My Story

Everyone has a different bond to music. My true connection with music started when I was 8 years old. I was bitten by a mosquito and developed a severe brain infection called encephalitis that put me in a coma. When I came out of my coma, I completely lost my memory including remembering my family members. The only thing that I was able to remember was music. Listening and playing music became crucial for my brain rehabilitation.

During my recovery, my neurologists emphasized to my parents the need for constant brain stimulation to build new neural pathways. They specifically recommended listening and playing music as one of the most effective routes in accomplishing this. Although I don't remember anything prior to my infection, I am grateful that my exposure to music helped stimulate my brain so that I can now make new memories. I was fortunate enough to have the resources available for me to recover. I feel it is my duty and privilege to provide some kind of support to others who are dealing with similar issues with their memory.

In 9th grade, I began visiting our local nursing homes in Santa Monica, playing my saxophone and singing. It has been very rewarding for me to experience the enjoyment in the residents. As I continued to expand to more nursing homes, I invited my friends to attend. Eventually, I created a club at my high school, called Music for the Mind, to offer this opportunity to more musicians.

Due to coronavirus, I moved my platform online, creating a youtube channel with videos of musicians playing. The feedback from the nursing homes has been very positive. This online platform has given me the opportunity to expand our service to more nursing homes and high schools outside of Santa Monica.