Manchester Camerata to perform academic’s music in research milestone

They Are Our Life will be performed by the pioneering orchestra on Friday 18 September at The Monastery in Gorton following on from months of work between Salford's Professor Alan Williams and nine carers involved in the orchestra's Music in Mind dementia music programme.

The joyous piece of music is a 13-minute classical composition that is inspired by the conversations shaped by the participants over individual interviews and group sessions.

The resulting work is an emotional and moving experience that charts the stories and memories of the carers in a poignant way. 

It is Prof William's third collaborative composition project to use the 'Listening Composer' method, and the first time that this method has been used with a full orchestra.

Prof Williams developed the method of collaborative composition to co-operatively develop a piece of music that shares the lived experiences of participants to a wider audience.

He said: “I am delighted that Manchester Camerata, an orchestra of renowned quality and recognition, will be performing this piece. 

“The participants have heard it played by a virtual orchestra on a computer but that will pale in comparison to hearing it played live by musicians of significant standing. I hope it will truly immerse them in the moment when they are surrounded by the sound at the Monastery.”

Prof Williams has been developing his research method of collaborative composition with non-musicians for the last five years.

He chose to work with participants who had cared for those with dementia and similar conditions, because he felt their stories were often left untold.

He added: “So much has been written and explored about the experience of those with dementia, but not a lot has been said on the experience of their carers.

“This project has helped uncover their stories through the medium of music in a way that keeps their memories alive.”

Prof Williams first started interviewing the participants from the orchestra’s Music in Mind programme in February 2026 before setting up 16 group sessions with the participants, supported by Salford PhD student James Holt.

The group explored their individual and collective experiences of caring, and created a narrative programme, as well as musical themes and textures they felt were appropriate to expressing the emotions they experienced as carers. Prof Williams then wrote a full score using all the musical material and the narrative the participants had created. 

“It’s a powerful process”, Prof Williams adds. “Music acts as a catalyst for emotions to come to the fore and when the participants hear their story played through a classical instrument, it can be very moving for them as it encapsulates that emotion through sound.”

The resulting composition is more akin to traditional Hollywood film scores, inspired by the music that many of the participants found similarities within when reflecting on their memories as carers and the music their loved ones connected with.

All of the participants involved in the project are expected to be present for the live orchestra rendition and Prof Williams is hoping to bring a version that will feature a spoken testimony of the stories to a venue in Salford next year.

The Gorton Monastry performance is part of Manchester Camerata’s six-day Here We Are celebrations which will see the organisation host free concerts and pop-up performances in public spaces across Greater Manchester from Tuesday 15 September to Sunday 20 September.

They Are Our Life will be performed as part of a ticketed headline performance called The Expansion of Sound by the organisation with their artistic partner, pianist Ethan Loch. 

Tickets for the performance are on sale now.