Music Medics Program: Sharing Music with Those in Need

How Singing Barbershoppers Bring Joy and Comfort to Those Who Need It Most

The Music Medics program offers singers—especially older adults—a unique opportunity: to use your voice not just to perform, but to comfort, connect, and heal. If you’re looking for a way to give back, stay musically active, and bring joy to people who need it most, Music Medics might be your next great adventure.

What Is Music Medics?

Music Medics is a service-oriented program of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) that sends small groups of barbershop singers into healthcare settings to perform uplifting, familiar songs for patients and residents. These aren’t concerts—they’re personal visits. Musical acts of kindness.

Music Medics often sing in:

Children’s hospitals
Pediatric wings
Senior living communities
Memory care facilities
Hospice or rehabilitation centers

These performances are short (5–10 minutes), intimate, and focused on making a human connection through harmony.

Why It Matters

The impact of Music Medics goes far beyond a single song. For patients, especially those who are isolated or vulnerable, live music:

Reduces stress and anxiety
Stimulates memory and emotional connection
Breaks up the monotony of clinical environments
Brings laughter, joy, and human warmth

For singers, the rewards are just as powerful:

A sense of purpose
Deep team camaraderie
Musical fulfillment without the pressure of a stage
Opportunities to sing more often, and with more heart

It’s one of the rare musical programs where everyone walks away better than they came.

Who Can Be a Music Medic?

Anyone who loves to sing and wants to serve. Many Music Medics are:

Retired or semi-retired singers
Chorus members looking for meaningful quartetting
Newer singers seeking community
Longtime barbershoppers ready for a new kind of impact

You don’t need to be a top-tier soloist. You do need:

A love of barbershop harmony
A flexible, compassionate attitude
A small ensemble (usually 3–5 singers)
A willingness to rehearse a short, joyful set

Some Medics serve weekly. Others visit once a month or a few times a year. The model is scalable and flexible.

What Do Music Medics Sing?

Music Medics typically perform familiar, upbeat songs that are:

Recognizable across generations
Easy to follow and tap along to
Appropriate for sensitive settings

The BHS provides a curated Music Medics Songbook, which includes:

Uplifting standards (e.g., “You Are My Sunshine”)
Disney classics
Patriotic tunes
Simple barbershop-style arrangements
Seasonal favorites

Most visits include 5–6 songs with gentle patter between each one (introductions, light humor, smiles). Some groups bring small props, wear colorful scrub tops, or sing along hallways.

Do I Need to Be in a Chorus to Join?

No. While many Music Medics teams are formed from existing choruses or quartets, you can create your own Medic team with just a few singers.

BHS supports independent teams, chapter-affiliated groups, and even regional “floaters” who sub in when others are unavailable.

The heart of the program is service, not structure.

How Do We Get Started?

Starting a Music Medics team is simple:

Download the free Music Medics Handbook (available from BHS)
Gather a small group of committed singers
Choose 5–6 songs from the Music Medics Songbook
Rehearse casually, focusing on blend and joy—not perfection
Reach out to a hospital, senior community, or care facility near you
Follow any basic health or safety protocols the facility requires
Put on your scrub shirts and go spread some joy

You’ll likely be invited back—and asked to sing more than you planned.

What Makes Music Medics Different?

Music Medics is not a performance program. It’s a presence program.

The goal isn’t to impress. It’s to connect.

In a Music Medics visit, you may:

Sing softly to a child with a chronic illness
Watch a stroke survivor hum along to a familiar tune
Bring a tear (the good kind) to a long-term resident’s eye
Make a nurse pause and smile for the first time in her shift

It’s about moments of musical humanity, not applause.

Stories from the Field

“I’ve sung on stages across the country. But nothing compares to the day we sang ‘Let Me Call You Sweetheart’ and the Alzheimer’s patient—who hadn’t spoken in a week—began to mouth every word.”
— Music Medic, Tennessee

“I was nervous at first. I didn’t think I had enough voice left to be of use. Turns out, what they needed most was heart. And I’ve still got plenty of that.”
— Senior Music Medic, Ontario

How to Learn More

You can find everything you need to get started at the BHS website under the Music Medics program tab, including:

A downloadable handbook
Repertoire suggestions and learning tracks
Frequently asked questions
Links to order branded scrub tops
Contact information to connect with other Medics

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to take the first step.

Summary: A Chance to Serve Through Song

If you’ve ever wondered how your voice could be more than just performance—how it could bring joy, soothe anxiety, and create connection—Music Medics might be your answer.

It’s singing with purpose. Singing with presence. Singing for the good of someone else.

And for many Medics, it becomes the most meaningful music they’ve ever made.