Part of our “Art and Artists are Essential” collection and invitation.
The Durham Medical Orchestra is made up of healthcare professionals, including many Duke employees. The DMO collaborated in a virtual performance of a new piece by Durham composer Steven Bryant called “The Machine Awakes” as a means of battling the stress of the coronavirus pandemic.
DMO Artistic Director and Conductor Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant (also associate professor of the practice of music and director of undergraduate studies for the Duke Music Department) shared: “Now more than ever we need the arts as stress relief, a way to communicate, and connect socially. Many of our members are working at the forefront of treatment, risking their lives for all of us daily. Putting this video performance together is a way for our members to take a break and reduce their own stress. And we hope the rest of the community will follow our prescription: The arts can be beneficial to your mental health during this stressful time.”