Purple Songs Can Fly
| File:Purple Songs Can Fly Logo 2014.jpg | |
| Founded | March 2006 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Anita Kruse |
| Location | |
Purple Songs Can Fly is a unique program that provides a musical outlet for the many children being treated for cancer and blood disorders at Texas Children's Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.[1][2] In this program, which is the first of its kind, the children and their siblings work with founder, Anita Kruse- a songwriter and pianist,[3] and as well as other professional composers in an in-hospital recording studio to write, record, and burn songs to disc within short sessions.[4][5]
These children are given a highly creative, much needed musical environment to express their many and varied thoughts and feelings. The children are then able to share their music with friends and family in the form of individual CD recordings of their songs.[6] According to David Poplack, "the arts have therapeutic value" and can improve the recovery of the patients.[4]
The program was founded in March 2006 by The Love Street Light Circus donated $10,000 to build a studio at the hospital.[7] In 2011, Purple Songs Can Fly created a portable recording studio which now enables the composers to work with in-patient children at their bedsides to write and record their own songs. Additionally, in 2012, Purple Songs Can Fly began partnering with Voice America Kids Network to produce an online radio show hosted by pediatric cancer survivors, and featuring the children's songs and interviews with doctors, nurses, and special guests. In 2013, Purple Songs Can Fly also began collaborating with the Houston Symphony; in this program, Symphony musicians visit the Purple Songs Can Fly studio and provide musical accompaniment to the children's songs.
Purple Songs not only can fly, but do fly. The children’s songs are copied on purple CDs and flown by participating passengers, pilots and astronauts to places on earth and into space. To date, more than 1,000 songs have been written, recorded and flown around the globe and beyond. The songs have flown on two space shuttle missions, been heard on the in-flight playlists of both Continental and United Airlines, toured the world with The Rolling Stones, traveled on an undersea NOAA mission, and summited Mount Everest.[8][9] Most notably, in 2013, the children of Purple Songs Can Fly performed the world premiere of their song Celebration of Hope at Carnegie Hall in New York City.[10]
As the dreams, wishes, thoughts, feelings, and imaginations of these children take wing through the creativity of music, it is the vision of Purple Songs Can Fly that soaring, flying, and rising above the obstacles of illness can truly become a reality as each purple song that flies creates a tangible symbol for the hope of healing.
References
- ^ Watson, Jennifer (2008). "Songs that Fly, Stories that Inspire, and Writers who Save the Day". Writers in the Schools. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ Johnson, Laurie (2007-01-24). "Recording Studio Opens at Texas Children's Hospital". KUHF. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ Rhor, Monica (2009-01-03). "Recording studio in hospital about more than music". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ a b Blumenthal, Ralph (2008-01-06). "Fight Against Youth Cancer Enters the Recording Studio". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ "Unique program at TCH helps ill children and their siblings". KTRK. American Broadcasting Company. 2007-10-26. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ "Young cancer patient honors dad through song". KTRK. American Broadcasting Company. 2008-06-15. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ "White Album for Purple Songs event raises $10,000 for Texas Children's program". Love Street Circus. 2008-11-25. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ "Gems Of Wisdom-Purple Songs Can Fly". BlogTalkRadio. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- ^ "Continental to debut cancer patients' songs". Houston Business Journal. 2007-04-25. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
- ^ "Texas Medical Center OrchestraBayou City ChoraleKIPP SHARP Singers". www.carnegiehall.org. Retrieved 2015-12-10.