Nov 08 2019
Alzheimer's Stories -Sound and Spirit is a concert

Alzheimer's Stories -Sound and Spirit is a concert

Presented by Northminster Presbyterian Church at Northminster Presbyterian Church

Northminster Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and Chamber Orchestra present

A work of art can bring us to our darkest places and show us a light to illuminate our fears, ease our anxieties and heal our pain. American composer Robert Cohen’s Alzheimer’s Stories gives communal voice to those suffering with dementia and their caregivers.

Soon after the Susquehanna Valley Chorale of Lewisburg, PA commissioned Cohen to compose the work in 2009, he asked his colleague and friend, Herschel Garfein,  to write the libretto. While researching, they were struck by evidence of music’s ability to awaken those with dementia and to dramatically ease symptoms of aggression and anxiety. With this as the basis, they created Alzheimer’s Stories.  Composed for 2 soloists, chamber orchestra, and chorus, the work is constructed in three movements – first focusing on the clinical aspects of the disease followed by stories of those suffering from dementia, and finally, presenting hope for the caregivers and victims.

Jake Runestad’s A Silence Haunts Me, allows the audience, through sound and silence, to experience Beethoven’s struggles to compose, despite his increasing deafness.   Composed in 2018, Todd Boss’s poetry and Runestad’s use of piano and voices invites listeners to empathize with the great composer, as he agonizes over the impending loss of the asset he holds most dear.

The common denominator in these and other pieces on the Nov. 8th concert is faith and music, and how these can sustain us when nothing else can.  This is a special experience designed to bring people together around the struggles of those suffering and those caring for the suffering.

Dates & Times

2019/11/08 - 2019/11/08

Location Info

Northminster Presbyterian Church

1660 Kessler Boulevard East Drive, Indianapolis, IN