A Day in the Life of a Music Assistant: Meet Leslie Bauman

Leslie Bauman spent 30 years teaching K-12 music, first in Metlakatla and then in Valdez, Alaska. "I always wanted to go to Alaska and I ended up staying. I met my husband Kyle in Valdez," she explains.

She retired from teaching in 2022. In 2024, she and Kyle moved to Pelican Rapids to take over his family's farm.

Leslie was a bit lost after both retiring and moving. In Valdez, everyone knew her as Mrs. Bauman, the music teacher. She would be greeted in the grocery store sometimes by two generations of former students.

In Pelican Rapids, nobody knew her or that she'd been a music teacher. She wondered what was next.

"I really struggled to find my purpose, and felt like I had lost my identity as a music teacher so I decided to create a one-woman music show called Solo Sock-Hop with Leslie. I wear a poodle skirt and play 50s and 60s music. I perform at nursing homes in Pelican Rapids and neighboring communities including Perham Living. It felt good to volunteer, and be of service to my community," she says.

After one of her performances at Perham Living, she was told about an opening for a music assistant. She's been working at Perham Living since January.

What's a typical day like for a music assistant?

Leslie offers a variety of music opportunities to the residents. She provides one-on-one music and group activities like choir, sing-alongs, and watching musicals. She also provides music for special events like Veterans Day, and music for families in hospice. On the third Monday of the month, there is a jam session with local musicians and residents.

"I'm here Wednesdays and Thursdays all day, one Saturday a month, and the third Monday for the jam session. It's just a handful of days, but it's awesome, and I absolutely love it," she says with a smile.

For Leslie, a typical day has her playing background music at breakfast and lunch in one of the households. Then, she might start a sing-along or go room to room to offer one-on-one music. If staff know that somebody had a rough morning or needs a little extra attention, she'll go in their room and sing with them.

"I rotate through the households offering a variety of musical activities. I have a choir that meets on Wednesdays with around 15 members. We're really excited because at Christmastime, we're partnering with the memory choir of Elevating Voices from the Elevate program," she says.

"During group sessions, we sing and sometimes we bring out maracas, bells, and boomwhackers for them to play. We also do movement activities with scarves and ribbons."

Best part of her job

She loves when residents teach her a song from their childhood. She can't always find sheet music for these songs, so she relies on the residents to tell her their version.

"One of the residents sang a song I wasn't familiar with so I wrote down the words. Then I sang it to another resident who remembered another verse so she taught it to me. When I brought it back to the first resident, she was like, "Oh yeah, that's how it goes."

She does duets with some people, and bonds with the veterans over patriotic music.

She also likes to help residents play instruments. "I have a resident who played piano, but due to some physical constraints he was having a hard time reaching the piano. I brought a keyboard into his room, turned the keyboard around so it was facing him, and put it on my knees so it was lower. I like to make adaptations so that our residents can be successful," she comments.

She finds it amazing to watch what some residents do with music. "Their eyes are closed, and it doesn't seem like they're paying attention, but when I start singing, I see them mouthing all of the correct words. They might not be making a sound, but you can tell the music is bringing back memories," describes Leslie.

One special moment for Leslie was a woman in hospice whose family had gathered around her. "When I started singing one of her favorite songs, she mouthed every word. Her kids were so excited saying, "She's mouthing the words," remembers Leslie.

What makes her job hard?

When a resident passes away, that can be sad.

"Saying goodbye is hard. I've been here since January and I've lost a handful of residents, but I see their picture, and I smile knowing that I made an impact while they were here," says Leslie. "One of the things I love about Perham Living is that when a resident passes away, the door doesn't shut to the family. I've seen family members come in after their loved one has passed and be welcomed with open arms. They get a big hug and are told 'We've missed you. We're so glad you're here.' This facility is so family driven."

What does she like about working for Perham Living?

She loves the short work week and the flexibility.

"These two days a week make me feel like I'm back to being Mrs. Bauman, and when I need to travel, I can. This job has made retirement amazing for me," Leslie says.

What advice does she have for someone interested in being a music assistant?

"There's lots of different ways to either work or volunteer at Perham Living. If you love to read, there is a book club. There are art classes and music. If there's somebody who loves to play the piano, we can always use an accompanist," she says.

"My advice is to come in and share your talent. The residents will smile and will be so appreciative of whatever you have to offer. They love when there is a new face, and somebody to communicate and share their stories with. You'll be rewarded.," says Leslie.

As for Leslie, she's found her sense of purpose. "It's given me a feeling of purpose and a great feeling knowing that I'm serving others through my music. This is what I'm supposed to be doing."