GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Valley View Hospital Director of Rehabilitative Services Ross Peterson contacted Lesa Russo in 2005 because he thought a music program would be a great addition to the hospital, and he knew she would embrace the idea.

Benefits of a music program would be meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients with weekly visits from musicians who perform for patients and staff.

Holistic Harmony’s first concert was performed in the hospital’s healing garden. Russo, of the hospital’s acute rehab unit, played her guitar, and the program was introduced to the staff and public. It was well received by the patients and their families.

One patient in particular with a terminal illness, after listening to the music and taking time to reflect, took charge of her situation, and opted to die peacefully without the intrusiveness of medicine. This had a profound effect on the family, and Russo was asked to play for her memorial. Since then, the patient’s daughter has been donating to the program yearly.

In the beginning, Russo scheduled one musician per week. She went to local concerts to listen to entertainment, and recruited musicians she thought would be a good fit for the program. It was time consuming, and she spent lots of time on the phone. Larry Gruber of Glenwood Music was a great resource to her.

It took about a year to get a good base of musicians, and now she uses that base to schedule performances. The musicians are dedicated to the program, and they receive as much from giving as the patients get in receiving.

“This program means so much to me, and I feel privileged to witness what goes on in the patients’ rooms. I also have a new circle of friends who are dear to my heart,” Russo said.

Now three musicians per week play in waiting areas, the Family Birth Place, ICU, day surgery, cancer center, and room-to-room. Popular lunchtime concerts are held in the hospital lobby on Wednesdays. The program has a great selection of genres and instruments, including violin, flute, recorders, harp, classical guitar, cello and folk singers.

Peterson said the impact on patients is far beyond what was expected.

“The quality of musicians is excellent,” Peterson said. “It didn’t take long for the program to take off, and it’s growing more and more.”

Through donations, six paid positions have been created. These musicians agree to perform once per month. The remaining Holistic Harmony members volunteer. Russo screens the musicians, and decides where each would best fit in the hospital environment.

“With Holistic Harmony, we are coming into the patients’ rooms to provide music as a situational diversion,” concluded Russo. “We are a form of entertainment.”

The Holistic Harmony Transitional Chorus was born a couple of years after the Holistic Harmony program was begun, and differs from it dramatically. The chorus is a solemn, comforting, unaccompanied gift to transition into death; the Holistic Harmony program offers light-hearted, livelier events with instruments.

Two different scenarios, one wonderful resource. The Holistic Harmony program is a sincere effort by Valley View Hospital to provide for the emotional needs of its community.