While the in-person work of Back to the Beat continues this year, I felt the need and desire to add something else to the toolbox: A podcast about how people not only cope with daily struggles but manage to stay optimistic and motivated during some pretty dark moments in theContinue Reading
It’s been a while since I posted. Like all of you out there, the turmoil and upheaval of the past two years have made it difficult to find solid footing and frankly, the desire to share direct thoughts and feelings about the real world. The pandemic brought us face-to-face withContinue Reading
Yo-Yo Ma returns to the IDAGIO Global Concert Hall on Friday, October 23, 2020, with a live concert event honouring the 75th anniversary of the UN’s creation. Three performances throughout the day make it possible to enjoy this event LIVE from every time zone in the world. ~ From Yo-yoContinue Reading
My best friend asked me years ago why I was amassing piles of Moleskine blank books while we were sitting in Barnes and Noble enjoying our coffee and taking stock of our potential purchases. She asked me half-jokingly, half-concerned: “Why do keep doing these journals? Are you writting a bookContinue Reading
Ever been lost in the fog? Felt that panic rise up into your chest and throat as you lose sight of the horizon, sense of direction, and orientation? You can look at your compass or GPS tracker for help, but the feeling of unease is always present. As a personContinue Reading
I didn’t know her, but I know her name. I think about how she felt when COVID19 reared its ugly head. I wonder if music or dancing helped her wind down after a rough day. Did she sing on her own or with friends, maybe with her sister? I thinkContinue Reading
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned;The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. ~ From William ButlerContinue Reading
About 4 weeks ago, my world was ablaze with all sorts of drama, good and bad. My 45 patient-hours had been completed at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and I finally graduated from student practitioner to certified practitioner. It was a long, hard-fought campaign so it came as little surprise that IContinue Reading
I’ve been neglecting my blog since I started my clinical practicum; many-parts patient privacy, ten-parts patient logs, two-parts back-at-work-no-time-to-reflect. However, with the soft launch of a project that I have pursued for years, I felt as if the iron was not only hot but ready to burn the house down…Continue Reading
I am now happily entrenched in the ‘Music for Medicine’ volunteer program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Unfortunately, I caught a nasty summer cold that’s taken me out of action for two weeks. Its not been fun but it may have been necessary just to take the time to step offContinue Reading
Executive Director
Cheeko has been playing the cello since the age of six and has enjoyed a full, professional career as a performer. In 2014, a personal health crisis led her to rediscover the role of music in our overall health and well-being. Cheeko combines her performance experience with her training as a music practitioner to provide individuals with the best in-the-moment comfort care.
Director
Nathan has been playing viola since the age of seven and has been a full-time member of the Sarasota Orchestra since 1999. Nathan has also dedicated his music profession to education, teaching string method at Booker High School and releasing two award-winning children's CDs: "Music Tales" & "Music Tales vol. 2," with Musicians out of the Box
Art Therapist
Dan is an artist, art therapist, poet and counselor in private practice. He currently works with a wide range of client populations where art is a form of healing and self-discovery:
“As an artist and art therapist, I believe that images speak volumes. People, of all levels of skill, use art in varied and sophisticated ways to express and reveal aspects of their inner lives. Often what is revealed is done without the imminent knowledge of the individual making the image. My job is to provide a place where these images can be created and to facilitate a respectful dialog to accompany the images, if that is needed."
Collaborating Artists
Music belongs to everyone. Upward Notes is cellist Natalie Helm's organization that spreads the joy and benefits of music outside of the concert hall and throughout the community. Currently based in the Sarasota Florida area, you can find her and her colleagues performing in all manner of spaces - from homeless shelters to assisted living facilities to animal shelters. Upward Notes is a volunteer-based organization since giving back is an integral part of Natalie's musical mission.
Natalie Helm & Upward Notes
Musician/Composer
Bio coming soon