We are proud to work with people with various conditions, including learning disabilities and cognitive conditions such as dementia, creating inclusive and joyful musical experiences. This initiative harnesses the transformative power of music to enrich lives and bring people together.

In 2024-2025 we are pleased to be working with:

  • Westbourne Park Day Centre
  • RBKC Learning Resource Centre
  • 3 Beatrice Place, NHS Centre
  • Chamberlain House, St Charles Hospital
  • Pullen Centre

Music for Wellbeing is kindly supported by the Band Trust.

The Team

Maciek O’Shea – Music for Wellbeing & Learning Disabilities Lead

Maciek trained as a bass/baritone at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and enjoys a varied singing and performing career.  As an operatic singer, Maciek has worked for companies including Opera Holland Park, English National Opera, English Touring Opera, Buxton Festival, Opera Up Close, Opera Anywhere.  Most recently in the 2025/26 Season Maciek performed with the Chorus of English National Opera in Rigoletto, La Boheme and The Pirates of Penzance. 

Maciek is passionate about using the power of music to improve quality of life and has built a reputation for being a leading practitioner for music in outreach and care settings. He believes music can enhance mood, improve physical well-being and be such a force for good. Alongside working with Inspire, Maciek has built strong relationships with other organisations working in the creative health sphere such as Lost Chord UK, MCC Lords, Royal Albert Hall Engage.  

“It is an immense privilege and pleasure to be a long-standing member of the OHP Inspire team and to be making music on a regular basis with many wonderful groups of people living with dementia and other neurological conditions. Our sessions take in breathing and vocal exercises, physical movement, action songs, dancing with scarves, use of percussion, moments to listen, opportunities for reminiscence and reflection, and all underpinned of course by lots of interactive singing. It is wonderful to see how music can have such a positive effect on our well-being.  Every session teaches me something about the power of music to improve and transform our quality of life.” 

Nicola Wydenbach – Music for Learning Disabilities Co-Lead

Nicola Wydenbach is a graduate of the RCM where she was supported by a scholarship from Diva Opera. She has sung for English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park, the Monteverdi Choir, Philharmonia Voices and London Voices. She is a highly experienced vocal coach having worked for ROH, ENO, the BBC, Surrey Arts, Sing Up, Snape Maltings, Opera Holland Park, Trinity Laban, Streetwise Opera, Garsington and Snappy Operas

For the last 10 years Nicola has been working as a creative health vocal specialist. She uses singing for many health conditions, including people with Parkinson’s, hypertension and mental health. She is MD of the Mind Soul Choir that works with people with mental health. She is Director of training for Sing to Beat Parkinson’s. Her book Singing for Parkinson’s was published in 2019. She founded Medising CIC during the pandemic and with funding from ACE, Trinity Laban, and Sing to Beat created SingApp:Parkinson’s for people living with Parkinson’s. SingApp:Parkinson’s has been shortlisted for a Digital Cultural Award 2025.

Currently for Opera Holland Park she is co-facilitating a group from SEND adults at RBKC Learning Resource Centre. 

“It is the most inspiring hour working with the participants and carers at the centre. Watching them react and respond to music and most importantly opera is a real privilege.”

Christine Cunnold – Music for Dementia Supporting Singer

Christine Cunnold is a lyric soprano who trained with English National Opera on their acclaimed Opera Works programme. Christine has sung with the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Aix en Provence Festival, and Birmingham Opera Company. Christine’s operatic performances include Lehrbuben in ENO’s award winning production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Emily Wilding Davison The Reckoning (The Art of Change), Alcina Alcina (Opera Alumnus), Lucy The Telephone (Teatime Opera), Donna Elvira Don Giovanni, Miss Jessel The Turn of the Screw (Moon-Little Theatre), Peep-Bo at Buxton Festival, Lauretta Gianni Schicchi (TCMO), originated roles in a touring, fully-staged Messiah (Merry Opera), Woman #1 Blood and Ink (Moon-Little Theatre) and Unknowing a new theatre piece staging two of Schumann’s song cycles (Teatime Opera).

Christine also enjoys performing on the concert platform. Recent solo performances include: Brahms’ Ein Deutsche Requiem, Strauss’ Four Last Songs, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.  As well as this Christine enjoys working within the community taking a more interactive and personal approach, incorporating a variety of style.

Born in London, Christine first studied Geography at Kings College before turning to her music career.  When not  singing, Christine loves seeing art exhibitions, travelling and spending time with her twins and husband.

“I love to see people opening up to music, whether they’re shy or nervous or a little sceptical, it’s so great finding that song that they just can’t help singing along to. I also really enjoy linking different genres of music together through a theme – the combination of classical, pop, folks, jazz and many more, gives people many different possible angles to approach sessions.”

Amy Porter – Music for Dementia Supporting Singer

Amy graduated from Durham with a First-Class degree in Music, where she held a Vice Chancellor Scholarship for the Arts. She currently works as a Create and Sing Artist at the Royal Ballet and Opera, a Supporting Singer for Opera Holland Park’s Music for Dementia programme and Opera Holland Park’s Youth Chorus and the Vocal Lead Trainee for Music for Life’s Singing with Friends programme at the Wigmore Hall.

Amy is studying for her Masters in Vocal Studies at The Royal Academy of Music (2024-2026), learning with Catherine Wyn-Rogers and Richard Berkeley-Steele. As a member of Samling Academy (2017-19) and Glyndebourne Academy (2023), Amy has been fortunate to experience high quality training and masterclasses. Stage credits include: Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Academy of Music Opera Scenes), Hansel in Humperdink’s Hansel and Gretel (Royal Academy of Music Opera Scenes), Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen (Royal Academy of Music Opera Scenes), Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Durham Opera Ensemble), Second Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Durham Opera Ensemble). She performs as a soloist in oratorio and concert repertoire and has been fortunate to sing in some of Britain’s finest venues such as The Royal Albert Hall and St. Paul’s Cathedral. She was honoured to sing with the award-winning chamber choir Tenebrae in Perth, Scotland, and Bremen, Germany, under the direction of Nigel Short. 

“I believe that music holds such an important role in bringing people together, creating shared experiences, and expressing what words alone cannot. Nowhere is this more powerful than in a room full of people making music together. The sheer joy that comes from music making alongside others is tangible; it fills the care homes that we visit, forms connections and lights up faces. It is a privilege to witness the way music brings comfort, laughter, and moments of recognition to those living with dementia, reminding us all of the profound impact it can have.”