Name That Tune

One of the "games" the music therapists play with the participants at the daycare center for the elderly is called "name that tune." It is actually run by the music therapy intern who studied and earned a music degree from Berklee College of Music, and plays violin, viola, guitar, ukulele, and I'm sure every other instrument under the sun. Essentially, she plays on her violin a few bars of an old song that the residents might have loved in their youth, and has them try to puzzle out what it is. Once they do, she'll play more of each song so that they can sing along with the lyrics, which they often know!

It's a fantastic exercise on many levels. One, it triggers the memory. The participants recognize and identify songs that are likely many decades old and that they have not heard in a long time. They recall melodies and lyrics that they sang in their youth-- a fun and effective exercise to revive memories that sit deep within their minds. This long-term memory recall also has an emotional component, where songs from a past time in the residents' lives stir up feelings of happiness and nostalgia, or whatever other emotions they might have tied to a particular song. This is beneficial to overall well-being-- ensuring residents' happiness, and brightening their days at the center. Lastly, a key objective of playing "name that tune" is to engage the participants' focus. Many of the people at this center are often unaware of or inattentive to their surroundings, so a game that strengthens their focus and engages them so that they must pay attention is beneficial to their overall mental health and allows them to be more alert and function at a higher level throughout the day.

On Friday I have the opportunity to bring in my own violin and co-run this exercise with the music therapy intern; I am so excited to offer my own experience to the men and women at the center. I have to say, my "name that tune" repertoire doesn't really extend far beyond "Oh Suzanna," "La Vie En Rose," and "Happy Birthday." I guess it's time to add some Elvis, Sinatra, and Beatles music to the mix. Any forties, fifties, or sixties suggestions?