It’s like bees to a honey jar. Once the soft swirling sounds of Michael Kowalski’s harp can be heard through the halls and waiting rooms at Henry Ford Macomb, patients, staff and visitors can’t help being drawn to the source. “It’s relaxing,” said Kowalski, a volunteer who hauls his harp to the hospital two days a week and performs a small concert for one and all, sometimes as often as five days a week depending on the retiree’s schedule.
“He generously shares his talents and lifts everyone’s spirits at the same time,” said Michelle Fusco, public relations manager for Henry Ford Macomb. Kowalski’s mother played the piano. So, it’s no surprise he would too.
But being a child of the 50s and 60s he was drawn to the music of his era and the wave of rock bands sweeping the country like The Doors, Rolling Stones and the Beatles prompted a desire to expand his musical repertoire. Be it an inherent gift or determination, by the age of 9 had taught himself to play the bass guitar as well as the mandolin and violin. Related Articles “Rock and roll was growing,” said Kowalski, who never saw the Beatles but was lucky enough to see Van Morrison at Cobo Hall.
“It was a big thing.” Then he picked up a tuba. It was more for the sake of the Orchard Lake St.
Mary’s High School band but his natural abilities made him an avid player and after getting married and receiving a used tuba as a gift (apparently his friends appreciated his talents, too) he restored the.