Bringing the Orchestra into Area Homes through Baby Ears Project

OSU board members Allen Butt, Laura Lee, Laurel Dodgion, June Thorley, Xun Sun and Harold Shirley (far right) accept the Baby Ears sponsorship check from Dr. Robert Dowse (second from right).

Orchestra Project is Music to Baby’s Ears

            The Orchestra of Southern Utah’s “Baby Ears Project” at Valley View Medical Center continues, thanks to the sponsorship of Dr. Rob Dowse and Premier Pediatrics in Cedar City.

            The Baby Ears project was created to bring music to children at an early age, during those important years of cognitive development. “We love music in our home,” stated Cedar City mom Jennilyn Rock.    “It helps their creativity, confidence, and expression of self.”

            Research indicates that music, especially classical music, can affect the way an infant develops.  Music is one of the few activities that engage both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. It helps the brain more easily organize input.  It can reduce stress, decrease heart rate, and increase oxygen saturation in preterm infants.  Music also teaches children to how recognize emotion in sound and become of the emotions of those around them.

            Music in general also helps families as a whole. “My kids and I listen to all kinds from children's, to classical, to the Beatles, and much more. It has become a great way for us to come together as a family,” commented Rock.  “I look forward to taking them to more local concerts in the future and hope they will want to eventually participate.” 

The “Baby Ears Project” began in 2009.  Since the project’s birth, more than 3495 CDs have been presented to parents and their babies at Valley View Medical Center in Cedar City.  The orchestra musicians also want to encourage children to learn to play instruments.

The Orchestra of Southern Utah is pleased to provide Baby Ears CDs to the mothers at Valley View Medical Center and would like to thank Dr. Robert Dowse and Premier Pediatrics for their continued support of the Baby Ears Project.  For more information on the Baby Ears Project, please visit www.orchestraofsouthernutah.org.

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 (article by Laurel Dodgion, OSU Publicity Director)