Live Music Now

We are currently partnering with Live Music Now on two initiatives which bring live music to elderly musicians. 

Ivor Newton Concert Series

In 2009 we introduced the Ivor Newton Concert Series, an exciting new initiative in collaboration with Live Music Now (LMN). The concerts take place in care homes across the UK where our beneficiaries live. So far more than 50 have taken place, bringing joy to both our beneficiaries and their fellow residents.

The Ivor Newton Concert Series is funded by a generous bequest from pianist and accompanist, Ivor Newton (1892-1981). Talented young musicians from a range of genres perform in residential care homes and feedback suggests that residents and young musicians alike mutually benefit.

The scheme which LMN runs includes special training to support and develop the skills of the musicians to ensure that they are inspired and prepared to work with older people. Prior to the introduction of the concerts, LMN said: “We know from our extensive work with older people that live music has the power to improve well-being and lift the atmosphere within a care home, often resulting in a profound effect on both the audience and musicians.” 

Two people who benefited from the concerts in 2009 were Max Salpeter and his wife Mollie who have been supported by the Fund since 2003. Max, 101 at the time and one of our oldest beneficiaries, was a distinguished musician and enjoyed a rich career as a leading violinist with orchestras such as the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Mozart Players and New London Orchestra. He also played for silent cinema and formed several quartets. Meanwhile Mollie, 93, enjoyed a career as a ballerina and professional dancer. Max and Mollie lived in care homes just a short distance from each other in Surrey and both were able to benefit from concerts. Sadly, Max passed away on New Year’s Day 2009.

Adopt-a-Musician

To support this initiative, we launched the ‘Adopt-a-Musician’ campaign at the end of 2009, with LMN, to coincide with our annual Saint Cecilia celebrations on 18 November 2009. Through this scheme we encouraged donors to adopt gifted young LMN musicians to perform for Musicians Benevolent Fund beneficiaries, not only in care homes but in day centres, hospices and other settings.

Ambassador for the project and well known actor and director, Simon Callow (pictured, centre left) described the campaign as “one of the finest initiatives in classical music for a long time. Performing for the ‘smart’ audiences at the Royal Opera House or the Festival Hall is one thing, but communicating to people who can no longer get out and about and who may be failing in their focus is quite another. It’s deeply moving that so many of them are eager to do this; the fact is that they find it moving themselves, and re-charging, especially when they’re playing for retired musicians, people for whom music and performance have been a driving force and are now cut off from the joy and inspiration of live music.”

We are happy to report that the campaign has raised £1,940 so far enabling concerts to take place throughout the UK during 2010.