His current preoccupations are:

  • playing music with the elderly and especially those with dementia
  • making sounds and exploring noises with the very young (from 0-5)
  • working with mixed generation groups, whether Family Orchestras or taking children to Care Homes and seeing what transpires when old and young play together.

Hugh makes instant songs in many different situations (music festivals, special schools…) and sometimes more considered slower songs at his home on the piano or harmonium.

Hugh uses the accordion for leading workshops as with this instrument you can play a melody, an accompaniment, you can sing and you can move around all at the same time.

In the past year Hugh has:

  • created new mystery music for the International Agatha Christie Festival
  • led inclusive workshops in Tokyo (funded by Tokyo 2020 Olympics)
  • continued a ten year project with Awards for Young Musicians on identifying musical potential.

In the next year Hugh will be:

  • performing a new song-cycle ‘Dementialand’
  • continuing to play international musical consequences with communities in South Devon and North-east Japan and
  • responding to the unknown