy story and serve up a new episode of Behind the Base with PizzaExpress.   
 
   
Power of Music Report  
Did you know music therapy reduces agitation and the need for medication in 67% of people with dementia? The Power of Music Report outlines some of the outstanding academic and scientific research which illustrates the true potential of music as a therapeutic and medical tool.   Read the report      
   
“He just began to flourish in music”   
Richard, a former singer, who suffered a life-threatening stroke last year, has rediscovered his voice thanks to music therapy sessions with Nordoff Robbins. Richard and his music therapist Jo spoke to ITV News Wales about the progress they made together.     Watch on ITV News     
   
Behind the Base with L Devine  
Behind The Base with PizzaExpress returns with yet another musical talent. This month L Devine talks about about expression through songwriting, her first relationship and music that had strong influence, later taking to the stage to perform “Daughter”.   
Watch this episode  
     
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust award Nordoff Robbins £4k    We are delighted to announce that we have received £4,000 of grant funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to support music therapy at Erskine Care Home in Anniesland in the West of Scotland.    Tell me more
     
 
   

Anxiety – Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) guide

They have a very easy to understand & helpful guide to anxiety here

It is tough times at the moment and anxiety & worry will be high given the current events in Ukraine, along with the pandemic, rising living costs…crikey making myself even more anxious now! Seriously though there is help out there, you must never feel you are alone as someone, somewhere will listen. I am lucky to have a supporting family, but even with that it so easy to overthink things and become anxious, which can lead to physical symptoms too.

Do try to limit your news intake each day and set aside some time for your worries at a set time of the day. Worry time as the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) bods calls it. This blog has a good guide on it.

I may mention music a bit 🙂 but it does help me at work to concentrate and block out outside chatter about world events, which can make you feel worse and lets face it, unless you are a specialist in any area your work colleagues & friends are merely expressing opinions or social media ‘truths’.

Stay safe out there and don’t feel bad in asking for help or telling someone how you feel.

Happiful magazine Jan 2022, mental health support & Sarah Millican

Looking for support with your mental health? Here are some places that can help

Comedian Sarah Millican’s #JoinIn campaign which takes place on Christmas Day over on Twitter, which is there for anyone feeling alone.

Anxious times in the office

Music on my headphones helps me cope at work big time. Why? Well, in the office you can often only hear doom ‘n’ gloom which sends my mind off in a spin and scenarios overload. I am not a pessimistic person, just that my mind loves to work on worst case scenarios!

Office environments can be both good and bad from an anxiety point of view. Good in that you have fellow colleagues around to chat too and actually see in person, as opposed to on teams/zoom. Bad is the scaremongering, and often baseless ‘facts’, they chat about. That’s fine but it does affect others who may not be saying anything and instead worrying away on the inside.

Sometimes engage the brain before speaking… Boris take note 😉

Tune of the Day – Astral Drive  is songwriter and producer Phil Thornalley’s vision of a long lost album from the 1970s that only existed in his own mind. It is a wonderfully uplifting listen…

Journal of an anxious man :)

Like many out there in the real world (as opposed to the fantasy world of social media), the ongoing pandemic has really been affecting peoples well-being and metal health. Certainly for me the lockdowns, which started in March 2020, sent me into full on panic/anxiety mode and I am now on medication to help me, which it does. But you also need to have some coping strategies and people support (which I am very lucky to have).

The coping strategies often form part of Cognitive Behavioural/ Therapy (CBT) which is not as scary as it sounds! I attended a six week course back in 2019 via MIND and it proved very useful. However, I have been a bit lax on doing worry time and proper relaxation techniques. One strategy which my wife said to try was journaling and here I am 🙂 Well, blogging as like many I hardly use a pen and paper nowadays.

I am aiming to jot down my thoughts & feelings each day if possible, or at least a few times per week. The reason for making this public is not because I am a show off (far from it!!!) but in the hope it may help somebody else and to hear other people’s experiences. Please do feel free to comment.

Each post will also feature my Tune of the Day as music is very important to me and has been a constant companion from early on in my life.

The Taerks Christmas Sunday session Sunday 12 December at 4PM EST/9pm BST

Facebook event page

Plus broadcast live on GRTR! Radio

You better watch out, and you better not cry cause Taerkie Clause is coming to town! We’re doing a special Holiday edition of our GRTR! Sunday Sessions streaming live on Facebook and Get Ready To Rock! Radio!