(Picture from The Junior League of Waco, Inc.)
I chose this picture because it closely resembled the environment and experience I had for my first couple of times playing in the NICU. Just to be clear, I have NEVER played at a hospital in Texas (yet).
What BABIES like: I have come to the opinion that babies like consistent music. If I make drastic changes in the key, tempo, and even volume...the babies would cry or their monitors would go off. If I would STOP abruptly, their monitors would go off. So the trick is to gently fade (with rolling arpeggios) so that I could leave them in blissful peace. That is until I'm strapping up the harp and hit a huge garbage can or something.
The individual in the photo almost looks like the volunteer who asked me to stop by before leaving one day. She was holding and feeding a baby. She stated, "It wasn't until you started playing that I could finally get this baby to eat something" and I leveled-up in harp therapy that day.
YOGA: playing for yoga at the Vet hospital has been fun and is different than playing therapeutically, because I feel I am playing for a sort of dance. I actually did play for ONE FULL HOUR of yoga (and that was a big mistake because my stamina was not ready for that after already playing for 2 hours prior). Tips: Play consistently during movements. Use techniques like going from lower register to higher register for positions that unfold or involve stretching. My favorite, of course, was playing for the relax segment at the end (it's also my favorite in Yoga besides the Child's Pose). I just plucked one note here or there creating a simple melody, if that. I felt it coincided perfectly.
And it always helps to get compliments from the teacher and students. I must admit, I have been taking the last 15 minutes of class, kicking off my shoes and joining them for some much needed stretching after doing harp therapy for the day. It takes away all sorts of uncomforts. I love it!
