Wonders of the World CD Launch

An album launch party was held on Tuesday 30 March to celebrate the completion of “Wonders of the World” by Bryan Newman. The music on the CD has been composed entirely using sound beam technology.

The red carpet affair was attended by local musicians and some members of Only Men Aloud.

Bryan has been a resident at Awel y Mor since 2000, when he was transferred from Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff. He has a spinal injury and as a result is confined to a wheelchair. He has very limited movement in his upper limbs; hence he steers his adapted power chair with his chin. This makes his achievement even more remarkable. He’s quite a character and although shy, he has a wicked sense of humour and is always teasing the staff.

Bryan’s album is the first to be released on the Barchester Nordoff Robbins (music therapy) record label and will be available to purchase from Barchester homes and other local outlets.

Awel y Mor is a care centre in Gorseinon, specialising in brain and spinal injury rehabilitation. It is the only care centre in South Wales to have a full-time music therapist, Anwen Mulligan. Anwen works closely with all the residents at Awel y Mor providing therapy through music. This can be a creative process or a purely therapeutic process. It encourages communication, expression of emotions and aids memory recall.

Of Bryan’s achievement Anwen said "Even though this work has evolved out of a therapeutic environment, I feel very privileged to have been a part of something so special. Bryan has shown great musical creativity and has been able to explore a new part of himself which he wants to share with others through ‘Wonders of the World’. I hope this is the first of many musical works by Bryan Newman"