Little people

Playing for children is a completely different experience from playing for adults. Musically, it is less challenging (A couple of Disney songs and simple nursery tunes can bring down the house), but it is equally, if not more, rewarding. Those little eyes light up, a timid smile sneaks up on their faces, and chubby little hands stretch out to touch the violin. For a moment, the children's intensive care unit loses its gloom as parents and children share a few minutes of musical bliss.

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Mommy holds a camcorder in her hand, waiting to record the "concert" to show Daddy, Grandma, Aunt Annie and cousins at home. Everybody is ready. Jack's sisters sit on each side of the bed, waiting. Even Dr. Scruffy (a stuffed toy cat in scrubs), lying by Jack's side, is ready.

"What's that?" Jack points my way.

"That's a bow. You put it on the violin to make the sound."

"What's that?" The little finger shifted slightly to the left.

"That's...the violin. It's where the music will come from."

"No," the finger persists. "What is...that?"

Everyone turned around. There it was--the object of much fascination to every child I encounter, hanging by the sink.

"That's my cane. It helps me walk."

My little audience was satisfied. Now the concert may begin.

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Sleeping Beauty was on TV. As I entered, she had just met Prince Philip in the enchanted forest, and was now dancing and singing to the birds. A very comical owl batted his eye lashes.

"How about a song from Sleeping Beauty?" I asked. A little boy of six on the bed nodded his head. Next to him, his mommy held his younger sister on her lap, who fidgeted around and whispered excitedly, "A violin! A violin!"

It has been a while. Good thing the melody quickly came to my head. Amazing.

"I'm going to be a rock star!" The boy announced as the song ended. He stuck out his tongue, the way little kids do when they tell you something of great importance and wait for your shocked response. "You are?! Wow!"

"I am going to be a rock star, too!" The little sister shouted.

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Last night was the first time that I met families who spoke Chinese. When my guide tried to explain to a young couple who was staying with their baby about Musicians On Call, they quickly waved their hands at her, saying, "No! No!" (Hand-waving in Chinese culture means no and/or good-bye).

Thinking that they might not have understood her, my guide pulled back the curtain to show me in the doorway. "Wait! Wait!" she said.

When they saw me and my violin, they suddenly understood. "Bao bao yao bu yao ting ying yue? ('Would the baby like to hear some music?')" I asked. "How ah ('Okay')!" they smiled, taking the baby from the crib, who fussed a little bit.

I played a couple of Chinese nursery tunes that I remembered from childhood. Most American children would not have recognized them, but the young parents were ecstatic and sang along while their baby moved to the music.

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We came to a room where a little Mexican girl stayed. My guide quickly explained in Spanish to the family what was going on.

"Tienes una canción favorita?" I asked. Three semesters of Spanish in college are really paying off.

"Um..." The girl thought for a moment, tapping her finger on her chin. "Um...Do you know?"

"Do I know what?"

"Do You Know?"

"Do I know...what?" I was confused. Her mother started laughing. The light bulb in my head suddenly went on.

"Oh, that's the name of the song! No, I'm sorry, I don't." I ended up playing something else for her, but we all had quite a good laugh from that short exchange. (I just googled "Do you know", which turns out to be a popular song by Enrique Iglesias. What can I say? I am the slowest person on earth when it comes to pop culture, including music.)

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The night ended with a little boy in a dark room, who was not in the best of moods. My guide, a music therapist in the hospital who is excellent with kids, told him, "This is a really, really special night tonight. You know why? Because our violinist here has toured the whole hospital, and you are the special boy who gets to hear the last concert of the night. She is here now, playing just for you."

The little face lighted up.

That moment, I was reminded again of exactly what makes Musicians On Call special. That little smile makes it all worthwhile.