British pianist plays classical music to soothe elephants at Thai sanctuary

For eight years, British classical pianist Paul Barton, 57, has played music for rescued #elephants to soothe their emotions.

The giant animals – mostly old, overworked and sometimes disabled – have been rehabilitated with music at Elephants World, a retirement sanctuary for the animals in West Thailand.

While listening to the classics like Bach and Beethoven, the elephants in turn sway to the rhythm, and sometimes even sing along.

The owner of the sanctuary, Samart Prasithpol, 44, said the music seemed to comfort the elephants.

The elephants are free to come up to the piano as they please, and sometimes, even wild monkeys join them as they listen to the song.

“Maybe some of these blind elephants get a little bit of comfort from hearing pieces of soothing classical music occasionally,” says Barton, who studied at London’s Royal Academy of Arts and has lived in Thailand for over 20 years.