Rupert Johnston is a British french horn player. He was raised in a very musical family, and his talents and hard work had him heading towards a career as a professional musician. When he was 18, he had a devastating car accident, and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma for 2 months. In the words of Rupert’s sister, Izzy, “One day, Dad brought in his instrument and a recording of a Mozart horn concerto. Although Rupert couldn't play along, his fingers moved along the valves in perfect time to the music. It was a sign he was coming out of his coma.” Rupert’s family fortunately found the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, a charity in Great Britain that cares for people with acquired brain injuries. For the past 11 years, he has lived in his own flat at one of its community homes, Kent House in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, where Rupert is able to play music and get the supervision and support he needs to safely live his daily life.
Andrew Barnaby, in his own words: “I am an avid musician who believes in the healing powers of music. My music is heavily influenced by my Jamaican culture and the church on a whole. It gives me great satisfaction that Rupert and I through this powerful tool, can stir up happiness. Music acts as a therapeutic agent and we revel in its power.”
