IT WAS music to the ears of an orchestra when it found out it had won a national dementia-friendly award for its work.

As well as entertaining in concert halls, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra works in the community promoting health and wellbeing through music.

The ensemble was praised at the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Awards. It won in the Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Small and Medium category.

The winners were announced at a ceremony in London hosted by Alzheimer’s Society ambassador Angela Rippon.

A fundamental part of the BSO’s mission is to work beyond the concert hall and BSO Participate offers people across the region the opportunity to engage with and experience music through distinct strands of activity.

BSO chief executive Dougie Scarfe said: “We could not be more proud and honoured to win. The award is an outstanding tribute to the superb work of the BSO team in using music to empower the lives of those living with dementia and their carers and families.

“It’s really important for us to engage with all members of the community and if you are no longer able to attend our concerts or the symphony hall then it is important to us that your relationship with BSO does not end.

“For us the power of music is all encompassing even if you have lost the ability to communicate in some way, music is an absolute combined communication force.”

Over the last 12 months the BSO has delivered 92 separate sessions to 3,243 people aged from five months to 100 years old. This work has manifested itself in many ways from people living in the community to those in residential and hospital care.

The Cake Concerts is another project run by the BSO to improve the lives of those living with dementia – a small number of musicians perform a classical music concert for those living with dementia and their friends, family and carers, with added cake.

Derek Dodd, operations manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Dorset and Somerset, said: “It is amazing that Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has won the Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Small and Medium award and it is a testament to their tremendous dementia-friendly work.

"The level of nominations received this year was truly phenomenal and there were some exceptional stories heard at the awards ceremony.

"All the finalists and winners at the Dementia Friendly Awards have demonstrated how we can unite against dementia.”