Volunteer Musicians Perform for Veterans in Washington Hospital

In the courtyard of the Veterans Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Dante Ciolfi unzips his guitar case to prepare for a bedside performance. He is a volunteer with Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization that delivers live music to hospitalized patients across the United States, both in person and virtually. The group operates under the motto of delivering the healing power of music.

Ciolfi meets with Ellen Morris, a fellow volunteer who guides musicians through hospital protocols and patient introductions. They proceed to the hospice unit, where Morris knocks on the door of 93-year-old Army veteran Lawrence Ludden. Ludden, who is reading the newspaper, agrees to listen. Ciolfi thanks the veteran for his service and begins playing the Eagles song Desperado.

Ludden’s room contains family photographs, including images with Prince Harry from a visit this past August. After the performance, Ludden shares his own musical history, noting that he played piano and sang in light operas as a boy. Morris, the music therapist in charge of the program, observes that the interaction reveals a personal connection beyond the clinical setting.

The volunteers continue their rounds, moving to the next patient, Marine veteran John Fay. Fay is non-verbal and lies in bed, but he taps his heart as Ciolfi plays. Nicolette Rubin, a music therapist at the facility, explains that this physical response indicates the veteran felt the music. Rubin states that music serves as a restorative treatment, helping patients cope with physical and emotional trauma.

The team then visits U.S. Air Force veteran Sidney Nichols, a pararescue specialist who served in Southeast Asia. Although Nichols is resting with his eyes half-closed, he perks up when Ciolfi sings Van Morrison’s Crazy Love. Nichols taps his leg and mouths the lyrics, confirming to Morris that he recognizes the song. Nichols, who has since passed away, was a frequent recipient of these visits.

Ciolfi approaches each performance without reviewing the patient’s medical chart. He states that he intentionally avoids reading the records to remain focused on the music. This approach allows him to establish what he calls a mental conduit, allowing energy to flow between the musician and the listener, even with those who cannot speak.

Musicians On Call was founded in 1999 and has performed for more than one million patients nationwide. Volunteers typically visit hospitals three to four times per month. Ciolfi, who teaches computer science to graduate students, views the role as a way to honor the freedoms protected by veterans. His parents, immigrants from Italy, emphasized the value of U.S. citizenship, a sentiment he aims to express through these brief musical moments.