Stick Time: Theraputic & Service Choir

     A few years ago I became Music Director of a small Lutheran church in New Jersey.  The choir had dwindled over the years, and now there were only about eight women and one gentleman.  This gentleman, Lou, had Alzheimer’s and his mind was nearly always clouded over with the darkness of this terrible disease.  I don’t think Lou ever could remember my name, but when we started sing a piece of music he was instantly with us.  He could sight-read quite well, he had a strong voice, and it was amazing to see the change that the music made.  Within seconds of the piece ending he would be lost again.  Lou’s wife sang in the choir also, and she and I would help Lou to figure out where we were starting and then snap he was with us again. 

     Lou never really commented about the music, and if asked he would not recognize it, but I began to choose music specifically with Lou in mind.  I asked his wife what he used to love and one of her answers was the Matins service from the hymnal.  One Sunday I planned that we would sing this service, and as we were rehearsing the Te Deum, Lou suddenly burst out, “I know this piece, I have sung it before, a long time ago.”  The room was silent, everyone looked at Lou and then his wife, and tears were running down her cheeks.  This was one of the most amazing moments of my professional career.  To see the recognition on Lou’s face, the joy on his wife’s face, and the overwhelming sense of accomplishment on the faces of the rest of the choir. 

     What is the purpose of your choirs?  What do you want for your singers, for your audience?  Oliver Sacks in his book Musicaphilia tells of many stories of how music has improved the health and lives of people with debilitating diseases.  His stories tell of how music has helped Parkinson’s patients move more smoothly, or has help people seemingly cut-off from society because of dementia be able to communicate, even just a bit more.  As we likely all know, choral music has an amazing ability to change lives.  Research has shown that singing can help actually improve our health and ability to resist disease.  Studies have shown that seniors who singing in choir have reported few doctor visits, less incidence of depression, less need for medications, they have better posture, easier breathing, and feel better both in daily life and while singing.  Research has shown that singing can provide healing, even if just temporarily to patients with Alzheimer’s disease. 

     One common theme I have heard from directors of therapeutic and service choir must be mentioned before we move forward.  If you are going to try to use choral music to improve the lives of people, to help them build self-esteem, provide healing opportunities, to touch someone’s heart as they are dying then you must leave your ego and ambition at the door. 

     It is not uncommon for us to try and demonstrate our musical and choral directing prowess to audiences in our schools, churches and communities, but using choral music as a tool for healing, and wellness has no place for ego.  This work must be done not with great performances in mind, but the fervor of a missionary.  Someone willing to do whatever it takes to share music with people where they are at.  Not choosing music that will make for a great performance, but choosing music that the singers would like to sing and audience will be moved by.  Building personal connections with singers so that they know that you care about them first and their singing second.  Using vocal techniques and choral singing not just to improve vocal quality, but self-worth, self-esteem, and maybe find a medium to express deep seated pain, abuse, addiction and self-loathing.

 

(From the interest session "The Hows and Whys of Therapeutic and Service Choir" by Jason Thoms.  Presented at 2012 ACDA Eastern Division Conference)