The Power of Music in Medicine: Musicians’ Impact and Pathways to Healthcare Performances

Virtual Symposium Overview

Live music transforms the hospital environment, bringing comfort and emotional support when it’s needed most. Research shows that music can reduce stress, ease pain, and create moments of connection for patients, families, and healthcare staff. This two-part series on music in medicine will look at how musicians are offering live music in hospital settings and what impact this work has on their outlook as an artist, and how higher ed can help to prepare musicians to safely and authentically enter the healthcare environment.

This symposium is FREE for all to attend, featuring two online, interactive sessions using the Zoom platform.
Advance registration is required.
Be sure to submit your questions for the panel at the time of registration. Questions must be received at least one day in advance in order to be included.
Recordings of the sessions will be available online following the symposium for those registered.

Register now

Symposium Presenters

Session 1

Gaelen McCormick
Director,
Eastman Performing Arts Medicine

Jeremy Ajani Jordan
Musician,
Project: Music Heals Us

Camille Zamora
Co-Founder,
Sing for Hope — Camille Zamora
Co-Founder,
*Sing for Hope*

Daniel Kuehler
Artist/Teacher of Piano
Hillsdale College

Session 2

Gaelen McCormick
Director,
Eastman Performing Arts Medicine

Ferol Carytsas
Director of the Center for Arts in Medicine, University of Florida, Shands

Sarah Hoover
Associate Dean for Innovation in the Arts and Health,
Peabody Institute

Mary Perkinson
Founder *Sound Health; Bringing Music to Medicine*,
University of Nebraska, Omaha

Symposium Schedule and Registration

Session 1: Musicians Panel

Friday, March 28th from 1:00-2:30 PM Eastern Time

A panel discussion with musicians who have created a niche in performing in healthcare spaces. How did they discover they wanted to do this work? What impact does sharing music this way have on their outlook as a performing artist?

Register for Session 1

Patients University of Rochester Medical Center listening to piano performance by Dan Kuehler '21E via Zoom — Patients in the department of physical medicine & rehabilitation at the URMC listen to a piano performance via zoom by ESM alum Dan Kuehler ’21E (DMA) on March 3 2023. Kuehler’s performance took place as part of Eastman School of Music’s Performing Arts Medicine (EPAM) initiative, through which ESM community members integrate performing arts into the hospital environment and provide music therapy in clinical patient care. // photo by J. Adam Fenster / University of Rochester

Don Sims of Geneva listens as ESM doctoral candidate Kenneth Kam performs a piece on classical guitar via Zoom at Wilmot Cancer Center — Don Sims of Geneva (NY) listens as ESM doctoral candidate Kenneth Kam performs a piece on classical guitar via Zoom at Wilmot Cancer Center where Sims is taking part in a clinical trial on March 3 2023. Kam’s performance took place as part of Eastman School of Music’s Performing Arts Medicine (EPAM) initiative, through which ESM community members integrate performing arts into the hospital environment and provide music therapy in clinical patient care. // photo by J. Adam Fenster / University of Rochester

Session 2: Higher Education Panel

Thursday, April 3rd from 1:00-2:30 PM Eastern Time

Building on the conversation with our musicians last week, we will look at how music schools can help create the pathway to authentic and appropriate ways of engaging listeners in the healthcare space. Each of our panelists will share their unique approach to educating and training musicians for this experience.

Register for Session 2

Questions about the Symposium?

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. The sessions will be conducted in English, and each will utilize Zoom’s live transcript feature. For additional accessibility requests, please contact us at least 5 business days prior to the workshop and we will do our best to meet requested accessibility needs.

This symposium is supported by the Eastman School of Music’s Paul R. Judy Center for Research and Innovation and the Catherine Filene Shouse Keynote Lectureship.