The sounds of the season are being heard in patient rooms following a holiday concert at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital on Saturday, Dec. 1 featuring the Texas Master Chorale and the hospital’s own Houston Methodist Willowbrook Healing Voices Choir.

 

“At Houston Methodist, we believe music is healing,” said Keith Barber, chief executive officer, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and senior vice president, Houston Methodist. “This concert has become a wonderful tradition that we look forward to all year long.”

 

The concert was broadcast live from the hospital’s Swadesh Khurana Healing Garden and was recorded to be rebroadcast, where it can be seen and heard in more than 300 patient rooms. This is the third annual concert at the hospital with the Texas Master Chorale, conducted by Brad Bouley, founder and artistic director, but this was the first time the hospital’s own choir joined in the performance.

 

“It’s a wonderful event because we engage with the community and with our patients. They get an opportunity to hear this amazing big choir. We pipe it into their rooms because most of the patients cannot attend,” said Chaplain Mike Tarvin, director of spiritual care and values integration at Houston Methodist Willowbrook. “The whole atmosphere is one of celebration and encouraging people.”

 

The Houston Methodist Willowbrook Healing Voices Choir has been in existence for a little more than a year. There are about 35 members in the choir, all Houston Methodist Willowbrook employees. The choir sings in the hospital lobby for patients and their families, as well as community events. It is directed by M.J. Gallop, project specialist for arts integration at the Houston Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine. Gallop also directs the Houston Methodist choir. He coordinates concerts and performances at Houston Methodist and its community hospitals throughout Houston.

 

The holiday concert was recorded and will play through New Year’s Day on one of the in-house channels at Houston Methodist Willowbrook. The hospital is a sponsor of the Texas Master Chorale.