For the past four years, vocal instructor Eileen Ruby has watched music unlock speech for Valley residents facing neurological challenges. As director of the Healing Harmonies Choir, she witnesses firsthand how singing bridges the communication gaps caused by conditions like Parkinson’s, dementia, stroke and brain injuries.
“I’ve heard from members and their families … that the drive home and the conversations that evening are some of the best they have all week,” Ruby said of the group, which meets twice monthly on Tuesdays at the Greenfield Public Library.
The choir was created in 2018 as part of a graduate research project at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was later continued by Lisa Somers and Amanda Bernhard of the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Department.
“They did a pilot study, and it was successful,” Ruby said. “Singing is beneficial, and for those who struggle to speak, sometimes singing is easier.”
She noted that studies indicate singing can help activate muscle memory, making speech easier for those who struggle with communication.
“That’s the purpose of this group,” Ruby said. “You can’t join a regular choir if you have a brain injury … This makes it possible.”
Ruby explained that she was pulled into the project four or five years ago by Bernhard, a vocal student of hers, and was asked to take over as the choir director as Bernhard and Somers prepared to transition in their careers. Somers retired from teaching at UMass last year, and Bernhard is currently in Ireland developing an assessment tool for speech therapists based on Irish articulation and phonology.
During each session, participants begin with gentle movement and vocal warmups before moving on to singing rounds. After a coffee-and-conversation break, the group sings popular songs from the 1970s, such as “Sweet Caroline” or “Twist and Shout,” with the lyrics projected on a screen.
Ruby said participants do not need to audition, nor does she assign them specific vocal parts. Instead, people just sing and harmonize naturally.
“We just sing … What makes it a choir is no matter what song we sing, everyone is invited to harmonize,” she said. “It can be really beautiful sometimes.”
With Somers and Bernhard gone, Ruby said the choir is currently without a speech-language pathologist but hopes to find one willing to volunteer to assist the group. The choir is in a transitional period, having recently taken a multi-month hiatus and moved from the Sunderland Public Library to the community room at the Greenfield Public Library, which Ruby noted is more accessible since she lives in Greenfield.
At a recent meeting, the choir had 13 attendees, with numbers expected to grow each session. Ruby described the members as “enthusiastic singers” and hopes more people find their own places to sing, whether it be the Healing Harmonies Choir or another group.
“My whole thing is being a singer and vocal instructor,” Ruby said. “There’s places for people to go and sing, and this is another place for them to go.”
Ruby is currently exploring fiscal sponsorship options to allow the choir to accept donations. In the future, she hopes the choir will be able to fund a pianist and compensate her for her work.
“I’m passionate about singing, and I’ve found my place to go singing, and I’ve never been happier,” Ruby said. “I want community around singing in Greenfield, and I’m finding it.
The next meeting of the Choir is scheduled for Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. For more information, visit healingharmonies.us.
