Great Songs, Great Stories, Forever Linked   

An Innovative Music Program for Seniors 

Great songs tell great stories, connecting us to the memories in our own lives, helping us to recall the feelings deep within our personal “narratives.”

Beyond just listening to a concert, MusicForTheLove offers seniors an opportunity to discuss the personal meanings they associate with Jazz Standards, Folk Classics, and Pop Favorites, songs such as “All of Me,” “How High the Moon,”
“Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,” “As Time Goes By,” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” among many others. These songs are connected to important moments in the lives of senior residents, and exploring the song-and-story-link is meaningful, healing, and fun.            

The “semester-long” program builds week by week, culminating in a video of seniors singing the songs they love and discussing their personal memories and meanings.  The 1-hour program can be easily adapted to suit a group’s particular needs, but the basic steps are the following:  

• Each week, we perform six to eight songs, inviting the residents to sing along with the lyrics we provide.

 

• After performing the songs, we tell the stories of how each song was written, including background on the composer, the lyricist, and the historical time in which each song first appeared.

 

• Each participant discusses whatever aspect of the song they find most compelling, focusing on personal memories, historical events, or other songs, books, movies or ideas that are brought to mind.

 

• A new list of songs for the following week is generated based on the suggestions of the participants.

 

• At the end of the “semester,” we create a video of the residents performing their favorite songs, along with their discussions of what the songs mean to them. The goal of this “no-pressure” video is to create a fun gift residents can share with family and friends.

CONTACT: wlevis3507@aol.com

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