There are studies that show playing music can help senior citizens prevent diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s. There are studies that say learning an instrument increases the human growth hormone to fight osteoporosis. But 75-year-old William DuBay can’t exactly say who wrote these studies, or how they work. It doesn’t matter. Because DuBay has experienced the benefits of learning a new instrument first hand.

DuBay, a Coupeville resident, started playing the Clarineo about two years ago after seeing an ad for it in a music magazine. Now, it’s his constant companion.

The Clarineo was developed in the United Kingdom by a musician and composer named Graham Lyons, but until recently it wasn’t selling internationally. Originally called the Lyons C Clarinet, it is a lighter, more durable version of the regular clarinet. It has the same tone and fingerings as the clarinet and falls between it and the recorder. Lyons designed it for children, but DuBay sees another use for it.

DuBay believes the instrument is perfectly suited for senior citizens, and he’s made it his mission to spread the word about the instrument on the island. He has gone to a number of music shops introducing the employees to his new toy, and he also showed it off to the band at the senior center in Langley.

“The musicians were very interested,” DuBay said. “They were impressed because they know how hard it is to make an instrument like this.”

Last week he also did a demonstration at the Oak Harbor Senior Center. He hopes that if enough people take interest in the instrument he’ll be able to start a band.

“I’m far from a professional, but people can see how much I enjoy it,” he said. “I want music teachers and people involved in music to know about this, and I want senior citizens to know about this.”

DuBay has been interested in music from a young age. He’s dabbled with the recorder, guitar, ukulele, jazz harmonica and sang in the Glee Club growing up. He said he’s fallen in love with the Clarineo because it’s functional and easy to learn.

“It was everything I had hoped it would be,” he said. “It’s practically indestructible. If the keys break off you can just snap them back on which solves a lot of maintenance problems … I want other senior citizens to know that they’ll be picking up tunes on it right away.”

Clarineos can be ordered online, but DuBay also said that he thinks island music stores are willing to special order them for customers. He wants to make it clear that he’s not marketing the instrument and makes no money off his ventures.

He simply wants others to share in the joy of his discovery.