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The History of Swan Songs
by Christine
Albert - co-founder, President, Executive Director
In 1992, I was asked
to sing at a small gathering of friends and family as a formerly
vibrant 40-year-old man faced an early death from a terminal
illness.
Months
later I sang in the hospital room of a cancer patient who loved
my French songs. He died a week later. The honor of
being invited to sing at these powerful moments in people's
lives was humbling and inspiring. Because Austin is the
"live music capitol of the world," I knew that there had to be
many other Austinites facing the end of their life who could no
longer go out into the community to hear their favorite
performers.
At the
same time my good friend, Gaea Logan, a gifted Austin
psychotherapist, was supporting a friend through his final
transition and was also feeling compelled to create a program
that made music more available to patients in hospice care. The
idea was born to create an organization to act as a liaison
between the healthcare community and the music community.
That initial project was called MusicAid and over the next
several years a number of concerts were organized and provided.
We discussed setting up the program as part of several regional
non-profits, although the timing was never quite right.
Gaea kept the idea alive while I went off and embraced other
life changes and challenges.
Fast forward
a few years to 1998.
I had begun singing in nursing homes and assisted living centers
and was reminded again how powerful music can be outside of the
typical "entertainment" venue. I wanted to recommit to the
concept and the name Swan Songs appeared out of nowhere,
complete with goose bumps! That first gathering I played in
1992 was for John Swann. I researched the swan and the
phrase "swan song", and I knew it was the right name.
(See Swan
Mythology)
Finally
in 2005 we dove in whole heartedly and created Swan Songs.
A supportive group of like minded individuals fell into place to
join the board, the corporate paperwork was completed and at the
end of 2005 we received our 501(c)(3) status from the IRS.
I am currently serving as Executive Director on a part time
basis; along with
Gaea and the other board members we are working diligently to
make Swan Songs a lasting and valuable part of the Austin
community. |
