The Musician's Way Blog

“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.”
–Plato

All of us musicians know the restorative power of music.

In this post, I briefly look at ways in which we can bring musical healing to those who need it most: patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and comparable care facilities.

To begin with, I encourage you to consider sharing your music in healthcare settings regardless of whether you have previous experience doing so.

If you haven’t performed or worked in healthcare facilities, you may understandably feel ill at ease at the thought of making music in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home.

But today’s care facilities typically employ coordinators who specialize in working with artists, so you don’t necessarily need prior training to bring your music to the elderly, disabled, or infirm. You can just email the primary contact at a facility, and you’ll be put in touch with a coordinator who’ll work with you and set up any orientation. As an example, check out the website of the Visual and Performing Arts Program at the Wake Forest University Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Some communities also benefit from independent organizations that help bring music and arts to patients. A shining example is Arts for Life, also located in North Carolina: “AFL’s staff members and volunteers teach the arts to patients for over 300 hours each week and work with more than 4,500 patients annually.”

What’s it like to play, sing, or teach in hospital-like situations? Musicians characteristically appear in settings that are either designed for group activities or for patient care.

Group-oriented spaces generally come in two types: activity rooms and chapels. Activity rooms have flexible setup options. For instance, chairs can be oriented in rows or circles, and musicians might perform or conduct participatory activities.

Chapels can be less flexible and more suited to concerts. Nonetheless, audio and video gear may allow for performances to be broadcast in patient rooms, as is the case at the abovementioned Wake Forest Hospital.

To bring music to spaces devoted to patient care, you’ll probably need some training or orientation. Of course, many musicians specialize in therapeutic music making, and numerous hospitals employ music therapists. For more information about music therapy, see the Careers in Music Therapy page on the website of the American Music Therapy Association.

Additional opportunities for community-oriented music making can be researched on MusiciansWay.com. To explore diverse ways in which you can forge a satisfying career in music, also check out pages 299-307 of my book The Musician’s Way.

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Have you ever performed in healthcare facilities? If so, I invite you to share your experiences here and otherwise describe how musical healing has played out in your life.

© 2010 Gerald Klickstein