This is the In-Person registration option for this lecture. 

In partnership with the Upper Valley Walk to End Alzheimer's, Osher at Dartmouth is offering this special lecture! Discover the powerful role music can play in the lives of people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. This presentation explores how music can help access memories, reduce anxiety, improve communication, and foster meaningful moments of connection. We'll also discuss practical ways caregivers can use music to support their loved ones while caring for their own well-being. Whether you're a family caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply interested in the healing power of music, you'll leave with a deeper understanding of how music can bring comfort, joy, and connection throughout the dementia journey.

Allison W. Pollard, MT-BC, is a classically trained soprano, music educator, and board-certified music therapist. A native of the Upper Valley, she studied voice and music education at Miami University (Ohio) and performed with professional choirs throughout the Cincinnati area, including solo appearances in oratorio works and operatic and musical theatre productions such as Leonard Bernstein’s MASS with the Cincinnati May Festival. She also served as Director of the Children’s Chorus with Opera North, where she led young singers in mainstage productions of Carmen and The Little Prince.

Allison holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Music Therapy from Lesley University. She has taught music both in the United States and abroad, including teaching English through the arts in Italy, and spent five years teaching in public schools as an elementary music educator. She now teaches at the Upper Valley Music Center and, newly board-certified in music therapy, is excited to share her love of music through both performance and therapeutic practice in her home community.