Music Mends by Lillian

Music Mends by Lillian - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

In November of 2016, I arrived to my first shift as a volunteer at the Virginia Hospital Center. I had already attended an orientation and a training session, but none of this could prepare me for the nervousness that was making my hands shake. It reminded me of some of my worst solo performances, where I had become too anxious to play and simply forgot my piece. I spent an hour procrastinating, just walking around the eighth floor, trying to make myself useful in any way except for the one I was most scared to do - talking to patients. I knew my fear was completely irrational and unfounded. “They’re just people,” I told myself repeatedly. But it wasn't that I was afraid of them - I was more afraid of saying the wrong thing and upsetting them. I wasn't exactly off to a good start, either. My shaking was making everyone around me nervous, so I went into a bathroom to splash some water on my face and take a few minutes to myself.

I’m still not sure what gave me the courage to walk into a patient’s room, but I finally did. And it wasn't so bad. When I entered, an elderly man was sitting silently on his bed, watching a TV show about using dilapidated materials for beautiful works of art. I introduced myself and cautiously began to ask him a few questions. He was quiet at first, but eventually began to respond more eagerly. He even asked me how old I thought he was. At first, I worried I would insult him, but I decided to laugh it off and keep talking with him. By the time I left after he started to feel tired, he had a slight smile on his face, and I did too. For the next few hours, I continued to speak to some incredible people who had designed amazing buildings, worked for the government, even written books! I realized then that there was no reason to be nervous. Yet, so many people shy away from volunteering with the sick or elderly because they worry about having nothing in common or saying the wrong thing.

I knew there was one subject that people of all ages and backgrounds could bond over - music. I've played classical instruments since I was five when my grandparents gave me and my siblings a keyboard. Because of them, and because of my volunteer work at the hospital, I realized an opportunity to give back to my community. Later in November, I began a school-based organization called Music Mends. We’re a group of student musicians who organize concerts and recitals at retirement homes, where the elderly residents enjoy listening to our performances of everything classical, from Bach to Bloch. After a recital, there’s a little reception with food and drink, which gives the performers and audience time to interact. In addition to recitals at retirement homes, we organize fundraisers for the Virginia Hospital Center Foundation, most recently at our school’s annual Winter Concert.

The patients I had the opportunity to speak to at the hospital opened my eyes to an elderly community in need. I hope and believe that Music Mends will continue to bring happiness to their days.