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Our Mission...

To champion the use of music to connect and transform the lives of all people within health and social care.

We are OPUS Music, leaders in making music with people in health and social care settings. We’re experts in playing high quality live music to connect, share culture, express emotion and enhance wellness in the people we meet.   

We make music with people of all ages, from birth to end of life, giving the gift of music at a time when people can be most vulnerable, isolated and feeling low. We play music on hospital wards and at the bedside, for patients, visitors and staff to listen to or join in.  

We offer a broad range of training and mentoring for musicians and care staff wishing to develop their skills in making music in health and care settings or wanting to bring music into their environment.  

We advocate for the positive social, psychological and physiological impacts of music on people, sharing knowledge across the sector and connecting people in this field.

Nick Cutts

Chief Executive
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Sarah Matthews

Musician / Trainer
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Oli Matthews

Musician / Trainer
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Richard Kensington

Musician / Trainer
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Mary Dunsford

Associate Musician
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OPUS Music is a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee registered in England no. 07900221

3 Dodgewell Close, Blackwell, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 5BH Copyright © 2021 OPUS Music CIC 

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Nick Cutts, Chief Executive

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Nick Cutts is a musician, principally trained in bassoon and piano, and additionally using guitar, whistle and voice in his practice.  Nick was Orchestra Manager of a Professional Chamber Orchestra from 1995-2000, touring across the UK and delivering engagement projects with numerous communities during this time.

In 2000, Nick founded OPUS Music CIC to create opportunities for people of all ages to experience the power of group music-making. Nick is Chief Executive, Musician and Trainer at OPUS Music CIC, leading a small team of Musicians and Trainers. 

In 2008, Nick was selected as part of European Commission funded programmes to explore the role of musicians within the healthcare environment, and later to train as a trainer of musicians in healthcare.  This programme was led by the internationally renowned Musique & Santé in partnership with Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.  Nick took this learning back to OPUS colleagues, establishing OPUS as a specialist in Music in Healthcare Practice in 2010.

Since 2010, Nick has delivered ongoing weekly practice within hospitals across the East Midlands, including Children’s, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and adult acute settings.  He has delivered training to over 150 professional musicians from across the UK and internationally in this time, alongside 3 year-long Apprenticeship programmes, resulting in high-quality practice spreading across the UK, including hospitals such as Great Ormond and Alder Hey Children’s Hospitals.

 

Oli Matthews, Musician/Trainer

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I started practice with OPUS in 2012, working in Northern General Hospital in Sheffield. Since then my practice has increased, to currently working across 7 different healthcare settings in the Midlands area.  

Something that drew me to this work was the connection that people share through a piece of music and the power that this can have emotionally on patients and families. The gift of music is something wonderful to be able to give patients in an otherwise challenging and sensitive environment. 

My specialism is improvisation and ability to work in any key on the Clarinet, being able to play music in a variety of genres (folk/jazz/classical), having studied Music at University. My other studies include 3 row Melodeon and Low Alto Whistles. Both of these instruments lend themselves to being played subtly and soothing and were chosen specifically for this line of work. 

When playing Melodeon, I also use vocals in songs to engage patients, families and staff, and I’m currently working on building up repertoire to play Clarinet or Low Alto Whistles as well as sing at the same time (in the gaps).  

Having skills in percussion with my previous work in Samba and Djembe playing strengthens my offer in delivery of sharing OPUS’ percussion instruments to further engage patients in creative music-making.