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Healing Power of Music

Windsor, Vermont - October 2, 2009

Harold Lieberman of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra serenades residents at the Cedar Hill Nursing Home in Windsor. For many of them music is bright spot in their lives.

"It's soothing," resident Lois Baker said. "Sometimes it makes you want to get up and dance it makes you feel happy."

Lieberman has been playing with the VSO for 20 years. He began playing at nursing homes when his father was first admitted for worsening Alzheimer's disease.

"Unfortunately he only lived long enough to get one birthday concert and I really wanted to do more for him," Lieberman said. "Since I can't do more for him physically I'm honoring him by doing the kind of thing that he likes."

Lieberman feels that the power of music should be shared with everyone who can appreciate it.

"It has the power to improve lives and certainly I believe if you feel bad your body is not going to do as well," Lieberman said.

"Certainly we know that soothing music has an effect both physiological and psychological on people's well-being," said Dr. Ira Byoch of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

Music is an important part of care at DHMC, from piano in the atrium to individual concerts performed in the cancer wing.

"We are not just treating disease, we are treating people living with disease and if we can provide them with something that gives them pleasure in the course of their hospital day or clinic visit that's clearly a good thing," Byoch said.

Residents at Cedar Hill agree music has a healing power.

"Makes you feel good; makes you feel rested," Baker said.

Something Lieberman continues to share with patients across the Upper Valley.

Adam Sullivan - WCAX News