The Healing Art of Music™ Program
For over 30 years, the Longwood Symphony Orchestra has presented public concerts at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, and since 1991, each concert has helped raise funds and awareness for Boston-based nonprofit organizations that aid the medically underserved: our Community Partners. The Healing Art of Music™ program, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in the 2016, has raised more than $2,800,000 for over 50 nonprofits. It has been nationally recognized with the League of American Orchestras' MetLife Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and has also received the Commonwealth Award, the highest cultural recognition in Massachusetts.
The heart of the Healing Art of Music™ program is the Community Partners' use of an LSO concert as the centerpiece of a unique fundraising event. With this unique model of community engagement, the amount of money raised by Community Partner organizations only tells part of the story. Some organizations have used their events to galvanize their supporters and launch initiatives; others have recognized prominent people in their organization or in their field; still others have used their events to share the LSO's healing music with their own patient and client populations. The publicity surrounding each concert shines a spotlight on the Community Partners and raises awareness that reaches beyond the hospital, beyond the community, and even beyond the city.