I admit that part of the reason I continued with piano lessons my last two years of high school was because it meant we got the car one day a week! I am very grateful that I stuck with piano lessons in hindsight. My son, Alex, was one of Mrs. Heed’s last pupils as she was in her upper nineties when he took lessons from her in the late 1990’s.  

 

In elementary school, we often had wonderful musical lyceums such as the Lundstroms and at the end of every program each family was given a record album, I loved them.

 

I enjoyed going to music concerts from an early age. My older sisters invited my twin sister and I to a few concerts while we were in high school and we enjoyed several outdoor concerts at the Minnesota State Fair when I was a teenager and in my 20’s. Music has always touched me. 

 

In college, I attended several country music festivals. Since finances were tight, my sister Terri and I often put up fliers around to promote the event and to earn free tickets to country and Christian music festivals.

 

I also often won concert tickets on the radio. A few years ago while waiting for my brother Russell to come and help me change a flat tire on my car, I heard the radio announcer say to call in for free Garth Brooks tickets. I quickly dialed and ended up winning two tickets and a free ride to the concert. Shortly after I hung up, my phone went dead. I would like to state for the record that I did offer my brother the tickets and he declined!

 

All of my five sisters also love music. Several of us traveled to Las Vegas and Des Moines to see George Strait. 

 

One year, I won a combination of concert tickets and cash totalling so much I got a W-9 from the radio station. Many of the disc jockeys knew me on a first name basis. I guess I could have been viewed as a prize hog for a period of time.

 

I don’t attend very many concerts anymore, yet I still enjoy music. When I was in high school, I was a part-time pianist at South Santiago Lutheran Church. I continued to serve as a pianist at Snake River Church for a time and then after taking a break from playing in church, I began playing piano at Snake River Church again about 12 years ago. I play at Snake River Church one Sunday morning per month and every other month for Snake River Hymn Sing.

 

Studies show music often helps reduce anxiety, improves sleep quality and may even lower blood pressure.

 

Earlier this week, I visited longtime Becker resident and close family friend Esther Gunderson at her home north of Becker. On the day I visited, Rachel Amberson, MT-BC, was there with her guitar. As she strummed her guitar, she sang many wonderful old songs. I smiled as I noticed Esther singing along and her toe tapping. Esther and her daughters sang along to old favorites such as “Red River Valley”, “Blue Skirt Waltz”, “Back in the Saddle Again”, “Goodnight Irene” and “Nikolina” (a traditional Swedish song). Rachel also sang several hymns. 

 

I visited with Rachel for a few minutes after she was done playing music at Esther’s house. Rachel works as a Music Therapist for CentraCare. 

 

Rachel has been working as a Board-Certified Music Therapist in a variety of settings for the past 20 years.  Her experience has varied from working in a community-based setting for adults and children with autism and a variety of other developmental disabilities to utilizing it in inpatient models focusing on adult behavioral and neurological rehab and support.

Rachel shared: “I am most satisfied with my job when I can use specifically-planned music and music therapy techniques in the process of working toward a patient's health goals. With any kind of health disruption, it is an emotional process for both the patient and the patient's family to go through and music is something that can psychologically help ‘carry the load’  as the mental and physical work happens to make those difficult changes.”

 

Rachel considers it an honor to be part of the music therapy process and finds that sharing the gift of music creates important spiritual and social connections that are useful in building therapeutic rapport and breaking down some of the psychological barriers that people feel when a new therapist comes into their home. 

 

Music Therapists receive a minimum of bachelor's level training at programs approved by the American Music Therapy Association. Music Therapy is provided through Centracare Health Hospice, and made possible through other funds such as those raised through the Hollyball annual fundraiser. 

 

I really enjoyed the music Rachel provided at Esther’s home and I could tell that Esther and her daughters did, as well. I know from personal experience that music touches people. My family and I have been visiting a local nursing home once a year to share music since I was a small child. It is always so obvious the joy music brings to the residents. Their faces light up as they join in singing along to old, familiar tunes. I can’t help but think they are reminiscing in their minds as we sing. My sisters and I recalled one resident at High Point Lodge nursing home near Palmer many years ago. Although she was blind and had no music to refer to, she knew every single verse to every Christmas hymn we would sing. She was a joy!

 

A good friend of mine from Palmer, Anette Aleshire, shared her experiences working as a music therapist for Hospice. “I learned that music can touch areas that speech cannot. My son, Josh, would play classical music on his guitar for his daughter and the other babies in the NICU. The nurses said they could see positive changes on the babies’ monitors. Another really exciting research project was done by Dr. Emoto on the effects of different kinds of music on water crystals. You can find it on YouTube. Considering that our body is made up of so much water, music is a matter of health and healing, she shared. 

 

Snake River Church Pastor Steve Johnston says music is mentioned over 900 times in the Bible. “Music can convey emotion and expression without words or it can enhance the meaning of words. It is the one gift that was given to us directly from heaven and was there at the dawn of creation. The Bible says over 900 times to engage in music making in one form or another”, Steve said. 

 

Music is truly a gift and a blessing. 

 

If you would like more information for a loved one who you feel may qualify for CentraCare’s music therapy program, or you would like to make a donation to the program, contact Nola at CentraCare: VarilekN@centracare.com