PROGRAM Highlights
April 19, 2024
The Music and Medicine Program is one of the core components of the HEAL Program. Since its inception in 2016, this program has provided free piano lessons to Keck students, hosted annual concerts, and events with special musical guests. The music program strives to support well-being during medical school by providing students with the resources they need to nurture their musical interests as they pursue their rigorous studies. The goals of the program are to enhance listening skills, communication, and interpersonal connections through experiencing and playing music, and to host community building activities.
This May, the program is excited to host its 2nd annual memorial concert in honor of our late Musician-In-Residence, Zora Mihailovich. Zora Mihailovich was an internationally recognized recitalist, orchestral soloist, recording artist, and educator who provided students with access to piano lessons and offered her expertise for recital preparation. Throughout the years, Zora taught piano lessons to more than 100 students from all 4 medical school classes. She dedicated herself fully to her music and students and accommodated their busy schedules by teaching in the evenings and on weekends in Mayer Auditorium. During the pandemic, the Music and Medicine Program continued to operate via zoom and students were able to continue their piano lessons virtually. Recital concerts also continued virtually which provided the Keck community an opportunity to find solace in music during this difficult time.
Students in the Music and Medicine program have also performed at the Alzheimer’s Awareness Benefit alongside Zora. They successfully raised $600 for Music & Memory, a nonprofit organization that facilitates music therapy for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Other program activities have included Zora’s lunch time solo recitals where faculty, staff, and students joined as a community to appreciate the beautiful piano playing in Mayer Auditorium. Other concerts included noontime concerts where Zora’s students and Keck faculty musicians performed, partnerships with the USC Thornton Jazz combo, and performances by community groups like the Urban Voices Project featuring the talents of currently and formerly unhoused individuals.
Through their work with the Musician-in-Residence program, the Keck Music Society received USC’s Innovative Program Award which honors a new and creative program that has sparked students’ interests and passions. Last May, the Keck Music Society celebrated its return by hosting its first Annual Zora Mihailovich Memorial Concert. This special event included performances by students, faculty, and staff. Our program continues to offer piano lessons with Thornton School of Music graduate students Day Yang and William Chiang. The music program nurture’s students’ artistic interests and brings together the Keck community.
“The transition to medical school is huge, many of the activities that made me who I was got left behind. I basically abandoned playing the piano my first year and I didn’t realize what I had lost until my lessons with Zora. I fell in love with piano all over again. It has even given me an expanded perspective when interacting with patients. All in all, I think this is tremendously valuable and the mental health of future students would benefit from this program.”
To view the recording from the 1st annual Zora Mihailovich concert, click below.
Event Recap: Artist & Researcher 7
On March 27th, the HEAL Program hosted its 7th annual Artist & Researcher show at the Hoyt Gallery. This show aims to make complex research more understandable and science more accessible through art. This year’s event was a collaborative effort between researchers at the Keck School of Medicine and students at the USC Roski School of Art. The show is proof that art and medicine can create unique learning opportunities!
Upcoming Events
Building Community Around a Shared Cancer Journey
Date: April 25, 2024
Location: HSC, KAM 110
Time: 12:30 – 2PM