Instrument Petting Zoo with the San Francisco Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony had their “Symphony Service Day” in June, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco was one of the lucky sites they came to volunteer at.  They brought an incredible flute player from the Symphony, Blair Francis Paponiu, and she performed Disney and classical music for our patients, families and staff on the Bone Marrow Transplant and Hematology/Oncology units.  What made this visit extra special, is that we also had an “Instrument Petting Zoo” in the playroom facilitated with the support of staff and musicians from the Symphony.

An "Instrument Petting Zoo" is an event where patients have the opportunity to have hands-on experience playing orchestral instruments with the support of a Symphony musician.  Our Instrument Petting Zoo had violins, small percussion instruments, a floor piano, and an autoharp for our patients, siblings, and caregivers to play.  This was definitely a memory that will last a lifetime and we are so fortunate to have the SF Symphony as our partner. 

Check out these photos from the event, I think their smiles say it all: