Thank you to all of our supporters who’ve given so generously to our 2015 Year End fund drive!! (It’s not too late to donate and receive a tax receipt for 2015!) And, today, those funds were working to bring live music and personal interaction to the residents of the Memory Care unit at Quail Park of Lynnwood!!

It was a festive concert; beautiful decorations with purple highlights adorned the room. Olga and I prepared a duo concert of Telemann, Bach, Mazas, some Bartók (totally cool on gut strings!), a Finnish folk tune (by request), and ended with some Christmas Carols. We asked the audience to sing with us and handed out the lyrics. I was so touched by their singing that I teared up during Silent Night. Their voices got stronger and fuller as we went—Deck the Halls, then Jingle Bells. We ended gently again with Auld Lang Syne. I think they should start a choir!

Linda and Cora

Olga, Elsebeth and family

We perform for the Quail Park residents almost every month—Christine, the Activities Director, is a big believer in the therapeutic power of music, but especially live music. She and Salish Sea Players have worked together since 2012; when she changed venues after a maternity leave she sought us out to bring us to Quail Park. We’ve gotten to know some of the people there—I’ll just mention two. Cora, whose expressive hands move along with the music as we play. Today, she and I sang “We wish you a Merry Christmas”; Elsebeth, a former recorder player and member of Early Music groups from Milkwaukee—today she was joined by her family who share in her love of early music.

Thanks again for considering donating to the Salish Sea Players. A gift from you, small or large, helps us continue to give the gift of music to retirement and long-term care facilities of the Greater Seattle area. Donating on-line is easy and safe to do. If you’d rather send a check here’s the link for more information.

Happy New Year!

Linda and Olga

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©Linda Melsted salishseaplayers.org 2015