On Tuesday (9/10) at Polyphonic.org, Ann Drinan covers a June 2013 session at the League of American Orchestras’ National Conference that tracked the progress of orchestras receiving health and wellness grants from the Getty Foundation, a program facilitated by the League. At the session, hosted by Jessica Balboni, the League’s director of learning programs, “Dr. Cynthia Briggs, director of the music therapy program at Maryville University in St. Louis, gave an overview of the importance of music therapy” and quoted from a June 17 New York Times op-ed piece, “Beyond the Brain,” about “how people are using neuroscience to explain everything—the mind and personal experiences.… Lisa Dixon, Executive Director of the Portland Symphony in Maine, gave a presentation about their music and wellness pilot program with a partnership with the New England Rehabilitation Hospital…. Jennifer Barnett of the Knoxville Symphony talked about their partnership with the University of Tennessee Medical Center…. Jennifer showed a video of KSO musicians working with patients, who commented at the end of the session, ‘I played with the Knoxville Symphony!’ … Maureen Byrne, director of Community Programs at the St. Louis Symphony, discussed the SLS’s three healthcare programs. Two just went through their pilot year and the third is in its second year.” Also participating at the Conference session was Crystal Weaver, a music therapist at the St. Louis University Cancer Center, who works with musicians in St. Louis and feels that “one of the best benefits is the symphony’s ability to incorporate formal research when presenting the results of the program to healthcare organizations.”
Posted September 11, 2013
