Program Highlights

Live Presentations & Panels​
including topics from

​Orchestra Administration
Artistic/Musical Leadership
Performer-Specific Topics
Music/Medicine/Science Research
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Featuring Keynote Speaker
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Lisa Wong, M.D.
​Longwood Symphony Orchestra

Conference Schedule

Sessions will take place over the course of two weeks at varying times to accommodate audience members from all backgrounds.
All session times below are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Saturday, May 15​
12:00pm EST
Board Welcome & Keynote Address
​Lisa Wong, M.D., Longwood Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Lisa Wong is a pediatrician, musician, and author, dedicated to the healing arts of music and medicine. From 1990–2001, Dr. Wong served as president of the Longwood Symphony, a Boston-based orchestra made up primarily of medical musicians dedicated to Healing the Community through Music. She is a co-director of the Arts and Humanities Initiative at Harvard Medical School. Recently, Dr. Wong co-founded Boston Hope Music, an organization that provides hope and builds community for those at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic through music.

Dr. Wong will address her rich history and current work in music and medicine and the parallels between the potential of a new organization, like the National Association of Medical Orchestras, to bring about change and growth within the medical field through community-building, resources, and advocacy.
Tuesday, May 18
6:30-7:30pm EST 
Programming Repertoire for Medical Orchestras
Panelists include Verena Mosenbichler-Bryant (Durham Medical Orchestra), ​Libi Lebel (Texas Medical Center Orchestra), Taichi Fukumura (Northwestern Medical Orchestra).
7:35-7:55pm EST
Music / Wellness Break: Me2/
Me2/ ("me, too") is the world's only classical music organization created for individuals living with mental illness and the people who support them. There are no auditions and no fees required for participation, and musicians and audience members are promised a stigma-free zone. Me2/ performances combine great music interspersed with moments of storytelling about living well with mental illness. They currently have orchestras and ensembles in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Oregon.

Ronald Braunstein is the Music Director & Conductor of Me2/, and Caroline Whiddon is the Executive Director. They launched the organization in 2011, and were married in 2013. Ronald and Caroline will share a video performance, followed by an overview of the Me2/ organization and some time for Q&A.
8:00-9:00pm EST
Music and the Brain
Christopher Filley, M.D.
Director of the Behavioral Neurology Section and Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Senior Scientific Advisor at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health.
Thursday, May 20
6:30-7:30pm EST 
From A to G: Creating and Maintaining a Medical Orchestra
Michelle Zwi, Executive Director, PennMed Symphony Orchestra
Matthew Lordo, Executive Board Member, The Ohio State University Professional School Orchestra
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Join Michelle Zwi, Director of the PennMed Symphony Orchestra, and Matthew Lordo, Executive Board Member of The Ohio State University Professional School Orchestra, as they share their experiences with and discuss considerations for starting and nurturing a fledgling medical orchestra. Topics will include tips for recruiting and utilizing volunteers, leadership, conductors, and musicians, possibilities for fundraising, ideas for budgeting, and more. Questions and discussion are encouraged in this interactive session!
7:35-7:55pm EST
Wellness Break: Yoga Snack
Jessi Rosinski, M.M., M.B.A., M.E.T.

A wellness break to rejuvenate with gentle movements and simple breathing techniques. Movements and modifications will be guided in an accessible format. No prior yoga experience needed. Come as you are, and bring an open mind.
8:00-9:00pm EST
Collaborative Communication Within and Across the Orchestra
Panelists include Omaha Symphony principal/tenured musicians: Anne Nagosky, violin; Maria Harding, flute; Ross Snyder, horn, and Jack Rago, percussion. 

This session includes panelists who work together as leaders in the Omaha Symphony from the strings, winds, brass, and percussion sections. Panelists will address how they work together to communicate within the section, across sections, and throughout the orchestra to produce stellar performances throughout the season.  The musicians will discuss what makes an orchestra tick, who follows whom (or is everyone a leader?), how to play together, and how to address communication challenges  within an orchestra. There will be time for Q & A and breakout discussion time for section-specific topics.
Saturday, May 22
11:00am-12:00pm EST 
Arts in Medicine Neurologic Research 
Review and Implications of Current Clinical Research in Music Medicine and Therapy Utilizing Fmri Technology at Houston Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine
Todd Frazier, Composer and System Director for the Houston Methodist Hospital’s Center for Performing Arts Medicine
12:05-12:25pm EST 
Music Performance featuring the Durham Medical Orchestra
Artistry. Wellness. Passion. Community. These values unite the members of the Durham Medical Orchestra, which draws together health-related professionals, medical and graduate students of the life sciences, and community members in Durham, North Carolina. Under the leadership of Conductor and Artistic Director Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, the DMO's performances raise money for local health-related organizations and offer the benefits of music to wide audiences around the Triangle region of North Carolina.

Join us as we discover a virtual performance by the Durham Medical Orchestra. The DMO's Vice-President, Marisa D'Silva, will share insight into the organization's background and recent musical experiences.
12:30-1:30pm EST 
Rehearsing in Medical Orchestras
​Panelists include Ivan Shulman (Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra), John Masko (Providence Medical Orchestra and National Virtual Medical Orchestra), and ​Will Pattie (VCU Health Orchestra).

Three accomplished conductors will share their experiences working with medical orchestras of varying backgrounds. From the earliest medical orchestras to newly-founded groups, rehearsing is essential to any ensemble's musical success. Learn how medical orchestra leaders have fostered collaborative music-making experiences in their community ensembles.
Tuesday, May 25
6:30-7:30pm EST 
Perspectives on Community Engagement
Bridget Brazeau, Executive Director, Longwood Symphony Orchestra
Nick Bandarenko, M.D., Board President, Durham Medical Orchestra

Bridget Brazeau, Executive Director of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra (founded 1982), and Dr. Nick Bandarenko, Board President of the Durham Medical Orchestra (founded 2010), will discuss the evolving roles of their established medical orchestras in their home communities over time, as well as the various ways medical orchestras can consider engaging with local communities, building institutional and community rapport, and growing musical performance opportunities. 
7:35-7:55pm EST
Wellness Break: Presence Pause
Jessi Rosinski, M.M., M.B.A., M.E.T.

A wellness break to explore approachable and effective ways to use mindfulness in daily life. Experiences will be guided in an inclusive and trauma sensitive format. No prior mindfulness experience needed. Come as you are, and bring an open mind.
8:00-9:00pm EST
Making the Most of Your Practice Time
Mary Perkinson, D.M.A., Associate Professor of Violin & String Education, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Faculty Mentor, Nebraska Medical Orchestra

In order to progress and meet goals within one’s playing, practicing is key. Secondary to carving out practice time is making the most of this precious time. Perkinson, a practice pro,  has spent thousands of hours preparing for recitals, concerts, and auditions and continues to hone her practice approach. This session will explore learning from personal routines and patterns, setting  realistic goals, and elevating focus and objectivity during practice sessions.  While practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes better practice, an essential skill for busy professionals who aspire to be better musicians.
Thursday, May 27
6:30-7:30pm EST 
Sponsored by the University of Nebraska Medical Center
Reflections on Music and Medicine:  Why We Love It, Why We’ll Never Stop
David Skorton, M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
7:35-7:55pm EST
Music Performance / Wellness Break 
8:00-9:00pm EST
Recruiting for Medical Orchestras
​Panelists include Christopher Demas (Providence Medical Orchestra), Bill Milicevic (Detroit Medical Orchestra), and Daniel Zhang (Penn Med Symphony Orchestra).
Saturday, May 29
11:00am-12:00pm EST 
Differently-Structured Orchestras and Their Finances
Theresa Erichsen, R.N., Co-Founder, VCU Health Orchestra
Ivan Shulman, M.D., Music Director, Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra
Matthew Brooks, D.M.A., Co-Founder and Music Director, Nebraska Medical Orchestra

Join Theresa Erichsen, co-founder of VCU Health Orchestra, Ivan Shulman, music director of the Los Angeles Doctors Orchestra, and Matthew Brooks, co-founder and music director of the Nebraska Medical Orchestra as they discuss their experiences with medical orchestra finances and budgeting. This panel features medical orchestras with varied histories, stages of maturity, resources, and connections to medical institutions, to highlight similarities and differences among medical orchestra financial needs and solutions to budgeting and fundraising issues.
12:00-12:25pm EST 
Music Performance / Wellness Break 
12:30-1:30pm EST 
General NAMO Membership Meeting and Community Discussion
Do you identify as a medical professional, conductor, board member, or passionate advocate for music making? Come meet the founding NAMO board members and medical musicians from across the country! If you are interested in learning more about this organization and getting involved, we encourage you to attend. This session is open to all NAMO members and conference attendees!

REGISTRATION


Registration for the 2021 NAMO Virtual Conference is now open!
There is no registration fee for our inaugural event.

All conference sessions will be hosted live through Zoom. After our team reviews your registration, you will receive a detailed conference schedule and Zoom information. Access to recorded sessions will be available to NAMO members one week after the conclusion of the event.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
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