“Music is so powerful because it penetrates through our layers of defenses and opens up the psyche in a very direct way.”

Sarajane Williams
Editor of Harp Therapy Journal


“I believe that therapeutic music is changing the experience of illness and death, and is redefining the paradigm of effective modern medicine. In time I believe every medical institution, every hospice, and every doctor’s office will offer live music, along with other therapies, as a healing choice.”

Laura Riley
Co-founder and former director of Music for Healing and Transition


“Architecture is frozen music.
Music is liquid architecture. One is seen, one is heard, both are felt.”

Cynthia Price-Glynn
Director, Harp Department,
The Boston Conservatory

The Gentle Muses play a variety of music, folk, classical, religious, modal to improvised. To listen, click on button above.

Mission
The GentleMUSES fill, seek and create settings and situations for live music, primarily harp music, that include scientific, educational, artistic and/or therapeutic goals.

The GentleMUSES(SM) are talented, dedicated New England musicians. We are named for the mythical ancient Greek figures who inspired creativity, and the reflective and expressive arts.

The GentleMUSES are the product of a unique collaboration between The Boston Conservatory and Massachusetts General Hospital. The GentleMUSES present live music at MGH to enhance the healing environment for patients, staff, families and visitors.

Our Basis. We have shown that live harp music can relax patients, staff and visitors in healthcare settings. Patients become less anxious, more receptive to medical processes and more satisfied with their hospital experience. Hospital staff report less stress and increased efficiency, effectiveness and job satisfaction. Visiting families and friends similarly report reduced stress and anxiety.

Our Potential. We are part of a growing movement in medicine and music that recognizes the power of music to diminish stress. We define stress as demands that challenge your mind, body and spirit, that if unabated can lead to acute or chronic illness as well as premature aging. We aim to expand our influence (to energize as well as to relax) throughout health-care venues and into other areas of life where stress is often present—for example business, political, judicial, retail, even social venues. Other Boston area hospitals that have benefitted from hiring GentleMUSES are Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham & Womens Hospital, Childrens Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the 3 area Veterans Administration Hospitals.