Music & The Betties
We experience the power of music every day in Huis Perrekes. Entering a house, you can hear people singing, you can hear the rhythm of footsteps, the melody of conversations, the sound of a piano, a guitar…
In each house a music therapist is present. Significant moments arise from, through, with and in the music. Where the spoken word fades, music brings meaning and support. There are collective musical sessions as well as individual music therapy.
The inner world is explored, resounded and connected with. Emotions are held, shared and processed on a non-verbal level. Beyond words.
Music is intertwined with daily life and brings people together. The Betties testify to this when they sing together.
They are an intergenerational choir. Its seventy members literally want their voices to be heard. In doing so, The Betties engage with culture in the broadest way possible, thus raising awareness about dementia and placing it high on the societal agenda.
Young and old sing together with great enthusiasm: children from the local school, residents of Huis Perrekes, guests of Huis Perrekes, families, employees, volunteers and friends. The choir is musically supported and guided by the music therapists, who work in Huis Perrekes on a daily basis. They create their own compositions and write arrangements attuned to the choir and musicians. The daily life of the residents provides a source of inspiration for texts and music.
The Betties invite the attentive listener to take a moment and think about their contagious zest for life and the unity they embody.
Musical team: Marieke Debelder, Emma Godemont, Jolien Smaers
Mentor: Stijn Kolacny.
In collaboration with Stijn Kuppens and the Violoncello Orchestra
