Music and Mind with Renée Fleming: Harnessing the Arts to Heal & Connect
Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning soprano Renée Fleming—curator of the groundbreaking anthology Music and Mind—will lead a dynamic discussion with a panel of experts, exploring compelling research on the powerful connections between the arts and health.
Event Overview:
4:00 p.m. | Introductions and Presentations
4:45 p.m. | Panel Discussion
5:10 p.m. | Q&A
Book signing with Renée Fleming to follow the Q&A
Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of Music and Mind at the event.
This exploration will begin with an introduction from Renée Fleming, highlighting the intersection of music, neuroscience, and healthcare, alongside personal stories and insights from her career. Brief presentations will follow:
- Art has the power to rebuild: Psychology and neuroscience researcher Dr. Psyche Loui will speak on music-based interventions for individuals with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s
- Art has the power heal: Licensed creative arts therapist Bree Beaudette*will discuss art therapy techniques that promote healing and personal growth
- Art has the power to connect: SPAC VP of Education Dennis Moench will explore SPAC’s commitment to inclusive arts programming, cultivating access to shared creative experiences for all minds and bodies. A panel discussion led by Fleming will follow, culminating with a Q&A and book signing.
Meet the Panelists
Dr. Psyche Loui
Dr. Loui, current Associate Professor of Creativity and Creative Practice in the Department of Music and director of the MIND (Music, Imaging, and Neural Dynamics) lab at Northeastern University, studies the neuroscience of music perception and cognition. With a background in both psychology and music, she will be discussing her research regarding music-based interventions for individuals with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.
Bree Beaudette
Bree is a licensed creative arts therapist with a background in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology interventions, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). She will be discussing art as a healing power, specifically her work in utilizing art therapy techniques as a way to communicate with clients and promote healing and personal growth.
Please note: This discussion may include themes of trauma, including the mention of violence, sexual abuse, and grief.
Dennis Moench
Dennis has been the leader of the education department at SPAC for the past 10 years, which, through his oversight, reaches 50,000+ students annually and collaborates with 120+ local schools and nonprofit organizations. He will be discussing SPAC’s commitment to connection via inclusive arts programming, which cultivates access to shared creative experiences for all minds and bodies.
Renée Fleming’s Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, is a collection of essays from leading scientists, artists, creative arts therapists, educators, and physicians about the powerful impacts of music and the arts on health and the human experience. The book features discoveries on how the arts support healing in areas ranging from pain relief and the treatment of anxiety and depression, to regaining speech after stroke or brain injury, to improving mobility for individuals with conditions like Parkinson’s disease and MS. In addition to these therapeutic applications, the book delves into topics such as evolution, brain function, childhood development, and the role of technology in arts and health.
Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of Music and Mind at the event and have it signed by Renée Fleming!
More events coming, please check back soon.
Enhance your experience with a performance!
Experience the benefits of the arts firsthand by enjoying a performance with The Philadelphia Orchestra as an encore to your Music & Mind experience.