The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), established in 1946, champions the delivery of world-class music to communities across the UK and beyond. Its acclaimed RPO Resound outreach program includes innovative community initiatives that blend music with health care and disability support.
An SNF grant supports the launch of one of these initiatives, the STROKESTRA program, at University College London Hospital, where RPO musicians, alongside clinical staff, will deliver workshops for stroke survivor inpatients, recent outpatients, and their families. These sessions harness the power of music to advance multiple facets of stroke recovery through engaging group therapy, fostering social connection for isolated patients and loved ones via specially tailored musical activities aligned with rehabilitation objectives. The initiative integrates training for local clinicians and music students to make its benefits more sustainable, alongside rigorous evaluation of its short- and long-term impacts.
