This past week, we released VOCALISE, a short film telling the story of John McArthur’s journey as an Alzheimer’s caregiver and how Rachmaninoff’s beloved Vocalise accompanied him on that journey.
Throughout the film is a recording of John playing Earl Wild’s transcription of Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise in his home, on his own piano.
In the very early days of his caregiving, when he was still able to connect with an audience from time to time in a concert setting, he once performed a program in New York with 3 sections, each introduced by a full - and slightly different - performance of this piece.
In hindsight, it seems as though this repeat engagement was a necessary and somewhat unwelcome acknowledgement of the truths of the changes overtaking his life. Those truths couldn't all be encountered or honored or shared in one playing of the piece.
That night, it took 3 times to knock on and open that door more fully. And, I remember that, in doing so, it named and knocked on doors in members of the audience as well.
The brilliant artist and stage designer Es Devlin says that “An audience is a temporary society.” Music is a conduit and connector in that temporary society, helping us share unspoken understandings across the moments we are together, as artists and audience members.
At the end of John’s caregiving journey, as we began to consider what might come next, it became clear that we had to tell and share this story.
According to the the Alzheimer’s Association, there are over 11 Million Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers in the United States alone.
And, beyond Alzheimer’s and dementia, there are 53 million adults in the US who are caregivers for spouses, aging parents and relatives, or a child with special needs.
John’s story is both very unique… and very not unique, as there is a quiet community of caregivers surrounding us always.
Already, in the very early days of our releasing The HIDDEN Project, we’ve heard from from some currently on a caregiving journey and from some still processing their past caregiving journey. We’ve heard about the love, challenges, certainties, and misunderstandings surrounding this path.
We made this film for you.
One of the most beautiful and hopeful aspects of John’s story is his learning about the ways melody and sound could continue to provide a path of ongoing connection with his mother as her Alzheimer’s advanced. We’re inspired by the growing research on music’s power to help people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
At the end of VOCALISE, John shares some words of encouragement for caregivers who are just starting or are years into this journey.
And, at the end of the film, with the kind permission of the Alzheimer’s Association, we’ve included their 24/7 Helpline — that ANY Alzheimer's caregiver can call — as well as a web address for their Caregiver Resources.
If you know someone who may be encouraged by this film, please consider sharing it with them.
Our deep thanks to John Decker and John Hansen for their kind commitment to helping us tell this story, to the Alzheimer’s Association for allowing us to include their information, and to Michael Rolland Davis for his kind permission to include Earl Wild’s Transcription of Vocalise in this film as, in Earl’s last years, Michael was his devoted caregiver.
You can watch VOCALISE on The HIDDEN Project page or on YouTube.
Thank you for sharing time with us.
Peter Field
Skylight Arts