Dr. Wally Bartfay is a retired (August, 2024) Professor and former Associate Dean for the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. He also served as Director for the BHSc, BAHSc, BHAdmin programs. He was also affectionately known as the “Rock N’ Prof” by his students because he often played original songs that he has written prior to the commence of lectures to create certain vibes and buzzes in his classes. His music has appeared on World Indie Music Chart lists top 1 and 2; Euro Indie Music Chart lists top 1 and 3; BWNR music list top 5, and the US Top 20 Show- Weekly Pulse of Music at No. 18. In 2024-2025, Wally had 4 number 1 Indie chart lists with Stephen Wrench entited: (I) You’re My Beautiful; (ii) Little Sunshine Gal, and (iii) Cherry Hill Gal. (iv) Wrote This Song To Say Goodbye Girl. Stephen has been a 6x Grammy Awardee and has won over 50 Gold and Platinum records throughout his career journey that spans 5 decades now. 

Ever since Wally was a little lad, he wanted to play the electric guitar and make music that creates smiles on people’s faces. He can remember playing his imaginary electric "air guitar" in his parents’ basement to various rock and country songs for hours on end. He got his first guitar when he turned 14 after taking on various odds jobs including pumping gas on weekends and cutting lawns.  He quickly learned to play it on his very own, along with several other instruments. 

Wally has also done research related to the benefits of music therapy as a nonpharmacological intervention with patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  He got interested in researching the clinical benefits of music as medicine after his father was diagnosed with vascular dementia following a series of strokes that left him bed bound in a nursing home.  Ironically, this is the same nursing home that he used to put on volunteery Christmas concerts for during his youth in his community. He is passionate about song writing and his songs often reflect personal experiences and challenges that he has faced over the years. Each song contains components of his genuine lived experiences, heart, and soul as an artist.

Also see video:  "Music as Medicine.  Dr. Wally Bartfay's Musical Journey and Research"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_OxvtOkBII