Music and Memory: The Accidental Creation of a 92-year-old Social Media Sensation

Dr. Randi Lebar will present an inspirational talk about the wild ride she has taken with her mother, pianist Elaine Lebar (born in 1928) who went viral on TikTok in 2020 while living in a memory care unit in Buzzards Bay. Specifically focusing on the magic and power of music in dementia, the talk features many videos of Elaine, and also includes lessons Randi learned along the way about finding meaning and joy in their relationship, in spite of her mother’s mental decline. The presentation is sure to entertain a wide audience, and it will be especially educational and hopeful for those dealing with a loved one in any stage of cognitive decline.

Elaine Lebar began playing piano at the age of 3. She graduated from the High School of Music and Art in NYC, received a bachelor’s in music from Brooklyn College and a master’s in music education from the University of Missouri. She was an accomplished performer, accompanist, educator and composer. While living with dementia, Lebar became a TikTok star with over 250,000 followers, and was featured in both local and national news media.

Randi Lebar graduated from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences in 1978 with a bachelor’s in Chemistry and went on to receive a master’s in 1982 from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She then served for 11 years in the United States Navy, completing her Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Naval Hospital Oakland. After serving as an orthopaedic surgeon in Okinawa, Japan, Dr. Lebar left the Navy and moved to Maine where she continued her orthopaedic practice. Now retired from medicine, Lebar lives in Sagamore where she knits, crafts, gardens and pursues her passion for all forms of dance.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library.