Pianist performs classical music at sanctuary for ailing elephants

They may not be able to see Paul Barton, but they can hear his music, and the notes he plays are bringing them comfort.

Barton is a classical pianist, and he's been setting up his piano at the Elephants World sanctuary in Thailand. The sanctuary is home to older, ailing elephants, with many having lost their sight. When Barton and his wife first visited, he asked permission to play music for the elephants, which was granted. On his YouTube channel, Barton shared that the first piece he played was by Beethoven, and a blind elephant stopped what he was doing, turning his full attention to the music.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.