Unfinished Symphonies

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Peg attended the prestigious Julliard School of Performing Arts in New York City where she played the violin, piano and organ. She received her doctorate in music and taught violin for many years. Peg is now a resident at Arden Courts of Allentown in Pennsylvania and suffers from dementia.

Whenever she hears music at the center, she holds her hands up and pretends to play the violin. Karen, the marketing director, noticed the way that Peg seemed to remember her days playing the violin and wondered what would happen if a real violin was given to her. Karen went home that night and purchased a violin for Peg from an online auction website.

Karen brought the violin to the center for Peg and gave it to her as she was walking out of the community center. According to a friend, it had been at least 40 years since Peg had held or played a violin, but Peg knew exactly what to do. At first, she tested the instrument, starting out slowly. Within minutes, Peg was playing beautiful music. Peg was ecstatic, and the staff was beaming with pride for Peg. The other residents were all enjoying the music; some even started square dancing. Another resident stopped in the hallway to ask where he could get tickets for the show.

Peg's love of music and the violin was a memory that she was able to hold on to even as her dementia progressed. It is not known whether there are any "unfinished symphonies" that Peg began to compose before her Alzheimer's diagnosis, but she is now able to perform whenever the music moves her.

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