'There was a special moment during half-term when Christine taught my son a few chords on the piano. It was such a lovely experience and was wonderful to see that the skills she developed throughout her career are still very much present.'
A former opera singer who lives with dementia is using her skills to help others at Scots Lane club in Salisbury.
Christine Bryan has always been immersed in the world of music. Her love of classical music began at a young age and she was inspired by her mother, also an opera singer. She studied music and psychology at Keele University before earning a prestigious Countess of Munster Scholarship to continue her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she made history as the first student to receive sponsorship from the Peter Moores Foundation three years in a row.
During a diverse and accomplished career, she performed numerous roles for Welsh National Opera and recorded for the BBC. In addition to her performing career, she shared her passion through teaching and vocal coaching at Manchester Metropolitan University. After working with Opera North, Christine relocated to Salisbury in 2007, where she became a singing teacher at Bryanston School in Blandford.
It was in Salisbury that Christine met her second husband Rob, a Ministry of Defence police officer who worked for the UN in Kosovo and the UK outpolling the country and training up a new local police force. The couple bonded over a shared love of music, Christine enjoying performing while Rob, by his own account, enjoyed listening. Rob recalled: “On train journeys, Christine would read scores of music like I would read books." They married in 2008.
In 2024, at the age of 66, Christine was diagnosed with behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia, although signs of cognitive decline had been noticeable for several years before her diagnosis. Rob said: "There were a number of indications that something wasn’t right. She seemed unable to carry through tasks, often starting and then stopping before the job was finished. Forgetting completely to do routine things - washing up or feeding the cats properly."
It was clear that Christine was finding work more challenging, and Rob also began to notice changes in how she responded to music.
He said: “Playing the piano has always had a calming effect on Christine but in the early days of her diagnosis, she would often repeat the same pieces over and over, which required some adjustment on my part. However, she is now choosing to play a wider variety of music and changing song choices more frequently.”
Christine, who recently joined Scots Lane day club in Salisbury, is already making a lasting impression with her musical background.
Club manager Heidi Bradley said: "Christine plays every day she's in the club, normally before and after lunch and all the members sit and listen.
“There was a special moment during half-term when Christine taught my son a few chords on the piano. It was such a lovely experience and was wonderful to see that the skills she developed throughout her career are still very much present."
Today Christine and Rob live in Netton, on the outskirts of Salisbury, with their two beloved Balinese cats, Frankie and Nancy, named after Frank and Nancy Sinatra. Their home, filled with music books and collections, features a beautiful Yamaha C6 piano that takes centre stage. Rob said: “We still marvel at how we managed to fit the piano through the front door.”
Heidi said: "Christine’s story is a powerful reminder of the profound impact music can have, particularly for people living with dementia. Music not only stimulates memory but also creates connections in ways that words often cannot."
