The trip to beautiful Lake Louise and the fantastic conference “Exploring Health and Healing” are now over but they will live in my memory for a long, long time. This is one of the few trips I’ve taken that actually lived up to the publicity and even exceeded all of the things I could have imagined. I particularly wanted to mention the wonderful folks at the Cantos Music Foundation in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and all that they are doing to educate children and adults about music and learning, historical pianos, acoustics, and lots more. They also provide noon time concerts and evenings of Silent Movies complete with backup orchestral music: the way it used to be in the era of silent film.

A particularly wonderful program that is sponsored by Cantos is called “Good Vibrations” and focuses on the Alberta Grade 3 Science unit “Hearing and Sound.” Good Vibrations is a hands-on interactive half-day program that utilizes the Cantos Music Collection to explore concepts of acoustic and electronic sound production. Good Vibrations is led by trained musicians and educators. Their collection of historic pianos is superb and I was given a private tour and invited to play any of the pianos or harpsichords there: a fantastic opportunity! My favorites were the double grand piano, which has two full keyboards facing each other, but sharing a common concert grand frame. 

Then there is the gorgeous Steinway “Rhapsody in Blue” piano which is actually blue! I got to play it for quite awhile and it was unbelievable! Their most recent addition is the actual piano that Elton John used when he wrote his compositions, “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer” and many other classics. To see it (it’s an upright!) The people of Calgary are very fortunate indeed to have an organization like this that is providing opportunities for learning about music and experiencing music and instruments of all kinds. If you live or are planning to travel anywhere near there, plan a trip to this instrument collection. It’s marvelous!

Dr. Alice H. Cash
President, Healing Music Enterprises
3219 Marion Court
Louisville, Kentucky 40206
www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com
chantdoc@healingmusicenterprises.com
502/895-7688 (phone) 502/896-7277 (fax)
502/419-1698 (mobile)

Tonight on CBS there was a special program on children and adults who have been diagnosed with Williams' Syndrome. I had heard of this disability several years ago when I did a presentation at the Fourth International Music and Medicine Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. The people who have this disorder are missing 20 genes and the result is a combination of tragic (in some ways) but also some amazing musical gifts.
See http://www.williams-syndrome.org/forteachers/musicandws.htmlfor further detail.

The disorder has existed for centuries but it was not named until fairly recently. This particular TV special focused on children and adults who live in New England and the research is being conducted primarily at Yale University. A prime characteristic of people with Williams' is that they are happy nearly all the time. They are extremely engaging and sometimes referred to as the perfect party guest because they never meet a stranger (all are seen as friends) and they love to sing or play an instrument for anyone. One woman featured tonight can sing operatic arias in 30 languages! Another boy’s mother said that when he was two months old she had him sitting in his infant seat near the piano while she played some jazz. When she stopped on a whole note, he matched the pitch perfectly. She was flabbergasted and said that she knew then that he would have very special musical gifts. Whether or not musical ability is always a trait, we don’t know, but it certainly appears to happen most of the time.
See http://www.wsf.org/music/musicres/mrtrait.htm to learn more about the common traits.

It really is fascinating to see what scientists are learning about genetics; discovering the silver linings that sometimes emerge within these disorders that otherwise could be devastating. I’d be interested in hearing from readers who have experience with this intriguing condition.

Dr. Cash is featured in this interesting Alternative Medicine article by Linda Stahl in the Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, March 11, 2004. Read the article HERE.

As always, Dr. Cash will set up workshops in Louisville and surrounding areas at special request if a minimum of 10-12 people can be assured.
Current popular topics are:

“Using music with the autistic child”
“Music as a Pathway to Higher Power”
“Wellness through Music: Ten Top Tips”
“Music and Childbirth: the Lullaby Project