Patients of AMNCH Stroke Service to create inspiring piece of music with top Irish composer
The Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin, Incorporating the National Children’s Hospital (AMNCH), is proud to announce, that Belfast composer Ian Wilson is in residence in the hospital for the next 3 months as part of a new arts project. This exciting new project will see Ian Wilson compose a new work for string quartet and soprano, based on the experiences of patients with stroke and the healthcare workers who treat them. Ian Wilson, who has written almost one hundred pieces, will collaborate with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, who are returning to the hospital after a successful residency in 2006. Members of the orchestra will conduct open rehearsals, which will be attended by patients and staff of the stroke unit, of the work in development. Deirdre Moynihan, an Irish soprano who has performed as a soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, will perform the final piece of work. Patients of the Stroke Unit will be involved in shaping this moving new piece of music.
A final performance, of this exciting piece of music, will be given in the hospital on Wednesday 24th November at 11am. A public performance of Ian Wilson’s piece of music has been scheduled for early 2011. This latest innovative project to happen in AMNCH is a collaboration between the National Centre for Arts and Health at the hospital, the Stroke Service, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and composer Ian Wilson. It builds on significant work at the hospital, in terms of Arts and Health, and hopes to gain a better understanding of the experiences of patients who have suffered a stroke. This unique project is kindly supported and funded by the Arts Council.
Over the last decade, the Arts Programme in AMNCH has evolved to provide a substantial Arts and Health programme for patients. It has also grown to become a leader in the academic and practical development of this important aspect of health. The programme, which is now encompassed as the National Centre for Arts and Health, has collaborated with major cultural institutions in the country. These include the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, the museum of Modern Art, and various artists and ensembles.
The stroke service in AMNCH was established in 1996 and was the first acute stroke service in the Republic of Ireland. Under the current direction of Dr. Ronan Collins, Consultant in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, all patients admitted to the hospital as a result of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) will be offered admission to the stroke service. A TIA service has been available since 1995. It is hoped that this latest project with the AMNCH stroke service will be successful, with an eventual tour of the finished work to international audiences.
