Pito-One Harmony Singers

Pito-One Harmony Singers was the vision of two people to honour the life of a very special lady: Barbara Green who lost her life to dementia in 2021.

 

I (Rani Allan) met Barbara Green through her partner Jenny Williams who was recommended a music therapist through Dementia Wellington. I worked with Barbara in the latter stages of her dementia diagnosis, learning about her amazing life as an opera singer and her love of gardens and cats. She was a truly remarkable feisty person. It was fitting to honour her in a musical way. With the support of friends, donations and a community grant we were able to launch a pilot project supporting other families with loved ones living with cognitive memory loss or dementia.

  

Pito-One Harmony Singers is a community social group aimed at supporting carers and those living with dementia. We are a caring, thoughtful, supportive group who understands the impact this disease can have on lives. We celebrate each other's strengths, laugh at the difficult times and lift each other up. The music therapy focuses on extending cognition and feeling connected to others (see about section). ​

 

We are now in our second year and have a core group of members with new ones joining throughout the year. No musical experience is needed. We welcome all and hope you find a place of belonging. People can attend for as long as they want, we have volunteers and experienced therapists and there is wheelchair access!​​