Members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra performed for patients, parents, and staff at Sainte-Justine Hospital. Photo: Global News Canada.
In last Monday’s (11/27) Global News (Canada), Dan Spector reports, “Spending time at a pediatric hospital is never easy. But the Montreal Symphony Orchestra did its part to bring holiday joy to sick kids and their families at Ste-Justine Hospital on Monday…. The musicians roamed the halls serenading some of those needing a boost of cheer. ‘It’s beautiful. It’s soft and it brings peace to your heart. It’s very, very sweet,’ said Nadia Tamaro, whose young son is recovering from heart surgery. The MSO has been playing for sick children around the holidays since 2006. This year it brought a record 16 musicians to Saint-Justine. Violinist and associate concertmaster Marianne Dugal was among them. ‘It made me feel emotional,’ Dugal said. ‘It gets to me every year, seeing the kids smile and be upbeat, even though they’re in a hospital bed.’ Mothers dealing with high-risk pregnancies were among those who got a musical boost…. The staff also felt the warmth of the special occasion…. Hornist Florence Rousseau said, ‘One of the reasons we practice so hard is to make people happy, so it’s nice to be able to just come out here and do that.’ ”
