Even in “normal” times, life can be stressful. And these times are far from normal.
During a global pandemic, even a once-routine trip to the grocery store can fill us with anxiety. Add to that the racial tension, protests, and vandalism occurring here and around the country and you have what amounts to a growing need for genuine moments of peace and calm.
Thankfully, some of those can be found through Mindful Music Moments, a program of chill music and meditation designed to help us stay calm, safe, and sane.
ArtsWave, the region’s chief funder of the arts, is extending the program, which offers free daily doses of music and mindfulness.
Mindful Music Moments began at the start of the pandemic lockdown to help keep us thoughtfully engaged during a period of uncertainty and social distancing. It features music from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, and other local groups, plus special Mindful Music collaborations and commissions featuring African American composers and musicians.
The just-announced summer edition follows a 10-week playlist that was curated and launched at the onset of the health crisis. It’s a collaboration with The Well, the organization that created Mindful Music Moments, a program that is now providing mindfulness in more than 60 schools in Greater Cincinnati; moments designed to support mental and emotional wellbeing for students, teachers, and families.
The program’s founder, Stacy Sims, says it’s part of “our commitment to creating art-fueled rituals of comfort from diverse voices in music. Now more than ever, we need to take care of ourselves in order to be of service to each other."
ArtsWave says the summer edition includes seven weeks of content by African American singers and composers with music selected for the comfort and strength they bring.
“The arts and artists can play powerful roles in grounding us and healing,” says ArtsWave CEO Alecia Kintner. “This new set of music and mindfulness is a thread that connects and moves us forward together.”
The public can sign up for the summer edition of Mindful Music Moments at artswave.org/mindful.
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