ASU Mirabella Retirement Community includes music program for graduate students

ASU’s Mirabella Retirement Community in Tempe includes a “musicians in residence” program, in which graduate-students from the ASU Music School get free room and board at Mirabella in exchange for music performances for and with residents. Abby Sherrill is among the students taking part in the program.

Mirabella is a new senior living retirement community in Tempe and lies on the corner of the ASU campus.

“Some aren’t retired but most are retired but they also have the opportunity to be really involved in all of the activities on the campus as well, so it’s a really interesting idea that they have,” Sherrill said.

Sherrill is one of the four musicians in the department selected for the program. These students live in Mirabella and in exchange for living rent free the students provide music for the building.

“Usually that is about two performances a week, maybe something community engagement wise like piano lessons or there’s a choir we also perform there as well,” Sherrill said.

Sherrill is a music therapist in the graduates program at ASU who plays the guitar.

“I play in the lobby a lot, I play and sing for the residents but I’ve been collaborating with one of the gentlemen who plays guitar this afternoon we’re actually going to play some songs together for the resident Christmas concert,” Sherrill said.

Another student teaches piano lessons weekly and Sherrill offers some tips for the gentleman she collaborates with routinely.

“I see it as a really cool opportunity for the future to have a full blown music therapy program at Mirabella, right now we are still in the learning stages and in the developmental stages so things are a little more simple,” Sherrill said.