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This 81-year-old with dementia perfectly conducts symphony

“It made me feel alive, I couldn’t believe that an orchestra was playing my music and I was standing in front of it conducting them."

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By Ashley Pemberton via SWNS

A dementia-suffering pianist whose spontaneous composition went viral last year has fulfilled a lifelong dream of conducting a symphony orchestra – which played his tunes.

Paul Harvey, 81, went viral last September when his son posted a video of him improvising a two-minute piece from four notes – F natural, A, D and B natural.

It was recorded by BBC Philharmonic orchestra as a single with proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Society and Music for Dementia, which campaigns for people with the condition to have free access to music as part of their care.

To mark a year since he played his composition on breakfast TV, Paul was invited to conduct the BBC Philharmonic orchestra playing two of his compositions at their studio in Salford, UK.

He spent an emotional afternoon with the orchestra, during which he conducted both 'Four Notes,' while his son Nick played the piano, and an older composition of his called 'Where’s the Sunshine.'

Paul, a former music teacher and classical pianist, said: “It was magical, it was very, very special to work with such wonderful musicians.

“It made me feel alive, I couldn’t believe that an orchestra was playing my music and I was standing in front of it conducting them.

“I hadn’t conducted in such a long time before this, it was a real thrill.”

Nick believes that music should be a key part of dementia sufferers' care.

“For the first time in years, dad has become active again. It really brought him back to life again. He’s playing the piano more than he has in the eight years.”

Campaign Director at Music for Dementia, Grace Meadows said: "It was magical and moving and wonderful to watch him be in his element."

"Seeing Paul the musician moving beyond his diagnosis and having that contact with the musicians was a wonderful thing. It was very emotional.”

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