The music which is good

Photo Chantal Poirier
The musicians have not spared their efforts to brighten the daily lives of sick children.

Vanessa Guimond

Thursday, December 14, 2017 22:48

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Thursday, December 14, 2017 22:48

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After having received the visit of the players of the Canadian Tuesday, the children who are staying at the Sainte-Justine Hospital have experienced a musical experience that is unique in the company of the musicians of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and maestro Kent Nagano, on Thursday.

The emotions were overwhelming during this visit, which will be allowed several children, but also to their parents and the staff that accompany them, to plunge into the atmosphere of the Holidays, the time of a few pieces.

Photo Chantal Poirier

For the first time since he became associated with the OSM, Kent Nagano has made his visit with his wife, pianist Mari Kodama. “She has been deeply moved by his visit,” he said.

“All the musicians of the OSM who came today are parents. We realize that we are extremely lucky to have healthy children, ” pointed out Kent Nagano, who was accompanied by seven musicians from the orchestra, for the occasion.

“We asked to visit children who suffer from diseases serious enough, who can’t get out, he said. For us, the fact of their visit, it is a very small thing that we have the chance to do so. This makes us happy, it is to be able to bring to the music. “

Photo Chantal Poirier

Mark Dagalla, a young violinist of
17 years, took advantage of the visit by the OSM to have them autograph one of his scores of music by Kent Nagano.

Among the young patients who have had a small private concert, Rayane Benharrats, a boy of 12 years suffering from osteosarcoma at the knee, a form of bone cancer.

Joy

“To see the musicians, today, it fills the hospital with joy, we he said, visibly delighted with his experience. It is better, we took the opportunity ! “

Mark Dagalla, a 17-year-old who was recently diagnosed with hodgkin’s lymphoma was also one of the happy spectators.

Photo Chantal Poirier

Kent Nagano has offered music boxes as a gift to all the children visited, including Mia Laurel, 3 years old, which benefited from the service with his mother, Sara Espinoza.

Himself a violinist, it is with the smile split from ear to ear as he exchanged a few words with the musicians and Kent Nagano.

“At school, we often talk about the musicians of the OSM, explained the student of the école Joseph-François-Perrault, located in the Saint-Michel neighbourhood in Montreal. Of you have met, it was amazing ! I’m really happy. Having seen Kent Nagano in person. Again, that was something ! “

A balm

If this visit has made the happiness of the children, who were given small music boxes in lieu of gifts, she also brought a certain comfort to their parents.

Moved by the beauty of the music, but also by the action taken by the OSM and its musicians, the words they sometimes lacked to express their gratitude.

Photo Chantal Poirier

Some of the children were treated to a private concert at their house. Among others, it is the case of Rayanne Benharrats, a young boy of 12 years who is currently waiting for a surgery due to an osteosarcoma in the knee.

“Days like today, they do well “, we said Vanaelle Atzenhoffer, the mom of Amy, a girl of three years old suffering from a acute myeloid leukemia.

“The music of the orchestra, it came looking for me, she added, noting that she had even shed a few tears. It puts a little balm on our hearts for the christmas season. Our daughter, she realizes it may be more or less, but for parents, it’s been an immense amount of good. It was a beautiful gift. It is impressive to hear. “

What they said

“I had lunch with my son this morning, and I told myself that it would be necessary that each day, I have to remember how lucky I am to have a healthy child. “– Marianne Dugal, violin player

“By definition, an orchestra must be part of its community. If one isolates himself too much, it detaches from the human values. “– Kent Nagano

“It is so important for us to be here and to see the happiness that we can give to children. It is a mission that we have, we, the musicians. “– Pierre Beaudry, trombone

“Here, we can be locked in a room for hours at a time. When you see people like the musicians who came out, today, take their time to think of us, it’s been an immense amount of good. “– Sara Espinoza, the mother of Mia Laurel, 3 years