Symphony’s own Penny Brill, viola, has become well known for her work in the symphony’s music and wellness program. In fact, Penny was one of the first recipients of the Ford Musician Award for Excellence in Community Service last year. (Regular readers of this blog have seen her name quite often!) Brill, a member of […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...If you were a musician playing for a group at a healthcare facility and needed to get people moving, what song would you try playing? There are many great options to choose, and one of these is “The Toreador Song” from Bizet’s Carmen. Our musicians have included it in sessions at multiple facilities, including […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Last Tuesday, PSO violist Penny Brill and cellist Adam Liu visited a group of students in the special education program at Baldwin High School. Throughout their time together, they encouraged students to sing, play percussion instruments, dance, or otherwise become active participants in the music-making. At one point, Penny asked students to softly hit […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...During a visit to a therapy group at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s H.J. Heinz Campus two years ago, PSO violist Penny Brill played music to cognitively stimulate veterans and encourage them to interact with one another. After hearing the music, one of the veterans opened up and told the group how he survived […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Almost one year ago, PSO musicians Penny Brill and Lorna McGhee visited a St. Patrick’s Day-themed meeting of a cognitive therapy group at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s H.J. Heinz Campus. Through a carefully crafted musical program designed in consultation with therapists at the VA, they stimulated conversation and evoked memories for a group […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...What do you think of when you hear the song Auld Lang Syne? New Year’s? Most of us have probably only heard this piece while attending New Year’s celebrations or listening to holiday CDs, but PSO musicians have also used it effectively during music and wellness sessions at healthcare facilities. In the video below, […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...How do you go about finding the right music for exercising, relaxing, or sleeping? Many of us would probably say that we begin by combing through the music in our library or that we start with our favorite type of music, perhaps classical, and search for songs belonging to that particular category. Through years […]
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