When I first dreamed of starting a Children's Choir, I wasn’t sure if it would even happen.
Back in October 2023, I nervously asked Ms. Teresa Murphy, now Dr. Murphy, about starting a children’s choir. She looked at me with surprise and said, “Matthew, oh my goodness, I just found out Loyola didn’t have a choir, and I’m planning to start one!”
With her support and the mentorship of Ms. Kendra Krause, Loyola Choir was born. Just a week later, we held our first rehearsal. Soon after that, we were stepping into nursing homes and living facilities, carrying songs into places often marked by silence and struggle. That was also the moment Harmony Health Outreach came to life.
Our first performances took place at Desert Vista Living Facility, which serves individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive conditions. I loved watching my students sing with joy, but I also wanted them to experience something deeper: serving communities that looked like them, communities that reflected their roots. After weeks of searching, I finally connected with a modest care home tucked into one of Phoenix’s underserved neighborhoods. I didn’t know what we’d find, but what we discovered was a blessing.
The home was staffed by caregivers whose warmth and stories felt familiar to my students. In this moment, they were serving in a place where the faces, voices, and struggles felt closer to their own communities. And the residents? They carried both heavy burdens and radiant dignity. Some were blind, others suffered from dementia, but all welcomed us with warmth.
One woman, Alice, had a birthday that day. At first, we sang “Happy Birthday” without knowing her name. When someone suggested we pause to ask, we did, and then sang again, this time calling out “Happy Birthday, dear Alice.” Her smile transformed the room.
Then there was Mr. Dan Hatkins, well into his eighties, who asked if we would sing Amazing Grace. Before we began, he told us the story of the hymn’s origin. The boys sat quietly, reverent, soaking in his words. When we sang together, Dan joined in; every lyric came back to him. Watching his memory ignite and his spirit lift in that moment revealed something I’ll never forget: music reaches where words cannot.
Even a blind resident reached out to grasp one of our singers’ hands, listening with full attention. His quiet “thank you” said more than any applause could.
These moments are why Loyola Choir exists. The purpose has always been simple: immerse young men in the art of singing, teach them the joy of discipline, and reveal the power of service. Science confirms what we witnessed firsthand: music stimulates memory and emotion in ways disease cannot touch. Choirs like ours don’t just perform; they heal.
Harmony Health Outreach and Loyola Choir were built on the belief that music stitches people together: young boys discovering discipline and joy, nursing home residents rediscovering memory and laughter, and families reminded of their dignity. That belief still guides us.
Music still heals. And sometimes, before the song even begins, it starts with something simple: showing up, standing tall, and knowing you belong.