London dementia choir release single

Members of a dementia choir in north London have written, composed and now professionally recorded an original song.

Over the past year, members of The Sam Beckman Choir worked with music and healthcare practitioner Edmund Jeffrey to create the composition, A New Beginning.

During weekly music sessions, choir members built on initial ideas and wrote a line each week before they stepped into a professional recording studio in Crouch End to bring it to life.

Jeffrey said: "One of my wishes was for one of my singing groups to go on the full creative journey with me – writing a song, going into a studio and recording it and then releasing it. And until this year that simply hadn't been possible."

All of the choir members are living with dementia and attend one of Jewish Care's three specialist dementia day centres.

Choir member Ros said: "It's a lovely song. We have spent a long time working on it – weeks and weeks. I'm very impressed with how it's turned out."

Viv, another choir member, added: "It has real feeling in it. We went over every single word and kept changing bits until it was perfect."

Tanya Miller, from Jewish Care, had the idea for the single. She said: "It is so important for people living with dementia to express themselves, feel comfortable to try something new or step out of their comfort zone, all whilst being supported to do so.

"We are so excited to hear the finished single. It is a huge accomplishment."

The song will be released on all streaming platforms on Sunday.

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