Addie dancing (Provided photo)

I attended an awesomely inspiring piano concert recently by Ben Cosgrove at the Essex Quarry. As incredible music goes it had the reach of a powerful spirit that touches ones soul and body. The energy running through me was altered in remarkable ways when I listened to that music as it twisted my heart. Although I never need reminded of the power of sound my response to his music did remind me of how my animals have all lived in a home with music and how they responded to it. Music that calmed them, music that helped the passing of one, music that had their little doggie feet dancing with mine. Music is good for all living creatures.

I had a dog who howled whenever I played Bob Dylan’s music. Pretty sure it was only during those songs when Dylan played his harmonica which seemed to disturb Laddie’s sensibilities. He let me know he didn’t like it in a big way, so I turned it off.

My entire life has been one that was influenced by the gift of music. Every day, life filled with the music from the vinyl’s spinning around on the turntable. Everyone in my family played the piano, but it was my father who was the master pianist. He’d return home from work every day and headed right to the piano and played his heart out. No doubt a release for him but an absolute joy for those of us listening. There was always a pre- dinner concert … every night.

All my animals have experienced music in one form or another. As an artist, music is my muse and is always playing in my studio helping to persuade every creative inspiration out of me. From Paul Horn to Ludovico Einaudi to Joe Bonamassa. My animals hear it all. When I’m down in my studio and turn the music on my golden retriever Addie knows it’s a sign that I’m hanging around for a while so she’ll settle down with the intention of staying by my side for the remainder of my creative time. Whenever I sat down to play the piano, my cat Willow would show up and sit on the piano bench next to me and listen. You could see her listening as if she was being transported to another dimension. She is one of the few living creatures I was comfortably able to play the piano for.

When my Aussi Laddie was dying and I was doing doggie hospice, never leaving his side for those three final days, I played Reiki music by Deuter.

Arlo singing (Provided photo)

Besides having gentle calming energy as he died it was also healing for me as I sat with him, as he died. Of course, now whenever I hear that particular music, I’m transported to those final hours with Laddie. Music has power that way.

Recently our latest rescue, Poppy, has been going to Difficult Dog School in Saranac Lake. I’m pretty sure every time she gets in the car she is afraid I’m taking her away, to someone else leaving her behind, so she gets nervous and becomes sick and drools. Returning home from one of those classes, I decided to play the Van Morrison CD that was cued up and searched for one of his soothing instrumental tunes. It was magic and calmed Poppy right down to the point she fell asleep. I continued to play that same song over and over again until we returned home, when Poppy woke up and ran into the house realizing she wasn’t being given away and rejoiced by jumping on the bed and flopping on her back with complete glee as if to exclaim “I’m Home!” Thank you, Van Morrison.

It’s often been suggested that music be played in animal shelters to calm the dogs. Specifically classical music. Honestly, there is a lot of bad classical music that is either too fast or too jittery and just not good, so whatever music is played in shelters, it should most definitely be programed by a doggie DJ who will play beautiful calming music. It’s a great idea, but it’s got to be the right music. You know how painful it is listening to music you don’t like? I suspect it’s the same for the animals.

As I am writing this, I have my headphones on listening to some of Ben Cosgrove’s beautiful music. Poppy, my little difficult dog rescue, has her head pressed up next to mine as if she too is able to hear the music and loving it. The song playing now is called “Volcano” which aptly describes my little girl dog on a bad day, but now it simply elicits a deep breath, with eyes closed, and transports both of us to a magical, peaceful place. Music is good.