Finding Hope: When Andrew met Duncan

In this heartfelt conversation, broadcaster Andrew Edwards sits down with Duncan, a finalist from The Piano, to explore how music offers not just solace, but genuine hope for people living with dementia.

Why Music Matters

Nearly one million people in the UK live with dementia—an ever-growing number that touches lives not just medically, but emotionally, socially and creatively. Through their discussion, Andrew and Duncan uncover how engaging with music can help restore moments of connection, spark joy and stimulate memory in ways few other things can.

They discuss how music acts as more than entertainment or therapy—it becomes a bridge between past and present, a way to reconnect with identity, and a source of emotional resilience for both individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

In This Interview

Duncan talks about what it means to use music intentionally: performing, listening, sharing, and the vulnerability that comes with it.

Andrew asks how music can touch someone whose memory may be fading, how it can still “reach,” even when other forms of communication struggle.

The Full Event

This video is linked with our live event “Finding Hope in Creativity – Music is Medicine” on Saturday 18 October 2025, 7-8.30pm at Leeds Playhouse, Quarry Theatre. The evening features:

• A pre-show performance from Duncan

• A conversation hosted by Andrew Edwards

• Discussion with Vicky McClure MBE (creator of Our Dementia Choir) and Dr Nicky Taylor, chief advocate of arts-based dementia care

•  Our Dementia Choir short film, followed by a live performance

•  Stories from choir members and carers about how being part of music has changed their experience with dementia.
LIFI

Why Attend

For anyone touched by dementia. Whether personally, as a friend, family member, or for anyone who cares about the power of creativity and the arts, this is an evening to listen, be moved, and discover how music can truly be medicine.