At 1 minute and 23 seconds into a video watched around the world, you will find Putney Library’s Singing for the Brain group.
Friday was Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. To mark it, British composer Pete M. Wyer assembled choirs from across the globe into a single collaborative piece. The video went live on his birthday, went global, and Putney Library’s Singing for the Brain group is in it.
The group meets weekly at the library and is primarily for people with dementia, though all are welcome. Frances set it up before Katy Homden, who works for GLL at Putney Library, even arrived. Frances and Marcia lead it together. “We even have a regular youngster!” Katy says.
The group’s participation came together through a small chain of people giving their time. Maria, also of Putney Library, first suggested the group submit an entry. Katy contacted the composer. Hannah from Positively Putney volunteered to teach the group the piece, spending several weeks working through the music with them. The submission went in. Wyer wrote back to say he found it moving.
Their voices are not just in the video for 23 seconds. Katy says the group’s voices are there throughout: blended with the on-screen choir across the whole piece.
Putney Library has been a recurring presence in this community’s life in ways that rarely make headlines. This week it contributed a quiet dementia group to a global cultural moment, without a press release, without fanfare. They just did it.
The video is at the link below. Putney Library appears at 1:23.
