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  • The Spitz

    Stories

    .

    Tales of our mission to spread #LiveMusicForWellbeing.

    07th May 2025

    All Day Play at GOSH

    Today we doubled up – two sessions at Great Ormond Street
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    06th March 2025

    A whistle-stop tour of world music (and Sting!)

    He is one of the world’s most original and uniquely talented guitarists…
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    13th February 2025

    Isn’t that a lot of fun?

    After much head-scratching and googling, we decided that we could write a song about it…
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    20th December 2024

    Christmas crackers

    A round-up of a week of Spitz sessions in the run-up to Christmas
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    06th November 2024

    Blue is the best flavour

    Our weekly visits to Great Ormond Street continued today as we spent time with kids on Koala, Bear and Kingfisher wards
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    04th November 2024

    The enigmatic cello

    Lots of guitars but rarely a cello!
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    31st October 2024

    halloween

    From among the ghosts and cobwebs that adorned the walls of Bridgeside Lodge came the sounds of……
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    26th September 2024

    A New Adventure

    It has been a journey for both of us…
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    24th September 2024

    Arts In Care Homes Day – Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir

    Celebrating Arts In Care Homes Day with Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir
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    23rd September 2024

    Uncle John

    The final verse captures the joy of performing…
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    19th September 2024

    Gauntlet Trust Supper

    Stepping back in time…
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    09th August 2024

    Why Me?

    Music is employed as a motivator, as an energiser, to get us feeling good!
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    03rd July 2024

    Were you ever in Quebec?

    We crossed over the wide street of imposing Georgian townhouses to enter the hospital…
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    19th June 2024

    Roar, not Raawr

    We were to visit four wards which we hadn’t been to before…
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    10th May 2024

    My mam – nonie

    Music is magic, and they give that magic to the people who need it most.
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    10th May 2024

    a week in the life of a spitz musician – marcus bonfanti

    This week I have written with a 75 year old, a 7 year old and 15 prison inmates…
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    19th March 2024

    Stay Another Song…

    Before a note was played there was other business to attend to…
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    13th March 2024

    The Spitz on BBC Breakfast

    BBC Breakfast tell the story of Bridgeside Lodge resident Jackie and her partner Matt
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    19th February 2024

    A Warm Welcome

    They’ve been looking forward to this all morning! So have the staff actually…
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    09th February 2024

    The Spitz on BBC Radio London

    Spitz director Jane Glitre and pianist Arthur Lea on BBC radio London
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    29th January 2024

    I’m having the time of my life!

    As we entered the ward, there was a slightly less busy feel than usual…
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    21st December 2023

    Winter Solstice 2023

    For several years we have celebrated the Winter Solstice at Bridgeside Lodge…
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    08th December 2023

    Keep Me Warm

    “I want to write a Christmas song…”
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    08th December 2023

    Christmas Jumper Day

    The Bridgeside Lodge Christmas party…
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    30th November 2023

    A musical journey

    Sometimes the best and most memorable gigs happen in unusual settings and when you least expect it…
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    29th November 2023

    I’ll Go To Bed When You’re Gone

    A spark of magic in a throwaway statement…
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    21st November 2023

    The Autumn Leaves

    Today was one of those days at Bridgeside Lodge…
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    17th November 2023

    Great Expectations

    There were Great Expectations for this visit….
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    06th November 2023

    “I’ve already made it”

    Today we visited Ellington Ward at Northwick Park Hospital for the second time.
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    10th October 2023

    He’s actually really good!

    Ellington Ward is an acute inpatient mental health ward for older people…
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    29th September 2023

    A forgotten ward

    Marcus played at Bridgeside Lodge on Tuesday, Great Ormond Street Hospital on Wednesday and Northwick Park on Friday…
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    26th September 2023

    Oh Happy Day

    An afternoon of soul and blues…
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    21st September 2023

    Dinner and a show

    The Spitz team were out on the town on Thursday night, after receiving two separate invitations from funders…
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    14th September 2023

    National Day Of Arts In Care Homes

    The National Day of Arts in Care Homes champions arts engagement in care settings and highlights the health and wellbeing benefits for all involved.
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    12th September 2023

    The Spitz at Great Ormond Street

    Our first visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital was a great success!
    Read more ->
    22nd August 2023

    Adding four strings to your bow

    A sunny summer concert in the garden at Bridgeside Lodge
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    15th August 2023

    The power of the Universe

    A powerful and spiritual session at Bridgeside Lodge with Arthur and Melissa.
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    09th August 2023

    Shanties and standards

    “What a tremendous day. Let’s do that again”
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    06th August 2023

    Monday blues

    Marcus Bonfanti describes a typical Monday session at Bridgeside Lodge
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    31st July 2023

    Bookends

    A Friday and a Monday session to bookend the weekend at Northwick Park Hospital
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    26th July 2023

    Eine kleine Nachmittagsmusik

    A beautiful summer concert from a string trio in the garden of Bridgeside Lodge
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    25th July 2023

    In the mood

    An afternoon of knees-up, old-time jazz at Bridgeside Lodge
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    29th June 2023

    The Spitz at Appleby House

    Spitz musicians visit the National Activity Providers Association at Appleby House
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    21st June 2023

    Summer Solstice 2023

    Celebrating the longest day of the year with a party in the sun
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    09th June 2023

    I’ll help you carry on

    Good friends, good company and good music!
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    09th May 2023

    The beauty of fragility

    “It is a humbling experience to go from a large concert stage to a care home and I am reminded of the vulnerability of humankind and health and the beauty of fragility.”
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    08th May 2023

    Raise your glasses

    To celebrate the King’s Coronation, the Spitz joined Bridgeside Lodge residents, staff, and visitors for a garden party, live music, and a barbecue.
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    28th April 2023

    Music – a lifelong companion

    “Music can remind us of who we are, reconnecting us with ourselves and a sense of playfulness.”
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    27th April 2023

    Dust My Broom

    “I retuned his guitar to open D tuning so he could fully join in, strumming along and the three of us had a great blues jam together.”
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    24th April 2023

    Breathing deeply

    Spring has sprung in Bridgeside Lodge.
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    24th April 2023

    Does it run in the family?

    “This is the perfect setting – lunch and live music! When are you coming back?”
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    22nd April 2023

    Green Hands

    She smelt the flower and said “I would stay living here for this”
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    21st April 2023

    Feeling revived

    ‘Every time I move my body, I feel revived/When I see the moving people, I feel alive’
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    18th April 2023

    To the place I belong

    “Outside the lifts on the second floor” should be a designated and accredited live music venue
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    04th April 2023

    Learn by doing

    Our “Next Generation” initiative aims to introduce young musicians into our work.
    Read more ->
    01st April 2023

    Don’t forget your head

    After we’d finished the song, she looked at me and said ‘I love it, and you love it, I can tell’.
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    24th March 2023

    I’ve been expecting you…

    This is the life of a musician, unexpected surprises…
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    21st March 2023

    Spring Equinox at Bridgeside Lodge

    A special live session at Bridgeside to mark the Spring Equinox.
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    10th March 2023

    Big stress…express

    “When emotions are so hard to express, I can use my songs to eliminate big stress”
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    24th February 2023

    Authentic grubbiness

    Nat describes a typically varied session at Brigeside
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    17th February 2023

    Worldwide appeal

    A new day, a new tune.
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    14th February 2023

    L is for the way you look at me

    “People think that singing at a care home must be tiring and difficult… this couldn’t be further from the truth. It actually fills me with amazing feelings of hope, love and fun!”
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    10th February 2023

    Me trae mucha Alegria

    “It brings me lots of joy”
    Read more ->
    27th January 2023

    A meaningful conversation

    Songwriting is good for the soul.
    Read more ->
    20th January 2023

    “It’s a miracle that you’re here”

    “Music is so important to me”
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    16th January 2023

    Blue Monday

    Heading off Blue Monday with some live music!
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    13th January 2023

    Word soup

    “Song #3 is an upbeat, driving boogie-woogie funk tune about friendship and today the lyrics flowed like an over-filled bowl of hearty word soup”
    Read more ->
    13th January 2023

    The great leveller

    …spoken word has its limits but music has the unique power to transport us through a million places, memories and atmospheres and is accessible to everyone.
    Read more ->
    11th January 2023

    It’s a need, not a want

    “I’m sorry I’m crying but they’re tears of joy”
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    10th January 2023

    …better than all the rest

    “There’s something in me that wanted to express his emotion through my voice, letting him live vicariously through me for a moment.”
    Read more ->
    01st January 2023

    More historical blogs coming soon…

    More historical blogs coming soon…
    Read more ->
    16th September 2022

    Quantitative research

    This is the first time The Spitz has been part of an academic study into the impacts of music on health and wellbeing.
    Read more ->
    21st June 2022

    Summer Solstice 2022

    A sunny concert and BBQ to celebrate the longest day of the year
    Read more ->
    27th January 2022

    There’s a fire within my soul

    There’s so much artistic talent and flair among the wider community of Bridgeside Lodge and we love when it reveals itself.
    Read more ->
    27th January 2022

    Bright lights and euphoria

    “She locks eyes and doesn’t let go and the brief connection we share is brilliant and intense”.
    Read more ->
    27th January 2022

    Lyrics in your notebook

    “As I played, she began to gently rock her body back and forth and gradually move closer to the source of the sound eventually shifting so that her ear was side on to the guitar”
    Read more ->
    18th January 2022

    As constant as a northern star

    “Singing these songs takes me back to my childhood and I feel very happy”
    Read more ->
    17th January 2022

    Pizzicato is more her style

    “It’s a joy to see people who may seem to be fading, suddenly come alive again”
    Read more ->
    13th January 2022

    Mutually rewarding

    “Every time I play at Bridgeside Lodge it feels magical.”
    Read more ->
    21st December 2021

    Welcoming the dark

    Celebrating the longest night of the year in with a garden concert in Bridgeside Lodge
    Read more ->

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