Sound Health

Bringing Music to Medicine

Sound Health bridges music and medicine through live performances by students who contribute to the environment of care and gain professional performing experience while contributing to their community.

Sound Health Engaging the Community

The mission of Sound Health is to enrich the healthcare environment for patients, families, health care providers and staff through live music while providing music students with an opportunity for service learning and professional performing experience. The goals of Sound Health are to contribute to a healing environment; to give music students community service learning opportunities; and to break down the "fourth wall" barriers, connecting musicians to their audiences and vice versa.

Piano

Upcoming Performances

Fall 2017 performances will include the following venues:

  • Children's Hospital
  • Bergan Mercy Hospital
  • Country House Memory Care Facility
  • Aksarben Village Retirement Community

 

The Story of Sound Health

In 2009 during a family member’s surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Perkinson experienced first-hand the calming effects of live music through their Performing Arts Program. Dr. Perkinson wanted to be on the giving end of similar experiences and founded Sound Health in 2010 while still a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since its inception, Sound Health has provided over 100 performances by over 100 musicians for thousands of patients, staff, and visitors at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, WI.

As a new faculty member at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2014, Dr. Perkinson knew that she wanted to bring Sound Health to Omaha. The pilot program took place in spring 2015, and as of spring 2016, 45 music majors have given 16 performances at Children’s Hospital, CHI Bergan Mercy Hospital, Aksarben Village Retirement Community, and at UNO’s De-Stress week. To date, Sound Health has received over $13,000 in awards and grants. Listener and performer surveys show an overwhelming desire for Sound Health to continue and expand.

Sound Health at Children's Hospital


Percussion Ensemble

Survey Feedback

Listeners

  • “I loved watching the patients interact with the music. For some, you could tell it was just the medicine they needed.”
  • “Took my mind off my daughter’s surgery.”

UNO Students

  • “It was a nice feeling seeing everyone’s face just get brighter as we played our instruments. It’s amazing how much of an impact music has on people.”
  • “Passersby seemed to forget their troubles and were briefly transported to another time and place evidenced by a smile."

String Trio

Sound Health Media

The UNO String Quartet was featured on WOWT in September 2015. Click here to see the video and interview.

String Quartet