Music in the Clinic
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| Country group Blue County visits the Henry-Joyce Cancer Clinic |
Music mirrors the human condition in form, time, mood, and themes, and often plays an integral part in our life experiences. Music has the ability to recall a memory, to decrease a heart rate, to move a foot to tap, to lift one’s spirit, to evoke tears, to bring a couple to dance, to communicate a thought, to represent a culture.
Recognizing the need to create a welcoming, comfortable environment for patients, and tapping the musically rich resources of the Nashville community, Patient and Family Support Services proudly launched “Music in the Clinic” (M.I.C.) Musicians and publishers have rallied to support the M.I.C. program at Vanderbilt-Ingram. Over the past year, more than 120 musicians from Nashville have participated in the program. It is no surprise that in Music City U.S.A., the largest portion of the participants are singer/songwriters from music row. But really there is something for everyone—musicians from many genres have enthusiastically shown support, including students from Blair School of Music, members of the Nashville Philharmonic, the Vanderbilt Concert Choir, and Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity.
Goals of ”Music in the Clinic”
- To increase social interaction with family/friends
- To offer distraction and comfort from physical pain
- To increase relaxation; reduce stress and anxiety
- To improve/develop coping skills
- To aid in fostering a sense of spiritual well-being
- To enhance quality of life
Music Therapy Interventions:
- Music Listening – Lyric/Song Analysis
- Songwriting
- Music and Relaxation
- Active Music-Making (singing, instruments, etc)
- Improvisation
To further enhance the program, and to honor of Ms. Frances Williams Preston, T.J. Martell Foundation President, Gibson Baldwin donated a black Hamilton piano. This thoughtful donation has already begun to enhance the patient experience—and further, enables the opportunity for pianists to participate in the M.I.C. program.
This program has enabled community members to become involved with Vanderbilt-Ingram and enhance the atmosphere in the clinic.
For information on the “Music in the Clinic” program, please call 615-343-7776.
