Duncan Blackman has been volunteering his time playing the cello at numerous seniors homes and care facilities around Moose Jaw since 2010, and he isn’t letting the coronavirus restrictions stop him from sharing his music with his audience.
Usually, Blackman visits about 10 different care facilities each month with his cello and preforms for the residents, most of whom join him month after month.
He appears at Moose Jaw Extendicare, Providence Place, and Chez Nous in the city, and he also takes trips out to rural facilities in Central Butte, Craik, and Davidson.
But due to the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s unwavering restrictions on visitors because of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the province, Blackman isn’t able to make his usual appearances this month.
“I was so disappointed that this COVID virus shut things down,” said Blackman, who had a lineup of Irish tunes ready for March and at least one resident of Irish descent greatly looking forward to hearing them.
Instead, Blackman has recorded himself playing what would have been his March lineup of music and shared the videos on YouTube, sending links to the care homes he cannot visit personally this month.
He was concerned about the residents he regularly visits with his cello, especially as care homes have had to cancel many other entertainers and activities to be in line with provincial mandates, leaving residents of many care homes more isolated than ever right now.
Blackman’s videos are his way of alleviating that isolation at least a little bit, and they’re just a taste of the musical repertoire he brings with him when he is able to perform in person.
He finds that when he plays for a crowd of residents, they always find a connection with an upbeat tune or recognize a song that’s attached to a personal memory.
“I try to bring back songs that will bring good memories for the residents,” said Blackman. “As the brain starts ticking away, some people even start joining in with melodies that they once heard.”
His musical repertoire includes over 600 songs, ranging from Scottish and Irish tunes, to classic crooners like Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra, to the Beatles.
“Usually I get a blank stare for [the Beatles] because the memories that they associate with are the ones of their teenage and young adult years,” chuckled Blackman.
Of course, offering recordings of music isn’t quite the same as playing live and engaging with residents — who more often than not have requests for certain songs.
But Blackman hopes that his videos might be able to provide a smile or two to his usual audience, residents and staff alike, during a tough time like this one.
“I find that for that moment [when I’m playing], I can bring a little bit of joy into different people's lives,” said Blackman.
Blackman’s videos are available on his YouTube channel, which can be found here.
