Thursday, November 26, 2020

Intubated COVID-19 patient plays violin for medical staff to say a musical ‘thank you’


COVID-19 patient serenades hospital staff in Utah with violin
COVID-19 patient serenades hospital staff in Utah with violin. Picture: Intermountain Healthcare

By Sian Moore, ClassicFM London

The 70-year-old musician played church hymns and the ‘Tennessee Waltz’ as hospital staff watched on teary-eyed.

A retired orchestra teacher, who was in hospital with coronavirus, showed his appreciation for his caregivers the only way he knew how – by serenading them on his violin.

Grover Wilhelmsen was intubated and unable to speak, so requested in writing to perform on the ICU ward in Utah to thank the workers. “It’s the very least I could do,” he wrote.

Grover’s wife of 47 years, Diana, brought her husband’s violin and viola into the hospital.

To ensure a safe environment for the concert, medical staff closed the doors to Grover’s room and enjoyed the music from behind the glass.

“About a dozen caregivers gathered to watch and listen in the ICU,” said Grover’s nurse, Ciara Sase. “It brought tears to my eyes. For all the staff to see a patient doing this while intubated was unbelievable.”

Read more: 81-year-old Italian man serenades sick wife outside her hospital window >

ICU COVID-19 Patient Plays Violin

“Even though he was so sick, he was still able to push through,” Sase continued.

Read more: Hospital staff surprise ballet-loving cancer patient with ‘Swan Lake’ >

“You could see how much it meant to him. Playing kind of helped to soothe his nerves and brought him back to the moment.”

The 70-year-old musician played multiple times over a couple of days, before his symptoms worsened and he had to be sedated.

Sase had learned from her colleagues that the violinist had been teaching and playing music “all of his life”.

Hospital staff perform ballet routine for young cancer patient

Read more: Doctor picks up violin to give emotional serenade after patient’s COVID-19 recovery >

“It was honestly shocking to be there when he picked up the violin,” nurse Matt Harper added. “It felt like I was in a dream.”

He continued: “I’m used to patients being miserable or sedated while being intubated, but Grover made an unfortunate situation into something positive.

“This was by far one of my favourite memories in the ICU that I’ve had. It was a small light in the darkness of COVID.”

Grover was recently discharged from the ward after staying for over a month, and is currently residing at an acute care facility where he is expected to recover.

“He truly is special and made a mark on all of us,” Sase said.

“When I started to cry in the room after he was done playing, he wrote to me, ‘Quit crying. Just smile,’ and he smiled at me.”

Composer John Williams awarded RPS Gold Medal...

 ... for introducing millions to orchestral music


John Williams receives RPS Gold Medal award. Picture: Royal Philharmonic Society
By Maddy Shaw Roberts, ClassicFM London

‘He has dedicated his life to ensuring orchestral music continues to speak to and captivate millions of people worldwide.’

Internationally treasured composer John Williams, 88, is the recipient of this year’s RPS Gold Medal.

The legendary film maestro, who composed the enduring music for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Schindler’s List and many more, won the coveted award at the 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, for introducing millions to orchestral music.

His win, one of the highest honours in music recognising outstanding musicianship since 1870, was announced during a digital broadcast on 18 November featuring performances filmed at London’s Wigmore Hall.

Accepting the medal via video, Williams said: “To receive this award is beyond any expectation I could possibly have. For any composer to be able devote his or her life entirely to the composition of music is very fortunate indeed.”

Director Steven Spielberg presented a special congratulatory message to his long-time collaborator via video message, saying: “John, you have brought the classical idiom to young people all over the world through your scores, and through your classical training and your classical sensibilities. You are in the DNA of the musical culture of today.”

In his wonderful introduction to Williams’ win, which was determined by the RPS Board and Council and voted for by RPS members, RPS chairman John Gilhooly said:

“Some of us are born into classical music, never recalling a time without it. Others are drawn to its magic by the spell that orchestras cast in bringing soul, drama and humanity to motion pictures.

“The recipient of this year’s RPS Gold Medal has dedicated his life to ensuring orchestral music continues to speak to and captivate people worldwide in this way. Aged 88 and still at work, he is an international treasure, writing score after score of sophistication and impact, many transcendent of the films for which they were written.”

Elsewhere, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason was presented with the Young Artists Award for “captivating listeners worldwide”.

Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw received the Singer Award, while the Scottish Ensemble received the Ensemble Award for their innovation in their 50th birthday year.

(C) 2020 by ClassicFM London