They’re not the sort of instruments you typically find in a hospital, but Masmian Joseph believes in their healing powers all the same.
The patient attendant pushes a medical cart decked out with an electric piano, speakers, and a microphone from room to room at Montreal’s McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), giving solo performances to bedridden patients on his breaks.
His performances always start with a warm greeting as he plugs in at the foot of the bed.
“Okay young man, I’m going to play some music,” he jokes to a greying man as he glides his equipment into position.
Joseph’s typical set leans on well-known standards. Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra are in heavy rotation. But he also mixes in some uplifting original compositions. “Each Day a New Baby is Born,” a song he wrote for his niece 16 years ago, is among his catalogue of crowd-pleasers.
“Everyone knows the standards, and the standards have no age limit,” he told CTV News. “If I do Sinatra, some of the most popular standards, everyone connects with it because if you're 16-years-old or you're 60, you know Frank.”
Performing comes naturally to Joseph. He grew up in a family of musicians, taught himself to pay piano at a young age, and went on to tour the world with various bands.
He started using his ivory-tickling skills and velvety smooth voice to comfort patients several years ago while working in the palliative care unit at Montreal General. Today, he counts his boss at MUHC among his many fans.
“It’s contagious. The families love it. Our patients love it. The people that work here take a moment and feel lighter,” explains nurse manager Aparna Bhattacharjee.
What Joseph’s audiences lack in size, they make up for in devotion. There are no autographs or groupies, but he is often thanked by patients’ families and friends when he wraps up a gig.
Patient Joe Zottola requested Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable” during a recent MUHC stay. Joseph happily obliged, and proceeded to hit every note.
“It’s relaxing, it puts me at ease,” Zottola said. “You kind of get distracted from your problems.”
After a few songs, Joseph sticks around for some small talk before wiping down his keyboard with disinfectant and moving on to the next room. He’s claims he has never had a patient turn him away.
“No one has ever said no. They've always said yes,” Joseph said. “When a patient is sick, or been here for two or three weeks, they need uplifting. The thing that does that is music.”
The 64-year-old is getting ready for his final performance. He plans to retire in April. The hospital is hoping to coax him into volunteering for some encore appearances.
“We're going to miss his music and his enthusiasm,” Bhattacharjee said. “We're hoping he comes back as a volunteer. I'll start working on that soon.”
With a report from CTV’s Vanessa Lee and files from CTV Montreal
