HEALING POWER OF MUSIC: PIANO BRINGS JOY OF THE SEASON TO HOSPITAL VISITORS

Local pianists are bringing the spirit of the season to Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Marty Roth, who works in the accounting department at Southeast Missouri State University, played Christmas carols Thursday afternoon on the hospital's new grand piano, to the delight of patients, visitors and hospital employees.

The shiny, black piano sits on the second floor of the hospital in Lacey's on the Hill, the restaurant which overlooks the lobby. Performances are scheduled for lunch and dinner periods at Lacey's throughout December. Plans are to continue the concerts after the holidays.

All the pianists volunteer their time. Performers include professors and students from the university, a retired physician, an anesthesiologist, a dentist and a pastor.

Performances are foremost meant to help hospital patients, said Director of Pastoral Care Bill Matzat. As a bonus, family members, visitors and employees benefit from its music as well.

"Often, art can support and nourish that part of us which medicine and surgery alone can not touch," he said. "The arts do have a place in healing."

Matzat, who also is chairman of the hospital's music committee, said music brings a sense of comfort and familiarity to patients, especially those who may be terminally ill.

With that in mind, the hospital plans to broadcast piano performances on a dedicated television channel that can be tuned in at patients' bedsides.

"If it wasn't going to be for the patients, we weren't going to do it," Matzat said. "We wanted to make sure we had a first-rate acoustical instrument so that we would be proud of it."

The Yamaha Disklavier Mark II piano was acquired through a bequest from the estate of Southeast supporter John Wiseman.

Roth, who has been playing the piano since he was about 7 years old, said he was glad to be asked to play at the hospital.

"I was thrilled to be able to play such a beautiful new instrument," he said. "It's a neat opportunity, and I was flattered to be asked because I'm not a professional musician."

Alice Lewis from Cape Girardeau listened to Roth play while she and a group of friends ate at Lacey's during their weekly Thursday lunch outing.

"I think it's great. Of course, piano music's my favorite music, and I enjoyed it," Lewis said. "They ought to do it all year long."

The hospital has other musical plans in the works, including a music lending library for patients and their families and a digital, jukebox-style compact disc player in the hospital chapel that will allow visitors to select various seasonal and religious offerings.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI HOSPITAL CONCERT SERIES

Piano concerts at Southeast Missouri Hospital take place from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. and again from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Lacey's on the Hill above the hospital lobby.

Date Lunch Performance Dinner Performance

Dec. 4 Shane Steck Tim DePriest

Dec. 5 Cheryl Fortner TBA

Dec. 6 Brett Yount Betty Fadler

Dec. 7 Dan Cotner Madelyn Rasche

Dec. 8 Shane Steck Early Johnson

Dec. 11 Fred and Virginia Goodwin James Sifferman

Dec. 12 Betty Fadler Ruth Illers

Dec. 13 Shane Steck Tim DePriest

Dec. 14 Diane Daume Earl Johnson

Dec. 15 Nathan Kuhlman Ruth Illers

Dec. 18 Fred and Virginia Goodwin Tim DePriest

Dec. 19 Cheryl Fortner TBA

Dec. 20 Gary Miller and Kirk Miller Betty Fadler

Dec. 21 Diane Daume Earl Johnson

Dec. 22 Richard Moore Madelyn Rasche

Dec. 25 Bill Matzat TBA

Dec. 26 Andrew Hicks TBA

Dec. 27 Tanya Bergantz Betty Fadler

Dec. 28 Michele Matzat TBA

Dec. 29 Betty Fadler TBA