I go to quite a lot of concerts given by amateur musicians – partly because there’s a big amateur music scene in the city where I live, and partly because I often have friends and neighbours playing in the concerts. Of course my particular interest is piano.

It dawned on me the other day that I had recently heard performances on piano by quite a few people in their 70s and 80s, and possibly even their 90s. It struck me that all these people were doing well – not just ‘doing well for their age’, but simply doing well! They had obviously done regular piano practice. They were up to the nervous strain of performing in public. Their playing was a pleasure to listen to. They took their place in the programme alongside younger musicians quite naturally. They had, if I may put it like this, a light in their eye.

I had the strong impression that being musically active had done these people good. Mentally, physically, spiritually. I know scientists have suggested that music is good for us in our older years – here, it seemed to me, was some real-life proof.