Introduction to Arts & Health

1.0 credits

The music and health field touches many areas of both musicians' lives and that of our greater community. In this course we will look at the field through the lens of Eastman Performing Arts Medicine's four pillars: musicians' health and wellness; arts impact on the environment of healthcare spaces like hospitals; creative arts therapies like music therapy and (visual) art therapy; and research that helps to translate and validate the use of music in medicine for improving patient outcomes and enriching our lives as we age. In this course we will spend time learning first-hand about the different professional opportunities and careers that exist in each of these four pillars, talking to experts in each area, and taking some field trips to local places where this work is happening. Participants in this class will leave with a broad overview of music and health and what next steps will help develop their unique path in this field. Gaelen McCormick is the director of Eastman Performing Arts Medicine at the University of Rochester. Her background as a performing artist led her to want to give back to our community by volunteering as a hospital musician in the Wilmot Cancer Center. Eastman's Music Cognition Symposium sparked her interest in understanding the neurologic impact of music therapy, and her prior work at a local college helped her to interact and see what music therapy looks like in practice. She uses her skills in nonprofit management to help this interdisciplinary program take root and thrive at UR.