Russian maestro to play at festival

A MASTER of the Russian button accordion will play for a special Oldham audience this month.

Russian vocalist and musician Serguei Pachnine is performing on behalf of Music in Hospitals on July 23.

The special accordion uses buttons, rather than a keyboard, for the melody side of the instrument.

He will play at the Oldham Open User Forum, a group of mental-health service-users and their carers, formed to try and influence how services are provided in the town.

It is one of 4,000 concerts provided in the UK each year by the charity, bringing the therapeutic benefits of live music to adults and children whose lives are restricted by illness or disability.

His Oldham concert, at the Rock Street Resource Centre, is part of the Festival of Diversity.

Diana Greenman, chief executive of Music in Hospitals, said: “Exposure to high quality live music produces clear benefits in patients with a wide range of conditions.

“Professional musicians whose high standard of musicianship and communication skills aid the healing process and bring warmth and joy into the lives of sick and disabled adults and children.

“Our musicians’ sensitive approach helps to “bring the person out of the patient.’ ”