Purdue grad and Miss Indiana contestant returns to Riley to play piano, just like she did a decade ago when her brother was a patient.
By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org
As her fingers fly over the keys of the baby grand piano in the lobby of Riley Hospital for Children, Saylor Lancaster can be forgiven if her mind travels back in time with the soothing melody.
It was 10 years ago when she first played piano at Riley, but she was just a little girl visiting her very sick brother, then a patient at Riley. The piano on the oncology unit was a source of comfort for her and those around her.
Lancaster, the daughter and granddaughter of piano teachers, started playing at the age of 4 and is classically trained. Now 21, she jokes that she might have peaked at the tender age of 9 when she played on perhaps the biggest stage in the nation – Carnegie Hall in New York City.
And that was her second appearance.
There is a lot to know about Lancaster, who began volunteering weekly as a pianist during the lunch hour at Riley a year ago. Raised on her family’s farm in Columbus, where she was active in 4-H for many years, she graduated from Purdue University in three years with a degree in agribusiness and just completed a master’s degree in marketing.
She never really considered making music her career but still loves to play. For her, it’s less about performance and more about being an instrument of peace and connection.
It’s her way to give back for the care her brother received more than a decade ago. He has been in remission for nearly 10 years. Lancaster and her two brothers are triplets. All grew up playing piano and competing over the years.
Her two appearances in recitals at Carnegie Hall were the result of her third-place finishes in world competitions at ages 7 and 9.
Back then, she said, she was too young to be nervous, not really appreciating the significance of her achievement. Playing for patients, families and team members at Riley now, even if it is background music, is meaningful in an entirely different way, she said.
‘Just like when I played here with my brothers, it’s touching to see how impactful it can be for people,” Lancaster said. “I see people having a connection in the moment to the music, even if it’s just a few notes they hear in passing, and that means a lot to me.”
That connection plays out time and time again as Lancaster digs deep in her trove of sheet music for a lovely classical piece or a little ragtime when she wants to switch up the mood. People can’t help but turn their heads to take in the sounds of music wafting through the lobby.
“I try not to play anything too sad,” she said, appreciating that the hospital is filled with people anxious about a sick child.
“When my brother was here, all three of us would go into the game room and play piano, and families would come in and listen while we practiced. People loved it. That was my first experience with something like music therapy and what that can do for people.”
She has other Riley connections as well. She participated in the Purdue Dance Marathon fundraiser for Riley while in college, and she met Riley nurse Cydney Bridges, who was named Miss Indiana in 2023 and competed in the Miss America pageant in 2024. Lancaster is competing in her third Miss Indiana pageant next month.
While she doesn’t have a job in her field lined up yet, she said someday she would like to work with a nonprofit dedicated to pediatric cancer research.
Meanwhile, she brings the music to Riley every Friday.
“We are so fortunate to have such a talented performer on our team,” said Susan Schwarz, program manager for volunteer resources.
“With every note played in the lobby, Saylor’s music provides a soothing backdrop for patients, families and staff — offering a sense of calm and connection. We are so grateful for the time, talent and heart she shares with us each week.”
Photos and video by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org
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