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
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
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