The use of a piano in the atrium at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal is creating a relaxing environment for patients, their families, and staff members.
There are 16 volunteer pianists who together provide 26 hours of music per week at Carle BroMenn. One of them is Ardyth Allen, who's been volunteering at Carle BroMenn for eight years. Allen is from Portland, Ore., where she did accompaniment for high school music contests and choirs.
Allen said the music at Carle BroMenn relieves anxiety for family members who wait for their loved ones to get out of surgery or to hear news about a diagnosis. Allen said it's rewarding when they stop by and say that it is nice to have the music or that it makes them feel good.
“I think my favorite part is seeing the contentment of the people that sit here and have to wait,” Allen said. “I can tell when people are relaxing a little bit more and enjoying it. That’s what gives me joy.”
The vision for piano music at Carle BroMenn came in 2009 from Sue Seibring, manager of volunteer services.
One measure of its success: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the volunteer pianists were asked to come back to Carle BroMenn relatively early. Seibring said the impact it had on hospital staff was tremendous.
“One of our directors actually started crying,” Seibring said. “She said what felt like normalcy again was to have the music in the hospital.”
What do they play?
For the piano to be effective, it is important for the volunteers to play the right type of music.
Seibring said she tells the volunteers to play light, soft, and inspirational music. She also knows what musician is at the piano by the type of music she hears throughout the hospital.
David Hirst has volunteered at Carle BroMenn for eight years too, in various capacities, including the piano. Hirst began his undergraduate education as a piano performance major, but ultimately his introverted personality led him to Spanish education. However, he still uses music as a way to escape to a place of joy. Hirst said his library at home is filled with binders of all types of music from Broadway tunes to seasonal music.
“Without a doubt, the music that gets the most comments is Disney,” Hirst said. “If I play any music from Cinderella or any music from Beauty and the Beast people will say, 'That’s my favorite movie,' or, 'I took my grandkids to see that movie.'"
Seibring said they've used three pianos since the program began. While the first two were donated by volunteers, the hospital's physicians fund-raised for the third and current one (a conservatory baby grand). A team of employees did a hospital fundraising run, on a team called "Marathoners for Music," with the proceeds helping to pay for the piano.
“We did a little bit more fundraising to finish the cost of that piano, but we’ve had it since 2012,” Seibring said. “It’s been such a gift to our patients, our families, and the physicians enjoy it.”
The goal of the piano music is to make a positive impact on the people who come through the hospital — whether that be patients, family members, or staff.
But it's not just about the listeners. The volunteers themselves see a change in their mindset while playing.
Hirst said playing the piano allows him to relax his mind and causes him to lose track of space and time.
“You’re just traveling with the sound,” Hirst said. “It’s really for me like a prayer-like state where I’ll realize 45 minutes have gone by and I couldn’t tell you where I was. I’m just out there putting out healing sound and it’s wonderful," Hirst said.
Both Allen and Hirst plan on continuing to volunteer at Carle BroMenn, playing the piano as well as with the other volunteer opportunities that hospital has to offer.
“We work really hard as a team to make it the best possible environment for people that come into the hospital,” Hirst said. “Knowing that you’ve done that is a great feeling and knowing you’ve done it with a team of people that care.”
The hospital is always looking for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, contact Sue Seibring at sue.seibring@carle.com or call (309) 268-5397.
