Community Outreach

We are specialists in organizing and running Community Outreach Music Programs - COMPs for short. COMPs are universal. They allow anyone and everyone to enhance their lives through music. You don’t need to be musically experienced, a “good singer,” or read music.

COMPs - A Unique Approach to Music-Making

COMPs are special interactive musical outreaches in places like nursing homes, retirement communities, and hospitals. We sing older style popular songs such as “You Are My Sunshine” and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” which are familiar to residents and easy to sing.The emphasis is on interaction. We encourage everyone to join in with the singing and, where appropriate, with dancing too. This is not a performance in the usual sense. The focus is for volunteers to use their music to activate the music-making of the residents. Close-up contact such as holding hands is encouraged where appropriate.A unique feature of our COMPs is their universality. Anyone can benefit. To take part, you don’t need to be an experienced singer, sing in tune, or read music. The benefits of our outreaches are profound for both residents and volunteers. COMPs are a remarkably cost-effective way of bringing the benefits of interactive music-making into your community.In short, COMPs are a unique health modality. They are far more than just entertainment and yet are quite different from regular music therapy. They are based on the life-work and philosophy of John Diamond M.D. Dr. Diamond, best-selling author of over twenty books is the world’s leading authority on using music as a health modality. Our staff have all trained extensively with Dr. Diamond.Whom Do We Work With? We work with Community Music in three ways.(1) We run COMPs at health-care venues.(2) We train groups of volunteers to participate in COMPs. Typical groups:

(3) We train staff from your institution (eg nursing homes, schools) to run their own COMPs.

Recent Venues for COMPs Run by The IMH

  • The Fountains Retirement Community, Millbrook, NY
  • Green Briar Adult Center, Millbrook, NY
  • Brandywine Nursing home, Briarcliff Manor, NY
  • Hudson Haven Care Facility, Wappingers Falls, NY
  • The Manor at Woodside, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Admiral Halsey Senior Village, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Victory Lake Nursing Home, Hyde Park, NY
  • Office for the Aging, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • The Plaza, Carmel, NY

Recent Volunteers Trained by the IMH from:

  • Brendon Montessori School, Lagrangeville, NY
  • Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Drew United Methodist Church, Carmel, NY
  • Dutchess Associated Resource Center (ARC, DC), Dutchess County, NY
  • Hawk Meadow Montessori School, Lagrange, NY
  • Mill Street Loft, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • New Horizons Resources, Dutchess County, NY
  • The Poughkeepsie Children’s Home, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Putnam Associated Resource Center (PARC), Putnam County, NY
  • Putnam County Senior Citizen’s Association, Putnam County, NY
  • Putnam Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Holmes, NY
  • State University of New York (SUNY), New Paltz, NY
  • Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

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