Volunteers have played for 1 million patients since 1999

Dante Ciolfi opens his guitar case in a courtyard at the Veterans Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Ciolfi prepares to play for patients in the hospice wing. He volunteers with Musicians On Call, a nonprofit that delivers live music to hospital patients nationwide. The organization was founded in 1999 and has performed for more than 1 million patients. Ciolfi teaches computer science to graduate students when he is not playing music. He is accompanied by Ellen Morris, a volunteer who trains musicians on hospital protocols. She guides the group from room to room. When they reach the hospice unit, Morris introduces Ciolfi to a patient. She asks for permission before the performance begins.

Lawrence Ludden, a 93-year-old Army veteran, agrees to listen. He sits in his room reading a newspaper. Ludden has four children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His room displays family photos, including images with Prince Harry, who visited the facility in August 2026. Ciolfi thanks Ludden for his service. He then sings "Desperado" by the Eagles. Ludden claps when the song ends. He shares that he played piano and sang in light operas as a boy. Morris notes that she had not known that detail about his life.

The volunteers move to the next room. Ciolfi plays for John Fay, a Marine veteran who is non-verbal. Fay taps his heart as he listens. Nicolette Rubin, the music therapist at the VA Medical Center, observes the reaction. She states that the gesture signals Fay felt the music in his body and heart. Rubin describes music as a restorative treatment that helps patients cope with trauma. Ciolfi says he tries to establish a mental conduit to allow energy to flow between him and the patient. He avoids reading medical charts to stay focused on the music.

The group visits Sidney Nichols, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Nichols served as a pararescue specialist for four years in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. He lies in bed with his eyes half-closed. He whispers yes when Morris asks if he wants to listen. Ciolfi sings "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison. Nichols taps his leg and mouths the lyrics. Morris notes that he is singing along. Nichols responds that he likes the song. An editor's note states that Nichols died after the reporting on this story was completed. Ciolfi says his immigrant parents from Italy taught him to value his citizenship. He views his volunteer work as a way to thank the veterans who protect those freedoms. Volunteer musicians typically visit hospitals three to four times per month.