Patrick Zulinov has seen the impact of music therapy up close.

“Whether it’s a kid in the burn ward who just needs something uplifting or it’s seniors who could be suffering from Alzheimer’s, it works,” he said.

He also recalled observing a spinal-injury patient at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre who resisted treatment but “beat the hell out of some drums to get his anger out. Through that, the music therapist worked with him to get his rhythm and motion going, and it was amazing to see what they did. Little kids who are afraid of their treatments, they don’t want to work with a physiotherapist, but put a drum or xylophone in front of them and they’re all into it.”

The local-music-industry vet has been involved from its inception with the Music Therapy Ride, which hits the road for its 14th year on Saturday (August 29). This year, the motorcycle convoy welcomes Shaun Verrault and country artists High Valley as it makes its way from Vancouver to an annual auction in Whistler. You’re invited too.

The MTR has raised over $750,000 since 2002, with funds going to a variety of music-therapy programs as well as its famed “bandwagons” (three mobile studios, one of which resides at B.C. Children’s Hospital).

But, as Zulinov noted, music therapy receives no government funding, and needs community help. “I don’t know how to say it delicately, but there’s no money to be made through pharmaceuticals or anything like that,” he said.

For more information, including registration, visit the Music Therapy website.