“The sounds of classical violin replace the routine beeping at the Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center as violinist Sean Claire strolls through the hall of the chemotherapy ward,” reports Emily Devoe in Wednesday’s (10/17) WBIR News (Knoxville, TN). “Claire has been giving the impromptu hospital concerts for roughly ten years as part of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Music and Wellness program. KSO is one of a handful of orchestras in the country awarded a grant to hire a board-certified music therapist to work with musicians and help them expand the program to more healthcare settings. Angel Shanks, a patient there, said the music helps erase the stress of chemotherapy. ‘You’re just sitting in the chair with your mind on a million other things and he can walk in and play just a couple of songs. It can take your mind off of things,’ Shanks said.” The Knoxville Symphony and its musicians have received grants and awards from the League of American Orchestras to support their work in healthcare settings.
Posted October 22, 2018
In photo: Violinist Sean Claire performs at the Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center as part of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Music and Wellness program.
