MUSIC FOR SENIORS & PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
We partner with the Somerville Housing Authority to deliver musical programming to residents in three public housing facilities for seniors and people with disabilities: Bryant Manor, Brady Towers and Properzi Manor. At these sites, we offer regular chamber music concerts, jam sessions and singalongs, and music for holidays and events, employing the grand pianos we have installed and maintain in all three buildings.
Photo: Jam session with residents at Brady Towers, September 2025
Our musical activities in Somerville Housing Authority buildings for seniors and adults with disabilities help combat isolation and provide uplifting social opportunities for residents. According to Graciela Cordova, SHA resident services coordinator, “Music is such a healing aspect to someone’s life. It lifts someone’s spirits. It’s crucial for elders to get out of their apartments, to socialize with other residents, and do something together which bonds them, which creates peace among them. Once they create something together, there is less conflict. They see each other in a different light.”
Florence Bergmann, retired executive director of the Mystic Learning Center and former Somerville Housing Authority resident, points to our musical work as a benefit especially to those suffering from PTSD. “The opportunities Around Hear provides help people come together, support one another, and find some happiness. It creates a sense of peace, hope, joy, and belonging for people who need it most.”