12:00: Music as medicine: How the arts can heal
1:00: Summer movie preview
"Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,
To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak." (William Congreve)
It is often said that music is healing, but what are some ways that this truism plays out in practice? Jon Batiste recently collaborated with Joanne Loewy of Mount Sinai on a study that advances “social music” as a prescription for better health outcomes. That's just one angle. This hour, guest host Mona Seghatoleslami talks about the benefits of music on healing and health, particularly mental health, in our community and world. We discuss music therapy and expressive arts with Jennifer Philips, a board-certified music therapist and neurologic music therapist, specializing in early intervention, elder care, and neurorehabilitation. She is also chair of the Expressive Arts Department at the Hochstein School. Annika Bentley shares her experiences as a classical choral musician and singer/songwriter, focusing on the upcoming Mount Hope World Singers concerts, "Bright Threads." The program reinterprets historical and cultural examples of music used for healing, and centers on themes of shared humanity and restorative connection. We also talk with Gaelen McCormick, director of the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center, who dives into the work that she and her colleagues are doing at the intersections of music and medicine. In studio:
- Jennifer R. Phillips, MT-BC, board-certified music therapist and department chair of Expressive Arts and Music FUNdamentals at The Hochstein School
- Annika Bentley, artistic director of Mount Hope World Singers
- Gaelen McCormick, director of Eastman Performing Arts Medicine at the University of Rochester
Then in our second hour, summer movie season is officially here with a lineup of blockbusters, horror titles, and indie gems. The summer season will largely be defined by "The Odyssey" — Christopher Nolan's epic follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2023 film, "Oppenheimer." The father of the summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg, is also back with "Disclosure Day," a new sci-fi romp. Another seasonal trend? Summer horror. Indie titles ("Backrooms," "Leviticus") from up-and-coming directors who delight in the dark terrors of the human mind vie to become the year's surprise hits. Guest host Scott Pukos breaks it all down this hour with his guests:
- Johanna Lester, pop culture critic for CITY Magazine
- Adam Lubitow, programmer for The Little Theatre and director of programming for the Anomaly Film Festival
- Cielo Ornelas MacFarlane, local cinephile and visual artist
- Matt Passantino, film critic and writer for CITY Magazine and member of the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association (GWNYFCA)
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
