By Nick Buglione
³Both my parents were musicians,² pianists to be exact, said the 47-year-old, who today resides in East Meadow. ³My dad toured all over the USSR and East Europe, and my mom taught music. I think it was right choice for me.²
But for a man who studied classical piano at the renowned Moscow Conservatory, Kaplan has found a rather curious way of following in his parents¹ footsteps.
In the last year he has carved out a niche working as a music therapist at the Marcus Garvey Nursing Home, using music to help ease residents¹ physical pain and connect them with their forgotten past.
With many of the senior residents suffering from Alzheimer¹s disease, Kaplan proves how music can serve as a powerful reminder, even if it must be a bit unusual for the predominantly African American and Caribbean American audience to hear ³Oh, Susannah² belted in a thick Russian accent.
³I like it because it was a new feel for me,² said Kaplan, who plays mostly gospel music and spirituals at Marcus Garvey, two genres of music with which he had no previous experience.
Though, as an artist, Kaplan has always tried to embrace all kinds of music. Living under a terribly restrictive communist regime, Kaplan and his family had long sought to move to a more open society and applied for a visa in 1979.
³We didn¹t have any freedom over there, everything was limited,² Kaplan said. ³We weren¹t able to travel overseas.²
Having read about the United States as a youngster and listened to the Voice of America and BBC over short-wave radio, Kaplan always wanted to become an American.
But with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, tensions with the U.S. heightened and Kaplan¹s visa request was denied.
Finding work as a musician in Moscow wasn¹t easy, and he would often play with Russian folk singers and perform as a soloist.
Things changed for the better in the Soviet Union during the 1980s, as Mikhail Gorbachev¹s policy of perestroika started to pave the way for the eventual collapse of totalitarian rule.
Kaplan¹s American dream would be realized in 1990, when he, wife Irene and newborn son Philip moved to New York City. ³It was pretty much tough, but it was easier than generations ago,² said Kaplan, on emigrating, adding that he and his young family received assistance from the Hebrew Immigration Society and other organizations.
Determined to remain a musician, Kaplan got jobs playing piano in ballet schools and dance classes. He also taught private piano lessons and landed gigs in restaurants.
³I wanted to stay in music, and I wanted to do a little bit more than ballet classes,² said Kaplan, whose musical interests range from classical to jazz to contemporary.
Landing what¹s so far turned out to be a dream job at the Marcus Garvey Nursing Home about a year ago, Kaplan and his family recently moved to East Meadow from Queens.
Aside from his music therapy sessions, Kaplan plans other recreational activities at the home, though he said he tries to incorporate music as much as he can. The staff at Marcus Garvey agrees Kaplan¹s work is a vital part of the therapy residents receive.
³I think it¹s extremely valuable,² said the Rev. Kirton Lashley, executive coordinator. ³He is able to reach areas of therapy we would not be able to reach. When you come to a music event, you will see people who don¹t usually move their limbs twirling their thumbs, clapping their hands, and tapping their feet.²
Comments about this story? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
