BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, and West Music recently donated 200 recorders to New York City's Beth Israel Medical Center's Music & Health Clinic, part of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine.

Stephan Quentzal, MD, Medical Director and Joanne Loewy, DA, MT-BC, Director.

Jazz legend Frank Wess, performing arts advocate and philanthropist Sherry Bronfman and former music therapy patient and pianist/composer Kevin Robinson were honored at the September grand opening celebration, which also featured a live jazz performance by Jon Faddis, and music from the Broadway cast of Rent.

The clinic has a two-fold mission: to provide cutting-edge health care to musicians and performing artists using music as part of the treatment; and to research the therapeutic effects of music therapy on children and teens with asthma and adults with chronic pulmonary disease and/or heart disease, with the aim of improving their quality of life.

The new clinic expands upon Beth Israel's Louis and Lucille Armstrong Music Therapy Program, a program that has served infants, children, adults and their families for the past 11 years.

"With scientific support for music therapy as a viable form of treatment, providing our recorders in an effort to advance therapy for those with chronic pulmonary disorders is part of Yamaha's overall wellness mission," states Roger Eaton, Director of Marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division.

The donated recorders will provide therapeutic benefits to patients with pulmonary and heart diseases.

The Yamaha recorders are being used in a music therapy program for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease, as well as in music therapy for children and teenagers with asthma. The COPD program initiated research which investigates the effects of music therapy (wind playing, singing and music assisted relaxation and imagery) combined with traditional medical care to manage symptoms. An asthma research team comprised of music therapists and physicians is researching the effects of music therapy and wind playing on these patients. The unique, creative approach may help sufferers understand how to breathe optimally and maintain control over their symptoms. In addition, the clinic specializes in the treatment of overuse, pain, depression, chronic fatigue and other ailments unique to musicians and performing artists.

"Through published research, innovative clinical music therapy services and generous support, our team has played a major role in advancing the field of music therapy in health care,” says director Joanne Loewy, DA, MT-BC.

The clinic is made possible by a generous gift from the David B. Kriser Foundation and through the estate of John H. Slade, directed to Beth Israel from hospital trustee Richard Netter with additional support from the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation.

Yamaha's support of the Music & Health Clinic is only the latest in their music and wellness effort. The company recently launched the Clavinova Connection, an innovative keyboard-based music-making program scientifically proven to provide wellness benefits, including stress reduction.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/band.