Wandering Minstrels: Derby & Burton Hospital 

“When I walked in and heard you play… it calmed me down more than I’ve ever felt here.” 

That was from a patient who’d just experienced one of those quiet, powerful moments that music can bring, and honestly, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. 

Over the past few months, a group of musicians from Sinfonia Viva have been part of a beautiful project called The Wandering Minstrels, in partnership with Air Arts at Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity. It’s been a real privilege to bring the comfort of live music to patients, families and NHS staff across dementia and cancer wards, and now, we’re moving into stroke wards too. 

This isn’t about formal concerts or polished performances. It’s about being present, tuning into the atmosphere, and offering whatever music feels right in the moment. Sometimes it’s cheerful and full of energy, other times it’s gentle and reflective. The aim is to create those small but powerful moments of contemplation in places that can often feel overwhelming. 

Our brilliant band of musicians – Ant on trumpet, Maddie on oboe, Kate with her viola, Clare on violin and Deirdre on cello – have been out and about with Air Arts regulars Jamie and Adrian. Together, we’ve been popping up all over the hospitals, from wards and waiting rooms to corridors and cafés, bringing music to people wherever they are, and the reactions have been really special. 

It’s not just patients who pause to listen. Staff have told us that a few minutes of music helps lift their day too, whether they’re grabbing a quick break or just passing through. We even took part in a couple of informal café concerts over the summer with our wind trio – Maddie, Matt and Gareth – and it was lovely to see people enjoying the music over lunch. 

This two-year project, supported by Arts Council England and the Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity, is also helping us learn. We’re working closely with healthcare teams to really understand how live music can support recovery, wellbeing and care. We’re even taking part in a research project with the University of Derby, looking at how music might help patients during dialysis. 

At Sinfonia Viva, we’ve always believed in the power of music to change lives, and this work in hospitals is one of the most direct, human ways we’ve seen it happen. It’s not just changing how people feel in the moment; it’s also helping shape what live music in healthcare could look like in the future. 

As our Project Lead Rosie Rutherford from Air Arts put it: “Music has the power to connect people, transform spaces, and bring moments of joy even in the most challenging environment.” and we couldn’t agree more. 

We’re so proud to be part of The Wandering Minstrels programme. It’s a fantastic opportunity to share skills, learn from each other and keep evolving how we work. It challenges us, inspires us and, more than anything, reminds us why we do what we do. Music has this quiet power to connect people and being able to bring that into hospital spaces feels incredibly meaningful. 

Katie Lucas