Highgate Reflections
An album of care home stories…
When life in The Highgate opened up again after the Covid pandemic, there was a shared desire to bring residents, staff and families back together.
Together we developed an idea: to create an album written, performed and recorded entirely within the care home community.
The result was Highgate Reflections.
“An amazing project… a great example of the power of music and the role of the arts in building community.”
Over the summer of 2023, around 100 residents, relatives, friends and staff took part in the project.
Many of the residents were in their 80s or 90s and had never written a song before. Using a variety of songwriting approaches, they created lyrics reflecting memories from their lives as well as their present experiences within the home.
Recording took place throughout the building — in rooms, lounges and corridors — using a small improvised recording setup within the home. Even a visitors’ booth built during the pandemic was transformed into a makeshift recording studio.
The finished album, Highgate Reflections, is a collection of twelve original songs featuring contributions from more than 100 members of the home’s community.
The songs reflect a remarkable range of musical styles and life experiences — from opera to reggae, swing to soul — mirroring the diversity of backgrounds and musical tastes within the home.
Housekeeper, Patrick recording a vocal for Mister Right, written by resident Elizabeth in our Covid-booth turned recording studio…
Here’s the music video we created for Sing Together, performed by residents, staff and relatives…
One resident, Phyllis, wrote the lyrics to Sing Together, a song exploring the meaning of care and community.
“Through this album Mum has been on a magical journey encouraging her to sing, play and talk about her past and her achievements. It fills us with joy seeing her being brought out of her shell into who she is now”
“Who’d have thought at the age of 90 I’d write my first song! This project has given me new life… It brings us together. It’s magical. I’m so proud of everyone for what we have achieved.”
The project culminated in a launch party at the home where the songs were heard publicly for the first time.
As well as the video for Sing Together, YouTube videos for a number of other songs were produced in collaboration with the songwriters…
The album was released on streaming platforms so that residents, families and staff could revisit the songs and stories whenever they wanted.
Each songwriter received a framed disc featuring the lyrics and artwork created for their song displayed on the walls of the home.
A lasting record of their part in the project and a chance to tell their story to the wider care home community.
In 2023, the project received a national Arts in Care Homes award.
The judging panel described it as:
