Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) will celebrate Arts + Health Month with a free public performance on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 2pm at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, 53 Meeting Street.  Donations will be accepted at the door to benefit CMC’s “Intermezzo Concert Series,” a new initiative to bring live chamber music to hospitals, nursing home and retirement facilities.

 Violinists Alan Molina and Frances Hsieh, violist Jill King and cellist Timothy O’Malley will perform a 45-minute string quartet program including such popular favorites as Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo A La Turk” and Jacob Gade’s “Jalousie” paired with Mozart’s String Quartet K.458, “The Hunt.” 

Chamber Music Charleston began the “Intermezzo Concert Series” in September 2010 with the support of the Medical University of South Carolina’s President’s Office and Cultural Projects Council in addition to funds raised from the First Annual Black Tie Gala.  Between September and December 2010 CMC will perform 19 concerts within Charleston’s healthcare community, including performances at MUSC Children’s Hospital, MUSC Colbert Education Center, NEH Healthcare, Heartland-West Ashley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, The Palms, Sandpiper Village, Franke Home and Bishop Gadsden. 

“We feel very fortunate to be able to share the beauty and healing power of live music,” says Sandra Nikolajevs, director of Chamber Music Charleston.  “Our goal is to simply provide a brief escape through music for those living or working in the healthcare community.  We have already seen what a difference this can make in the places where we have performed, and we are eager to continue visiting these audiences on a regular basis.”

 Founded by the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, Arts + Health Month is an opportunity for organizations and individuals worldwide to promote the integration of the arts into healthcare environments.

 Arts in healthcare is a diverse, multidisciplinary field dedicated to transforming the healthcare experience by connecting people with the power of the arts at key moments of their lives. This rapidly growing field integrates the arts—including literary, performing, and visual arts and design—into a wide variety of healthcare and community settings for therapeutic, education, and expressive purposes. 

Research demonstrates the benefits of the arts in healthcare in hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers, private homes, and other locations within the community. Studies show that integrating the arts into healthcare settings helps to

·         cultivate a healing environment;

·         support the physical, mental, and emotional recovery of patients;

·         communicate health and recovery information;

·         foster a positive environment for caregivers that reduces stress and improves workplace satisfaction and retention.  

Communities around the world will celebrate Arts + Health Month with educational seminars, art exhibits, talent showcases, and other awareness programs.