Music Helps

Take a mindful moment with us! We’re so delighted to close out our second season of the Music Helps podcast with today’s special guest, none other than award-winning pianist, and mindfulness teacher, Eliza McCarthy.  An extraordinary musician who specialises in performing new and experimental music, Eliza also teaches ‘Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Performing Artists’ at Guildhall School...

Social Prescribing is a super powerful tool!  Not sure what it is? That’s ok - we’ve got the most excellent guest to help us understand how social prescribing works and how to engage with it yourself! Monica Boulton is the Healthcare Integration Lead at the National Academy for Social Prescribing, the newest member of Musical Walkabout’s board of directors and someone who is absolutely passionate...

Ready to lift your mood in just 5 minutes?  Tune into our bitesize minisode of Music Helps podcast, where we explore a song guaranteed to lift your spirits and brighten your day! Join us for a musical journey that's sure to leave you feeling refreshed and inspired.  Want to keep the music flowing? Drop into our @musicalwalkaboutuk YouTube channel, and dive into our series of 5 minute PlayTime vide...

Join us for a mini escape!  Take just 5 minutes to tune into our latest bitesize minisode of Music Helps podcast - we’ve got a joyful intention-setting session to prioritise fun! Take a breather, tune in, and let's make a pact to infuse music into our day… Don’t want the fun to end here? Head on over to our @musicalwalkaboutuk YouTube channel, and discover our series of 5 minute PlayTime videos......

Ready to shake off the stress?  Dive into our quick bitesize minisode of Music Helps podcast and swap your energy with a 5-minute kitchen boogie session! Let the music lift your spirits and groove away the worries.  Want to explore more mini music moments? Simply visit our @musicalwalkaboutuk YouTube channel, and get stuck into our series of 5 minute PlayTime videos... #MusicHelps #Podcast #Take5...

Need a breather from the daily hustle?  Take a 5-minute escape with our latest bitesize minisode of Music Helps podcast… Hit pause, unwind, and change the tempo on your day with your very own Music Buddy! Enjoying this? Well, why not visit our @musicalwalkaboutuk YouTube channel, and explore our series of 5 minute PlayTime videos... #MusicHelps #Podcast #Take5 #MusicalWalkabout #Music #Dementia #W...

Feeling overwhelmed?  Take 5 and tune into our bitesize minisode on Music Helps podcast, where we dive into the power of music to soothe your soul. Hit pause on the day and let the melodies guide you to relaxation.  For more excellent micro music moments, why not visit our @musicalwalkaboutuk YouTube channel, and explore our series of 5 minute PlayTime videos... #MusicHelps #Podcast #Take5 #Musica...

Need a moment to yourself? We’ve got your back. Join us throughout April for a special series of 5-minute Music Helps minisodes, where Nina guides you through joyful music journeys to carve out some essential me-time. Let the soothing melodies transport you to a place of calm and relaxation.  Until then, why not visit our YouTube channel to enjoy our series of PlayTime videos with Nina! @musicalwa...

"I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes." Harry Burns  Dive into the holiday spirit with the Music Helps podcast!  This final episode of 202...

What music is meaningful to you? And why? Take a dive into the magic of meaningful music with the latest episode of Music Helps podcast, with our latest special guest, the incredible Janet Fischer, CEO of Live Music Now. Join host Nina as she and Janet explore her fascinating journey as an operatic soprano, folk violinist, and the profound impact that meaningful music has in the work of Live Music...

How does music bind your community?  Music Helps is excited to introduce our first power couple double-bill of guests! Nina has had the pleasure of knowing Alan & Marg Bartley for several years now, as both are founder members of Musical Walkabout’s ‘Songsters’ community music group, co-curated with and for people living with a dementia, people in caregiving roles and health & social care...

How important is music to you and your loved ones?  Nina’s latest Music Helps guest is renowned Dutch music and dementia specialist Ignar Rip, creator of the MuziekGeluk (Music Happiness) methodology, which he has trained health & social care staff and informal caregivers in for many years.  Ignar’s mission is to see music become a standard part of healthcare, a goal he moves us closer to be e...

What’s in your Musical Toolkit? A master of the multi-disciplinary arts, acclaimed vocalist, composer, performer, loop artist and musical practitioner Randolph Matthews joins Music Helps host Nina Clark to explore the concept of how the contents of our Musical Toolkit shape our lives…and vice versa! What do you keep in yours? ~ songs, artists, vinyl or downloads ~ ideas for musical activities or c...

Do you need a moment of calm? You’ve come to the right place! In today’s Music Helps playtime session, you are invited to join our host Nina Clark on a gentle exploration of our breath practice... All you'll need is: ~ somewhere safe and quiet that you can listen without distraction (not while driving please!) This is a gentle practice, in which we’ll observe our breathing without judgement, apply...

Let’s talk about mental health.  Our latest guest on Music Helps is the amazing Sarah Drage, Creative Director of Ethical Creatives, mental health advocate and powerful public speaker. After losing her Dad to alcoholism, Sarah has made it her mission to challenge and address the stigma around alcohol use disorders, running a not-for-profit mental health organisation, connecting to audiences throug...

How do you soundtrack your day? We know how powerful music can be to support our wellbeing, so we advocate for ways to integrate it into your day-to-day lived experiences As we launch into season 2 of Music Helps, host Nina Clark delves into this idea with Dementia Consultant Ashley Roberts of Dementia Support Australia! Did you know... ~ you can use music to support daily care tasks ~ meaningful...

Need a little pick me up? Let Music Help! To celebrate the first season finale, host Nina Clark puts her music practitioner hat on, and invites you to join her in a gentle, joyful Songsters session... All you'll need is: ~ a 'have-a-go' attitude ~ 10 minutes of 'you time' (yep, you deserve it) That's it! No musical experience required whatsoever. Maybe you've been made to feel unwelcome in music e...

All hail, the Stride Queen is in residence! In this episode of Music Helps, host Nina Clark is joined by utter royalty, the legendary jazz pianist, singer, writer and host of NPR's radio show, 'Jazz Inspired' ~ the one and only, Judy Carmichael. The world's leading proponent of the inimitable 'stride' piano style, Judy takes time out of her busy touring schedule to share her thoughts on the transf...

A glorious meeting of minds awaits! In this episode of Music Helps, host Nina Clark is joined by none other than blogger and dementia campaigner, Pippa Kelly. A woman of many talents, Pippa also hosts the podcast 'Well I Know Now', in which she and guests discuss what they've learnt in their journeys with dementia.  Listen as Pippa talks intimately about moments from her own lived experiences, sha...

We've a joyful exchange of ideas for you! In this episode of Music Helps, host Nina Clark is joined by the our very first international guest, the marvellous Eric Kolb. Hailing from Grapevine, Texas, USA, Eric and his wife Sheryl run 'Songs And Smiles', a 501 non-profit charitable organisation, who use music to help families stay connected through the Alzheimer's journey.   Eric shares stories of...

Hark! A call to arms! Music Helps host Nina Clark, explore the next in a series of 'Beefy Topics', bitesize chomps into interesting subjects on music & wellbeing. In today’s episode, Nina offers her evolving thesis on the subject of ‘musical activism’ and the circumstances which led her to become a musical activist. Let’s dive into the topic together and seek out opportunities to develop our r...

A thoroughly fascinating chat awaits... In this episode of Music Helps, host Nina Clark is joined by the incomparable Holly Lyon-Hawk. Among the many strings in Holly's impressive bow are author, podcaster, multi-award-winning freelance Holistic Funeral Director and End of Life Doula.  Holly shares her love of classical music, blows Nina's mind with her musical tools and reveals her musical heros....

Aaaargh me hearties! Who doesn't love a shanty?! Music Helps host Nina Clark is joined by the marvellous Susan Foster, who is, among other roles, Secretary of Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, a dedicated collaborator with Musical Walkabout. Susan discusses her love of the sea and how music plays into that, as well as revealing how learning a musical instrument was transformative for her. Help us ke...

Uh oh! Let's dive into a meaty subject... Music Helps host Nina Clark, introduces the first in a series of 'Beefy Topics', bitesize chomps into interesting subjects on music & wellbeing. Consider this the tip of the iceberg, as Nina offers personal insights into her music ethos. Starting with curiosity, releasing expectations and exploring the possibilities of playfulness, this is our conversa...

Prepare to be inspired! Music Helps host Nina Clark is joined by the awesome Jo Hurley, dementia advocate and public speaker, to discuss how she uses music to live her best dementia life. Always full of exciting ideas and brilliant energy, Jo received a young onset dementia diagnosis in her 40's, and has wasted no time since in seeking opportunities to raise awareness about dementia and share her...