Founded in Austin in 2005, Swan Songs is dedicated to using music to bring joy and comfort to individuals with a terminal illness or near the end of their lives.

The nonprofit organization hopes to provide meaningful experiences by organizing “musical last wishes” concerts.

The history

In the early ‘90s, Swan Songs CEO and Founder Christine Albert had an experience that inspired her to organize private musical performances for individuals near death.

Albert, a lifelong musician, was asked to play an intimate home concert for a 40-year-old man who had suffered a brain aneurysm and was in terminal condition. Albert said the man’s wife called her and requested the concert.

She said the couple used to watch her perform at Waterloo Ice House on Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard, until they stopped showing up.

Albert and her musical trio played to a house full of the couple’s family and friends.

“There's something about music that speaks to emotions without you having to say it yourself or verbalize that,” Albert said.Years later, Albert, along with her co-founder, Gaea Logan, and the founding board members, formed the nonprofit organization named after swans, which often symbolize grace and transformation, and the man for whom Albert played the first concert, John Swann.

The impact

Individuals’ loved ones and caregivers can request any style of music, song or instrument for their private concert, which is often played in health care facilities or private homes.

They have had requests for all types of music, from mariachi to Japanese music to harp playing to requests for specific local musicians.

A concert’s impact is multidimensional. Albert said there have been Swan Song concerts where a recipient has died during a performance or a few hours after the musicians leave. The environment could be a big celebration or a more somber event.She said every concert is a moving experience, regardless of the music played.

“I think the music allows sort of a release to just unwind... unwinding of the spirit,” Albert said. “What I think the music does is connects you with your real essence. Because the music that you listened to when you were coming of age, or a child, or a young adult, it just takes you to that place.”

Every concert is attended by a Swan Songs concert liaison, either a staff member or volunteer, to ensure the recipient and family are comfortable and to coordinate details with the musicians.“It's easy [for musicians] to get in your head about... the ambition of it all...” Albert said. “One Swan Songs concert — and I've had a lot of musicians tell me this — all of a sudden, you're like, ‘Oh, that's right. That's why I started making music, because of this feeling, because of the power of what it does. I remember now how powerful this gift is.’”

Also of note

Albert said Swan Songs did almost 50 concerts throughout Austin in April. The organization’s mission is carried on through its other programs, Gift of Song and Swan Songs Writing Sessions, and its growing affiliate in Portland, Oregon.

Gift of Song gives families the opportunity to work with Texas songwriter and founder of PortraitSongs, George Ensle, to write a song based on their loved ones’ life stories.

The Swan Songs Writing Sessions program is a collaboration with songwriter and artist Darden Smith in which he writes a song with the individual who is near the end of their life.

As Swan Songs continues to grow and evolve, Albert said its experiences are available to anyone.

“A lot of the songs suddenly, when you're doing one of these concerts, love songs become really big,” Albert said. “They become love songs to life, or they become the words that you're trying to say to your loved one that you're losing. It's very profound, and the music [serves] them in that way.”

• 2101 S. I-35 frontage road, Ste. 219, Austin
• www.swansongs.org