One Heart One Voice: A Musical Evening That Reached Where Memory Lives
By Romany Parakrama
For twenty-five years, the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation has worked at the centre of dementia care in Sri Lanka, offering support and guidance to individuals and families facing the challenges of this disease. On the evening of 22 March, this mission moved from the Foundation’s Activity Centre and community programmes to the stage of the Lionel Wendt Theatre, where the anniversary concert One Heart One Voice celebrated not only music, but the profound and scientifically recognised connection between music and the human memory.
It was a full house. Every seat was taken by supporters, caregivers, medical professionals, families, and those simply drawn to an evening of beautiful choral singing. Yet beneath the applause and the familiar melodies lay something more significant. The event was a reminder that in dementia care, music is more than entertainment. It is one of the most powerful tools available to awaken memory, encourage emotional expression and support well being.
Extensive research in neuroscience has shown that when a person listens to or sings music, many parts of the brain become active at the same time. These include areas responsible for emotion, attention and long-term memory. Scientists explain that musical patterns, including rhythms and lyrics, offer strong cues that help the brain store and recall information. Even more importantly, musical memories are stored across wide networks in the brain and are closely connected to emotional regions. Because of this, they tend to remain intact even when other forms of memory fade.
This scientific truth was evident throughout the evening. The Soul Sounds Academy Community Choir, whose members are all above fifty years of age, brought a rich depth of experience to every piece they sang. They were joined by singers from the Bangalore Community Choir and by Soul Sounds, creating a stage filled with voices that carried both skill and life experience. Directed by Soundarie David Rodrigo with artistic direction by Jerome L De Silva, the performance was a reminder that age does not diminish musical ability. Instead, it enriches it.
The choir led the audience through a thoughtful selection of musical theatre classics, including beloved songs from The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and Evita. For many in the hall, these melodies were part of their own life stories. When the first notes of Edelweiss began, the atmosphere changed. There was a sense of recognition that moved quietly through the audience, as if an old memory had stepped gently into the present moment.
For some families in attendance, that moment was deeply personal. Several clients of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation were present, accompanied by their caregivers. After the performance, one caregiver shared that his wife, who often struggles to remain attentive for long periods, “sat right through almost two hours, completely focused.” Another said that her father “mouthed the words to Edelweiss perfectly,” even though he rarely recalls recent conversations.
“She sang and enjoyed the evening so much,” another caregiver said. “The audience participation was a wonderful idea.”
These stories reflect what the Foundation has observed for years in its Activity Centre. Music can calm anxiety, stimulate cognitive activity, and create emotional connection even in advanced stages of dementia. It can reach where spoken language sometimes cannot. It can bridge the gap between past and present, enabling individuals to reconnect with memories that once felt lost.
This is why One Heart One Voice resonated so strongly with the mission of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation. The concert was not only a celebration of an important milestone. It was also a demonstration of the role that music can play in dementia care and the importance of community in supporting families through the journey.
The Foundation continues to provide all its services at no cost, including memory screening, caregiver training, emotional support, education programmes and the Activity Centre. These services are essential in a country with a rapidly aging population and an increasing number of families affected by dementia. The funds raised from the concert will allow the Foundation to sustain and expand this vital work.
As the evening drew to a close, it was clear that One Heart One Voice had offered more than an enjoyable programme of well-loved songs. It had shown that even when memory becomes uncertain, music can remain a steady companion. It can comfort, uplift and connect. It can remind individuals of their own identity and give families precious moments of recognition and joy.
For the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation, whose mission is rooted in wellbeing and compassion, there could be no more meaningful tribute. The concert affirmed a simple but powerful truth. Memory may fade, but the human response to music remains strong. And in that response, there is hope.
