Vocal Beats is a ground-breaking participatory music, singing and beatboxing project for young people receiving treatment for heart disease, lung disease, and cancer.
Vocal Beats has been leading music-making activities for 0-16-year-olds on hospital wards since 2015, originally inspired by Royal Brompton and Harefield’s successful Singing for Breathing programme.
Feedback from participants and their carers include:
I always knew there was creativity inside me, I just didn’t take it seriously until Vocal Beats
I don’t think I would have been able to cope with treatment had I not been able to take part in Vocal Beats
I can’t stress enough what a difference your music makes to our daughter’s recovery
In 2019, Vocal Beats expanded to include 17-25-year-olds at Royal Brompton Hospital, along with young people receiving treatment for cancer at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust – in a partnership that was the first of its kind between two tertiary NHS trusts.
Visit our YouTube channel, Vocal Beats Online, for a taste of what we do, and to learn techniques for singing, breathing, and beatboxing.
Vocal Beats is funded through Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity, by Youth Music, The Brompton Fountain Charity and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity at Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
Vocal Beats external evaluation 2020
Authored by specialists in music education and respiratory health - Marion Friend MBE, Gráinne Hope, and Charlotte Wells - this report examines the social, artistic and clinical impacts of award-nominated singing and beatboxing programme, Vocal Beats. The report also proposes recommendations which other NHS trusts and organisations can use to help develop similar initiatives. Read the report here.