0:00:02 > 0:00:03SINGING
0:00:03 > 0:00:07If you listen very carefully, you may just hear the sound of singing
0:00:07 > 0:00:09and it's coming from in here.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I've come to the award-winning Birmingham Children's Hospital
0:00:14 > 0:00:17where once a week a group of choristers visit the wards
0:00:17 > 0:00:21to give the children a dose of medicine, Singing Medicine.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Staying on the theme of music, we hear from Heart and Soul,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32the swing band on a mission to jazz up traditional hymns.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36It's up to us to try and use it to praise the Lord
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and you dinnae do it like that.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42And to mark St Patrick's Day on Thursday,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45I'm in Ireland to find out more about the man himself.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Much of today's programme is about the joy of singing,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00something we know all too well on Songs Of Praise
0:01:00 > 0:01:04and as our first hymn tells us, we have plenty to sing about.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53This is Ex Cathedra.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Based in Birmingham,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59the choir perform a wide range of music including many sacred pieces.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03It's made up of professional and trained amateur singers.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08But on Fridays, members of the choir sing rather different songs
0:04:08 > 0:04:11here at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15- # Got to get ready - Got to get ready... #
0:04:15 > 0:04:18The project is called Singing Medicine and started
0:04:18 > 0:04:22when nurse and Ex Cathedra singer Sally Spencer came up with the idea
0:04:22 > 0:04:24to bring singing to the children on the wards.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Aw!
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Shall we do one more?
0:04:31 > 0:04:34I think it's very hard. It's very tough being in hospital,
0:04:34 > 0:04:35I think not only for the child,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37but for the whole family.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40We're working with children who can be very, very poorly
0:04:40 > 0:04:41and, of course, that can be
0:04:41 > 0:04:43very distressing for a family.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46We don't know from week to week how they are, where they are,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49or whether, indeed, they'll even be there next week.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52We think, OK, what songs are we going to do,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54how are we going to use them?
0:04:54 > 0:04:57We have to read how that child is feeling or perhaps the parent
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and use songs that are appropriate to the mood.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02# Round and round and round you go
0:05:02 > 0:05:05# And you choose another partner and away you go. #
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- # Sian wants strawberries - I'd like carrots... #
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Some of the children have to spend long periods in hospital
0:05:11 > 0:05:14undergoing demanding treatments.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Three-year-old Amaru is having dialysis
0:05:17 > 0:05:20which means he's confined to his chair for four hours at a time.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I think it's amazing.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26He always really appreciates it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Obviously, sitting here for four hours.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30# I think it was a lion... #
0:05:30 > 0:05:31It takes him away from that,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34instead of just sitting down and being on dialysis.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Hello, Naga.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- ALL:- Hello, Naga!
0:05:37 > 0:05:40They always bring a happy, happy vibe to the children.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Does it help the children physically?
0:05:43 > 0:05:44I think so.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48They feel scared, they might feel angry, so sometimes just bashing
0:05:48 > 0:05:52on a drum for a few minutes is a really good thing.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55There is lots of research around and lots of anecdotal evidence
0:05:55 > 0:05:58to the fact that we get children moving,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00we get them breathing deeper which can help their chests.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02HE ROARS
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Does your faith impact what you do, does it support it?
0:06:05 > 0:06:06I guess it does really.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10It's part of me and singing for me, Singing Medicine, is about
0:06:10 > 0:06:14people singing together and I get that from my Methodist background.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Everything that I do
0:06:18 > 0:06:20through my faith is through singing
0:06:20 > 0:06:22and being able to come here
0:06:22 > 0:06:25and to sing with the children,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27it's putting it into action.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31They can choose the different songs that they want to participate in.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34I think that's really important that a child does feel
0:06:34 > 0:06:36that they have got some control over the environment.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38# My dog is a good dog... #
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And those choices are happy choices.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43They can lift you and give you that feeling that
0:06:43 > 0:06:45there are good things that happen
0:06:45 > 0:06:49in hospitals as well as things that have to be done in hospitals.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51# My dog is a good dog
0:06:51 > 0:06:53# Yes, he is. #
0:06:53 > 0:06:5713-year-old Rhia is a patient on the neurosurgery ward.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01That was a brilliant session, I really enjoyed it.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Why did you request Singing Medicine today?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07They've been coming to me for a long, long time.
0:07:07 > 0:07:08Ever since I was young.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12And whether you're busy, whether you're quiet,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15whether it's a boring day, whether it's a sad or a happy day,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19they always end up leaving with a smile,
0:07:19 > 0:07:25and then you end up still smiling and then you end up singing it.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27It's just really funny.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Here at Birmingham's Children's Hospital,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13they've got this gorgeous chapel
0:10:13 > 0:10:16where parents and children can come for a time of reflection
0:10:16 > 0:10:17away from the ward
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and where they can get support from the chaplains.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Our next song is one that has proved a source of comfort
0:10:24 > 0:10:25for many during difficult times.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Here it is, sung by the group Celtic Woman.
0:10:31 > 0:10:39# When I am down and, oh, my soul so weary
0:10:39 > 0:10:48# When troubles come and my heart burdened be
0:10:48 > 0:10:56# Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
0:10:56 > 0:11:05# Until you come and sit awhile with me
0:11:05 > 0:11:14# You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
0:11:14 > 0:11:22# You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
0:11:23 > 0:11:31# I am strong when I am on your shoulders
0:11:31 > 0:11:39# You raise me up to more than I can be
0:11:39 > 0:11:47# You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
0:11:47 > 0:11:56# You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
0:11:56 > 0:12:04# I am strong when I am on your shoulders
0:12:04 > 0:12:12# You raise me up to more than I can be
0:12:12 > 0:12:20# You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
0:12:20 > 0:12:28# You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
0:12:28 > 0:12:36# I am strong when I am on your shoulders
0:12:36 > 0:12:44# You raise me up to more than I can be
0:12:49 > 0:12:53# You raise me up
0:12:54 > 0:13:01# To more than I can be. #
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Now, from Irish voices to Scottish musicians
0:13:14 > 0:13:16and the Heart and Soul Band
0:13:16 > 0:13:19that's putting the swing into traditional hymns.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22INSTRUMENTS BEING TUNED
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I'm Robin, and I'm a Church of Scotland minister.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33My name's Jo Hood and I'm a parish minister.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35I'm Mark. I'm a parish minister.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37I'm Alec and I'm a parish minister.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39My name is Douglas Clarke and I'm an accountant.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42I'm Hugh Thomas and I'm an environmental regulator.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45I'm Andy Shuttleworth and I'm a retired firefighter.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49- ALL:- And we are the Heart and Soul swing band.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52Around about three years ago,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56we made a go of getting a start to some proper music
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and we did that really in conjunction with Richard Michael.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01A-one, two, three...
0:14:01 > 0:14:05He's a fantastic jazz educator and our mentor from start to finish.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Uh, uh, uh-uh, uh...
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Too often in church, you know, we get stuck in a Germanic,
0:14:11 > 0:14:17Presbyterian tradition of playing pretty dreich, slow, mournful music.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20And that music can sound uplifting.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It should be. It should be a joyful experience
0:14:22 > 0:14:26to come to church and sing and too often it's not.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Listen, can you just feel this?
0:14:28 > 0:14:29HE PLAYS A JAZZ INTRO
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I'm not doing...
0:14:33 > 0:14:35STATELY CHORDS
0:14:38 > 0:14:40I've got to get rid of, you know,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45six days of being a minister or acting in a certain way.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Now when they come up on stage, I want them to forget all inhibitions.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I want them to come up there and let the music speak through them.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- One, two, three... - THEY PLAY
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Stop. Lousy attack.
0:14:57 > 0:14:58Your body language sucks.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00It's got to be much more positive.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02See, the body language is really important
0:15:02 > 0:15:06because too often people talk about, "Well, I like rhythm.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10"Rhythm is very important to me and rhythm helps me..."
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It's not that, it's rhythm, rhythm, rhythm,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and you can feel that groove.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Douglas, set the example.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Yeah! Man, this kid's on fire.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23If you can turn that tap on so that it just lets the music out,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25everybody will go out of here rocking.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27# I'm ready, God,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29# So ready head to toe
0:15:30 > 0:15:32# I'm ready, God,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35# So ready head to toe
0:15:36 > 0:15:39# I'm ready to sing I'm ready to swing
0:15:39 > 0:15:41# Let's go. #
0:15:41 > 0:15:44One of the great joys of arranging this kind of thing is
0:15:44 > 0:15:48to take the old songs who've had a wonderful life of their own,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51and see if we can bring them into the 21st-century.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54# All people that on earth do dwell... #
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Stand up!
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Very often, the audiences say to us afterwards, wow,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02we'd never realised that you could sing in that way.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10# Oh, enter then his gates with praise... #
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Music to me is a God-given gift.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15We have that gift and it's up to us to try
0:16:15 > 0:16:20and use it to praise the Lord and you dinnae do it like that.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25# Praise, laud, and bless his name
0:16:25 > 0:16:27# Always
0:16:27 > 0:16:33# For it is seemly so to do. #
0:16:37 > 0:16:40APPLAUSE
0:16:41 > 0:16:45And now let's hear that hymn sung in a more traditional style.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51With St Patrick's Day on Thursday, Richard Taylor is in Downpatrick
0:18:51 > 0:18:56in Northern Ireland, walking in the footsteps of the great man himself.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03Now, if you had been walking in these beautiful fields in Ireland,
0:19:03 > 0:19:09say 1,600 years ago, then you might have come across a young slave boy
0:19:09 > 0:19:12tending a flock of sheep.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17Nothing strange about that for the time, except that this slave boy
0:19:17 > 0:19:19was actually English
0:19:19 > 0:19:23and he was going to go on to become this fellow.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26St Patrick.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Patron saint of all Ireland.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Patrick wrote an account of his early life, his Confession,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43which astonishingly is still with us.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Patrick writes that he was born and raised in England
0:19:47 > 0:19:51and that as a young man, he was not interested in religion at all.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57At the age of 16, he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery
0:19:57 > 0:20:01in Ireland where for six years, he worked as a shepherd in the fields.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Alone, he contemplated God
0:20:04 > 0:20:07and in prayer he committed his life to Christ.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09He escaped, made his way back to England,
0:20:09 > 0:20:14but God was calling him back and he would spend the rest of his life
0:20:14 > 0:20:18here ministering to the people, founding churches and preaching.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25One of the most famous legends of St Patrick involves a shamrock.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29According to legend, Patrick was preaching one day on the Trinity -
0:20:29 > 0:20:32God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37The crowd just wasn't quite getting it so Patrick bent down
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and plucked a shamrock and said,
0:20:39 > 0:20:44"Look, it's one plant, but three leaves."
0:20:44 > 0:20:45Whether the crowd was any the wiser,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Patrick's sermon gave Ireland one of its great national symbols.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53I've popped next door from the cathedral
0:20:53 > 0:20:57to the St Patrick Visitor Centre to meet Dr Tim Campbell.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01When Patrick was working as a missionary,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05- what was he actually doing?- He says that he converted tens of thousands
0:21:05 > 0:21:07of people and really
0:21:07 > 0:21:10there couldn't have been that many people living here at the time.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12There were no motorways, there were no towns,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14there were no villages.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16So he seems to have gone from one settlement to the next.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19He would create one church and then he would go to another place
0:21:19 > 0:21:21where they didn't like the look of him.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22They would imprison him,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25the previous converts would bail him out.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27He would then create a congregation.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30He would go to the next place where they didn't like the look of him,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33they'd put him in prison, and he started the process again.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36So he talks about being imprisoned many times.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37He endured a lot.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40He did endure a lot and in his Confession,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42which is a very important piece of history,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45not just for Ireland but for Britain as well,
0:21:45 > 0:21:46it's the start of our history -
0:21:46 > 0:21:48"Ego Patricius, peccator rusticissimus."
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Those were the first words that were ever written down.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52We had a great oral tradition here,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55but people couldn't read and write until Patrick came.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Why is Patrick still so popular today?
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Patrick is celebrated around the world and for us
0:22:01 > 0:22:05here in Northern Ireland, he is someone who continues to,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08as well as being our oldest historian,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10he continues to be someone who is very relevant
0:22:10 > 0:22:13because he brings people from all faiths and traditions together.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15What better role model in Northern Ireland
0:22:15 > 0:22:19than someone from Britain who became the patron saint of Ireland?
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Patrick's final resting place is believed to be
0:22:22 > 0:22:26here at Down Cathedral, marked by this stone.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30St Patrick's Day with its green bunting and parties
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and glasses of stout has become such a global phenomenon
0:22:34 > 0:22:38that it's easy to forget that behind it all, there's a real man
0:22:38 > 0:22:41and a remarkable story.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45So I'll leave you with the words attributed to the great man himself,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47St Patrick's Breastplate.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43# Let's find out what Josie needs
0:24:43 > 0:24:46# I'd like spinach... #
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Earlier in the programme, I joined Singing Medicine,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51a group of vocal coaches from the choir Ex Cathedra,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55on their rounds here at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Many of the children here have to face the prospect of days,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02weeks, even months in hospital
0:25:02 > 0:25:05and singing is something they really look forward to.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06For nine months,
0:25:06 > 0:25:1013-year-old Tally Leigh was on the children's cancer ward.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12She had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Sadly, Tally died last November but with the help of her mum
0:25:18 > 0:25:21and Singing Medicine she's left an important legacy.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25# Butterflies flying through the sky
0:25:25 > 0:25:28# All you see is fireflies... #
0:25:28 > 0:25:30We'd always sung in the church choir,
0:25:30 > 0:25:36so singing was probably her favourite thing to do.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40# Pretty colours on their wings
0:25:40 > 0:25:41# I see those butterflies... #
0:25:41 > 0:25:44So when you heard of Singing Medicine at the hospital,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47you knew it was something she'd really enjoy.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It was a very good escape.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53If she was too poorly, they'd just come and sing to her or check
0:25:53 > 0:25:58she was all right and say hello, sing random songs to her.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04Not only did Tally sing songs, she also had a talent for writing them.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07# It's good to smile when life makes you sad... #
0:26:07 > 0:26:09When she was well enough for us
0:26:09 > 0:26:12to actually have a proper Singing Medicine session with her,
0:26:12 > 0:26:13we asked her if she would teach us
0:26:13 > 0:26:17some of her songs as well as us teaching her some of our songs,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19and that's how it came about,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22that she was teaching us this wonderful song.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24And they were chatting to her and they said that they were
0:26:24 > 0:26:29going to record a CD, but they wanted children's input into it,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33so, ever the "wanting to be involved in everything" child that she was,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36she taught them her song.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39If we made a mistake, she was straight on it
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and although she could hear the harmony parts in her head,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45she wasn't able to write them down so we came up with some
0:26:45 > 0:26:48harmony ideas and ran them by her and then she would choose
0:26:48 > 0:26:50what she thought was going to work,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53so, yes, she was very, very clever in that respect.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56# Turn your sad face upside-down
0:26:56 > 0:26:59# Life should never get you down
0:26:59 > 0:27:02# Turn your sad face upside down
0:27:02 > 0:27:05# Think of happy things... #
0:27:07 > 0:27:08It's quite exciting really
0:27:08 > 0:27:14because she always wanted to be known for doing things well.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18So now she has a song that she wrote to inspire people
0:27:18 > 0:27:20and to make them happy and it's on a CD
0:27:20 > 0:27:22and actually, it's one of her dreams.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26One of her dreams has come true that way because hopefully
0:27:26 > 0:27:29when people hear it, they will smile.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32She always smiled, she made the best of everything
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and she encouraged poorly children around her to do the same thing
0:27:36 > 0:27:39as well, helped them have nose tubes put in
0:27:39 > 0:27:42and would always have time to make sure people were happy,
0:27:42 > 0:27:43even nurses.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45We like happy nurses.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47And, Jane, how is your faith?
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It's difficult at the moment.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52You kind of need to blame somebody, but I can't.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54I can't blame God.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57I can't blame anybody really.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I just have to think about Tally and think about her faith
0:28:01 > 0:28:05and think about how positive she was and I'll get there.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I'll get my faith that she had,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I'll get the faith that she had back.
0:28:13 > 0:28:19# May the Lord bless us
0:28:21 > 0:28:26# And keep us
0:28:27 > 0:28:33# May the Lord smile on us
0:28:34 > 0:28:39# Shine his light upon us
0:28:42 > 0:28:47# May the Lord lift us
0:28:49 > 0:28:54# Turn his face towards us
0:28:56 > 0:29:00# Give us his peace
0:29:02 > 0:29:08# Give us his peace
0:29:10 > 0:29:18# Blessed we came to this place today
0:29:18 > 0:29:24# And blessed now we will go
0:29:24 > 0:29:31# In the name of the father
0:29:32 > 0:29:38# The spirit and the son
0:29:41 > 0:29:49# May the Lord bless you
0:29:50 > 0:29:54# And keep you
0:29:56 > 0:30:02# May the Lord smile on you
0:30:03 > 0:30:09# Shine his light upon you
0:30:11 > 0:30:16# May the Lord lift you
0:30:18 > 0:30:26# Turn his face towards you
0:30:26 > 0:30:29# Give you his peace
0:30:32 > 0:30:38# Give you his peace
0:30:40 > 0:30:44# Go now in peace
0:30:46 > 0:30:52# Go now in peace. #
0:30:59 > 0:31:01Well, that's it for this week.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Next week, it's Palm Sunday
0:31:03 > 0:31:06and John Craven puts on his walking shoes
0:31:06 > 0:31:10to join the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, on his six-month long
0:31:10 > 0:31:13pilgrimage around God's own country, Yorkshire.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Now though, our final hymn encourages us all to sing.