Bringing music to Nottingham hospitals through a special week of choir performances
Posted on: 17 Jun 2025
Last week, Nottingham hospitals were awash with the sound of music as various choirs from across the community brought joy to patients, visitors, and staff through a week-long celebration of music.
Throughout the week, a wide range of choirs, including those from local primary schools, community groups and NHS staff, filled areas of the hospitals with familiar and uplifting songs. These moments brought together the community at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) and City Hospital and created memories for everyone visiting the hospitals.
The week began with students from Dunkirk Primary School delighting those who are visiting loved ones and those waiting for an appointment, and demonstrating the power of music, with many stopping to watch and listen to the performances.
Later in the week, we welcomed our second school performance from Robin Hood Primary School, who delighted visitors at City Hospital’s Outpatients department. Performing during the peak time of visitors, many stopped and took a moment out of their day to sing along with the choir.
It wasn’t just young voices bringing joy to patients, we welcomed Our Dementia Choir to QMC’s Treatment Centre where they gave a moving performance for those in the waiting room. The same afternoon, Tuneful Tuesdays finished the day's festivities in front of an n enthusiastic crowd who couldn’t wait to get involved.
Daniela Smith from Our Dementia Choir, spoke about their continued support: “The experience was uplifting and deeply meaningful, with patients, staff, and vistors showing genuine appreciation for the power of music to connect and heal. The choir love sharing their voices, stories and spirits to all who hear them.”
On Wednesday, community group Liberty Singers performed at the QMC main entrance and sung modern pop hits including a requested rendition of Ultravox’s Vienna. Passersby stopped to sing, dance and soak in the atmosphere that this group brought.
Later in the afternoon, sessions moved to a more private setting with Emily from Singing Mamas spending time at the Nottingham Children’s Hospital’s School and organising a session for patients in the sunshine. This session was exclusively for young patients who are currently undergoing treatment and care at the hospital.
Emily spoke fondly about spending the afternoon with young patients: "It was such a pleasure to bring a singing circle to the children's ward. To see parents, staff and children united in a song I had taught them moments earlier was a real thrill. It was great to see the power of singing in action as tool to sooth, uplift and put people in the moment.”
The fun continued into the weekend with performances from Beeston Voices, the Carlton Male Voice Choir and a special choir made up of staff from Nottingham University Hospitals and other areas across the NHS.
All these performances were made possible through the efforts of our Arts Coordinators, whose work helps bring music and arts to everyone at Nottingham hospitals. The Arts Programme is entirely funded through your donations and plays a vital role in improving the mental wellbeing of patients, visitors, and staff.
Vikki Jones, Arts Coordinator for Nottingham Hospitals Charity, who has organised the festival, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing the first ever Choir Festival to Nottingham’s hospitals.
“Music can be very powerful, and can have a positive impact both emotionally and physically. We want to help humanise the hospital space and bring a non-clinical aspect to people’s hospital visits.
“The wonderful range of choirs who performed helped bring some comfort at what may be a difficult and stressful time for patients and visitors.”
If you would like to support the Arts Programme, and help bring music and joy to patients and visitors at our hospitals, please consider donating today.