"Que Sera, Sera"
Serenades with the troubadour harp

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Professional Notes:
Skye has considerable experience serenading groups in Alzheimer's Care Units (see Notes from others) but, in order to include both hospitals and hospices in her mission to share joy, she has prepared repertoire for strolling room-to-room. For this she accompanies her singing with her troubadour harp (see Footnotes). Traditional singalongs, frequently requested songs such as "Que Sera, Sera," "Side By Side," and "Stardust," hymns, and Medieval harp pieces are among those selected for this kind of work and performed according to the needs and wishes of the bed-ridden listeners.




Footnotes:
Skye rests her traveling harp on a wheeled cart specially-designed so that it can be played while standing or strolling. See her traveling, parlor and concert harps here.

Personal Notes:


Joy is a bit harder to identify when playing for Alzheimer's patients, but I'm always on the lookout for any kind of response from these folks...which sometimes is subtle and other times extraordinary. One fellow had not registered any recognition that the music affected him until about 3/4 of the way through my program, when he changed his seat to one closer to me. That, however, was not sufficient evidence; one thumb of his folded hands moving in time with the music during the very last song, "Que Sera, Sera," certainly was!

After another program, I told the Activities Director of a delightful and long conversation I'd had with a bed-ridden woman who had once been a professional singer. I was told that this woman rarely says a single word...

One fellow sat in his wheel chair with a pleasant look pasted on his face but, otherwise, no expression of attention. About 2/3 of the way through my program I included the song "Alouette" and this man began clapping in perfect time. More astoundingly, at the whole note in the middle of the song, his clapping changed to perfect double-time for that one bar.

While strolling room-to-room, I sang for a woman parked at the nurses station. As usually happens, she sang along with me and smiled at me. But when we finished the song, a staff member came up excitedly and told me that this woman was on huge doses of antidepressants and that nothing had gotten through to her -- until I brought her music. This event would be documented in the woman's file. I spent my remaining time singing with this responsive woman while everyone at the nurses station cheered her on.

Touching.

- Skye

Notes from Others:


"The residents responded positively and warmly to the soothing sounds of Skye!"

- S.B., Fairhaven, MA


"The soothing music was therapy for our residents. Thank you!"

- L.B., North Providence, RI


"I would like to share a special moment that my mother and I shared while she was [in the nursing home shortly before she died]. It was a sunny afternoon and a young woman came to the door with a harp and asked if we would like her to play and sing us a couple of songs. She played and sang 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart' which my Dad sang to my mother on their 50th wedding anniversary. The second song was 'Whatever Will Be Will Be' which my mother always sang to me as I was growing up. A single tear rolled down my mother's cheek and my face was wet with my tears... My mother and I just hugged each other. This moment is a special memory that I will have in my heart forever."

- L.B., Brockton, MA

 

"Whenever I get a book on neurology or psychology,
the first thing I look up in the index is music, and if it's not there, I close the book."

- Neurologist/Researcher Oliver Sacks M.D.

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