Novartis is proud to be an official sponsor of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, hosted in our headquarters city of Basel, Switzerland, from May 13th to 17th.
To mark the Eurovision Song Contest sponsorship, Novartis Ireland is today launching a contest for patient group choirs.
Designed to celebrate music’s therapeutic power, choirs such as the Forget Me Nots Choir which collaborates with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Survivor Choir and The Irish Heart Foundation’s Rhythm of Recovery Choir are taking part. Patient choirs who would like to participate in this event can contact novartischoirs@edelman.com.
Former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan and Professor of Music Therapy Hilary Moss at the University of Limerick will act as judges during the competition. Professor Moss has conducted extensive research into the therapeutic impact of music.*
Participating choirs will submit a short 1-2 minute video recording of their performance and a note explaining how being part of the choir positively impacts its members’ health and well-being. The public can vote online for their favourite choir from April 14th to 30th inclusive here.
Novartis Ireland will announce the result at the start of May, with the winning choir invited to perform in its offices in Dublin.
Charlie McGettigan said:
Ireland has a long, proud association with the Eurovision. We have won seven times, and this year marks the 60th anniversary of Irish entries to the Song Contest. Reaching this milestone demonstrates the enduring power of music to bring people together, so I am delighted to be involved in the patient choir contest.
Professor Moss said:
Singing connects people across all cultures, creating community and reducing social isolation. There is growing evidence that singing in groups boosts immunity and lung function, improves mental health and reduces pain perception. From a participant’s perspective, it also provides the potential to improve quality of life and may help to manage your condition. So I am excited to be part of this initiative, and see the positive impact of music on the lives of people living with chronic illnesses.
“Novartis is delighted to sponsor this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and in Ireland, we are particularly excited to host the patient choir contest. The competition celebrates people coming together, music’s therapeutic power and its ability to improve patients’ lives. It also underlines our commitment to diversity and partnering with communities and supporting patients at every step of their journey. We wish all participating choirs the very best of luck”, said Caitriona Walsh, Managing Director and Country President, Novartis Ireland.
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most watched non-sporting events globally, attracting over 170 million viewers during the finals. Novartis shares Eurovision’s values of inclusivity, collaboration, and the power of connection. Just as music unites audiences across the globe, Novartis is committed to ensuring universal access to healthcare so that everyone can thrive, celebrate life’s milestones, and participate fully.
*Professor Moss’ research is available here.
Follow the hashtag #NovartisIrelandEurovisionPatientChoirContest or tune into Novartis Ireland’s LinkedIn page and the Novartis Ireland website for updates and voting opportunities.
