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Today's Best Bet
| 7/8/2009 11:13:00 AM Email this article • Print this article |
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Local musician Pamela Goddard will perform at Hospicare this Sunday, July 12. (Photo by Rachel Philipson) |
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Striking a Chord
by Dawn Ryan
Pamela Goddard will celebrate the release of her newest album, "Quietness," at Hospicare this Sunday, July 12 at 2 p.m. She will perform songs from her album, a soothing blend of traditional, folk and spiritual sounds. Goddard will feature acoustic and a cappella renditions of music from her album, along with accompaniment by fellow performers on the album.
"[Goddard's] music is settling and continuous," says Jayne Demakos, coordinator of music at Hospicare. "She has a rich, contralto voice." Demakos also worked with Goddard on "Quietness," adding harp instrumentals to the title track.
"Hospicare seems like the natural venue," says Goddard of her concert. Goddard has volunteered at Hospicare off and on for eight years. As a music therapist, she plays mountain dulcimer and sings a cappella music for patients who benefit from its relaxing tones. Goddard also helps lead a Mindful Meditation class, which focuses on calming and soothing moods, a key component to the Hospicare ambience. "If I feel there's a patient that would benefit from [Goddard's] services, I don't hesitate to call her," Demakos says.
Hospicare's objective is to provide a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere as individuals reconcile themselves and their families with the later stages of life. Peace and beauty of the environment are key components to this atmosphere. Like Hospicare, Goddard focuses on these virtues in "Quietness."
"The hospice movement has been around forever," says Demakos, "but Hospicare itself is pretty revolutionary." Hospicare's other projects include Cornell Companions with the Cornell Veterinary School, the Intergenerational Nature Study Program, Mindful Meditation, and Women Singin'.
"[Goddard] adds this beautiful vocal quality to our facility," says Demakos. "It's a gift to have that mindfulness practiced in the building."
While Goddard's music is spiritual, it is not tailored to one specific religion. "They're gospel songs without much God in them," says Goddard.
Goddard's music is inspired by civilizations, belief systems, and individuals that span thousands of years and multiple continents. The one common attribute of her inspirations is a purity and authenticity of sound. "These songs come from everywhere," Goddard says. "Words uttered by the Buddha over 2,000 years ago... and an Adirondack housewife just 30 years ago. Poetry by a Vietnamese zen monk, a Nantucket sailor, a Scottish shepherd and a Western cowboy."
Goddard's early influences include Pete Seeger and other musicians in the Clearwater Festival along the Hudson River, where she heard African American blues mixed with Irish folk songs. From there, her interests wandered further from mainstream music.
Goddard was also exposed to musical recordings through the Library of Congress available in her high school. The recordings included songs from prison chain gangs and folk singers from Ireland, Scotland, and the Appalachians. "They were singing incredible songs of love, murder and death," Goddard says. "I thought, 'Pop music's got nothing on this!'" Goddard would skip class to go to the library and hear the recordings, and gratefully credits public libraries for their access to such unique collections of music and peoples.
In addition, her musical sources can be attributed to "a very extended network" of the Ithaca folk artist community and beyond. "It's about following threads," says Goddard.
Goddard's new album was made possible by Will Russell of Electric Wilburland Studios. According to Goddard, Russell served as a musical collaborator with the greater technological skills of "auditory clipart." Russell helped add background sounds, such as bird calls, on the album for more depth and richness.
Goddard found the focus for the new album from one particular gospel song, "Spiritual Quietness." Goddard says, "I noticed that whenever I sang it, it touched people in a special way." The title track is a collaboration featuring Demakos - all the more reason to host the event at Hospicare.
Goddard and Demakos agree that the event should be a soothing afternoon of peaceful sounds and a celebration of life. "Our doors are open to the community, and our services are available at all times, not just in the time of great need," says Demakos. "Musicales are just one part of a larger picture of community outreach and Hospicare. It's a back and forth."
Donations and proceeds from the celebration with go toward the music efforts of Hospicare. For more information visit hospicare.org or pamgoddard.com.
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Suicide has recently come to Ithaca in a very public, and at times controversial, way. This past academic year, after three years with no suicides, Cornell experienced what is known in the scientific community as a "suicide cluster." OK, so maybe you're like me and you thought this whole JetBlue flight attendant story was good for maybe one news cycle.  |
