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45454| O akville B eaver | T hursday,N ovem ber 8,2018 insidehalton.com MacNeil Guitar Lessons MacNeil Guitar Lessons All levels Private and Beginners - Advanced sTePHeN MACNeIl Teaching all levels for over 20 years Beginner - Advanced All Styles,Technique &Theory Daytime & Evening Times Available ReGIsTRATION 1312 Speers Rd, Oakville 905-334-5092 www.mglessons.com CAll Us TODAY! ON NOW art music drama dance art explore Performing and Visual Arts School STUDIO PAVAS 905-403-9435 1-2301 Royal Windsor Dr., Mississauga www.studiopavas.com info@studiopavas.com Register Now Day, Evening and Weekend Classes Beginner to Advanced • Ages 3 yrs to Adult MARCH BREAK & SUMMER CAMPS • Small Class Sizes • Camera Viewing of All Studios • Family- Focused Scheduling • Annual Musical Productions • Specialty Workshops Art, Music, Drama, Dance General $8.50 | Children & Seniors $6.50 | All seats Tues $5.00 171 Speers Road, Oakville (at Kerr St.) 905-338-6397 (MEWS) www.film.ca Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (G) Fri: 11:00 AM, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15 Sat & Sun: 12:30, 1:00, 2:40, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15 Mon - Thu: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:15 Bohemian Rhapsody (PG) Fri: 10:45 AM, 12:45, 3:40, 6:30, 9:30 Sat - Thu: 12:45, 3:40, 6:30, 9:30 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (G) Fri: 1:15, 3:45, 6:45, 10:00, Sat & Sun: 12:20, 2:25, 4:35, 6:45, 10:00 Mon-Thu: 1:15, 3:45, 6:45, 10:00 First Man (PG) Fri - Wed: 9:00 PM A Star is Born (14A) Fri: 1:30, 4:30, 7:15, 9:50, Sat & Sun: 12:15, 4:30, 7:15, 9:50 Mon -Wed: 1:30, 4:30, 7:15, 9:50, Thu: 1:30, 4:30, 7:15, 9:00 The OldMan& The Gun (PG) Fri: 11:15 AM, 5:20, Sat - Tue: 5:20 PM, Wed: 4:30 PM Thu: 5:20 PM Colette (14A) Fri: 1:20, 7:30, Sat & Sun: 3:00, 7:30, Mon & Tue: 1:20, 7:30 Wed & Thu: 1:20 PM Film.CA CinemAS ShowTimeS For november 9-15 2018 newThiSweek: The GrinCh, ColeTTe When the grand piano in the spacious lobby of Oakville Trafalgar Memo- rial Hospital comes alive at the hands of a talented musician, magical things can happen. Seemingly inconsol- able children can be calmed. Troubles, sad- ness, even pain, can disap- pear, if only for a few mo- ments. When young Jaelyn Li sits down to play, she imagines patients, who of- ten gather around in wheelchairs or clutching IV poles, feeling less pain and feeling happier, so they will recover faster. At nine, Jaelyn is the youngest of the 40 volun- teer pianists who enter- tain patients, staff and vis- itors alike as they pass through the lobby. No matter what their pur- pose, or even whether they stop to listen or keep walking, no doubt the mu- sic touches them in some way. The piano is a gift from Christine and Bill Apted who have been "thrilled" with the response to it. Donating the piano was a very personal gift for her, said Christine, who also plays from her reper- toire of classical, pop and jazz every other Tuesday morning. "My mother started giving me a few lessons when I was about four years old, and musicfour years old, and musicf has been a very big part of my life since then." She has experienced firsthand the power of mu-firsthand the power of mu-f sic to "heal, soothe and in- spire," the reasons for the family's donation.family's donation.f "A few weeks ago, a young woman approached the piano after I had fin- ished playing and said, 'I have been so depressed, but your music has made me feel much better.' And then she gave me a big hug. Another man told me he didn't have any pain while he listened to me play. It's very rewarding playing to reviews like that." One of the occasional players, if he's not on call or too busy, is infectious disease specialist and classically-trained pia- nist, Dr. Neil Rau. During those spontane- ous opportunities, Rau has found that often when you think you are playing before a passive audience, a certain piece will evoke a long held memory for someone and it becomes a conversation starter. Having entertainment in the hospital is an asset for those patients who un-for those patients who un-f fortunately have multiplefortunately have multiplef medical problems and are confined for lengthy stays, he said. "Because of medical conditions, for them, they can never ever think of go- ing to attend any form of entertainment; the enter- tainment has to come to them. So, this is one of the most unbelievably power- ful things I have seenful things I have seenf there. For them this is the highlight of their day." It's also one thing to play in the comfort of your own home, but quite an- other to play in front of others, said Rau, who studied the piano between the ages of 8 to 18 and didn't return to lessons until his 40th birthday "af- ter a massive hiatus through medical train- ing." "With nerves, a whole bunch of weird things can happen, so this is one of the best training grounds for serious amateur pia-for serious amateur pia-f nists that I've ever found," he added. "Part of this is self-serving for me to be- come a better pianist." "No one can debate we have a music therapy pro- gram in Oakville," he add- ed. "It's one of those gifts that are immeasurable." He also relishes the chance to focus on the art of medicine to supplement the science of medicine. Within the group, there is an eclectic assortment of music offered, as well as ages that range between nine and into the 80s, with many retired people giv- ing back in this way. One of those is retired aerospace engineer Wayne Houston (whoWayne Houston (whoW worked on the Canadarm for Spar Aerospace Ltd. infor Spar Aerospace Ltd. inf the 1980s). "Having retired, I need- ed another 'hobby' besides playing golf. I really enjoy being able to put smiles on a few faces each week." Houston, who plays Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours (a mix of oldfor two hours (a mix of oldf standards, pop, blues and jazz) has on several occa- sions, encountered a young child upset about having to come to the hos- pital. "After playing him one of my jazzed-up nursery rhymes, for example, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the child calms down, cracks a smile and the mom asks me, 'Will you be here again next Tuesday?'" Jaelyn, who has been playing the piano for al- most four years, is very musical and expressive and her music can bring happiness to many people, said Mary Ficzere, Mer- riam Music's Enriched Program manager. "I think that hearing young talent can brighten someone's day and make them smile," said Ficzere. Jaelyn and her 12-year- old brother Raymond also play duets in multiple styles and genres. "She was very nervous to play music in such open environment but with the encouragement and praise from audience, she has more confidence," said Jaelyn's mom, Rui. "She enjoyed so much es- pecially some audience dancing with her music. The duet Nutcracker is a popular dancing music played by her and her brother." "When students start music lessons, a lot of the focus can be on preparingfocus can be on preparingf for exams or competitionsfor exams or competitionsf and students can lose sight of the true purpose of learning music, which is for others to listen to andfor others to listen to andf enjoy," said Ficzere. "I have many students who per- form regularly at the hos-form regularly at the hos-f pital as they realize that their music has a positive emotional impact on oth- ers." The popularity of the hospital pianist program has transcended the con- fines of the lobby; for thefines of the lobby; for thef second consecutive year, 18 of them will perform in a fundraising concert, Crescendo, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Oakville Cen- tre. Tickets for the concert, which is being presented by the Oakville Hospital Foundation, are $25. Pro- ceeds will go to the foun- dation. The concert will fea- ture everything from Boo- gie to Bach and every- thing in between, said Frances Rustom, volun- teer convener for Music in the Lobby. OAKVILLE HOSPITAL PIANISTS HEAL, SOOTHE AND INSPIRE KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com NEWS 'CRESCENDO' CONCERT ON NOV. 18 AT OAKVILLE CENTRE FEATURES PIANISTS SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM