The UK College of Medicine Office for Organizational Well-Being is supporting a new program as part of its Arts for Well-Being in Academic Medicine initiative: the formation of a medical orchestra.
Designed to strengthen community and support individual wellness by bringing people together through collaborative music-making, the orchestra was envisioned as more than a musical ensemble. Its focus is on building social capital — the trust, collaboration, and relationships that help individuals and teams thrive.
By gathering medical students, faculty, staff, researchers, and health care professionals around a shared creative pursuit, the orchestra offers a rare opportunity to step outside daily roles and reconnect as people, not just professionals. Within months, the group has grown to more than 20 members, representing the College of Medicine, as well as the Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, Health Sciences, and Arts and Sciences.
At the center of the orchestra’s early success is conductor Nicoletta Moss, a third-year doctoral student in the UK College of Fine Arts School of Music. Moss brings both technical artistry and a community-minded approach to her leadership, guiding musicians of varied backgrounds and experience levels through rehearsals held twice a month. Under her direction, participants describe finding not only musical growth but also a reminder of why the arts matter in academic medicine.
“Nicoletta weaves together smiles, music, and friendship in every one-hour rehearsal,” said Renee Gallagher, MEd, who facilitates Arts for Well-Being in Academic Medicine programming within the Office for Organizational Well-Being. “Participants show up eager to collaborate and unwind with colleagues who understand both the pressures of working in medicine and the joy of returning to musical skills built over years of training.”
The group’s first performance on Nov. 13 brought that spirit to life. Positioned in a College of Medicine hallway during the noon class change, the orchestra sent music cascading through the building as nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff passed by. Their sound traveled down the corridor and even to the floor above, creating a moment of shared energy in an otherwise routine transition between classes. Members distributed flyers, welcomed curious listeners, and shared in the joy of their inaugural appearance.
This Friday, Dec. 12, the group will have its largest public performance to date in the UK Arts in HealthCare space in the lobby of the Albert B. Chandler Hospital. The performance will begin at 1 p.m. EST, and all members of the UK community are invited to attend.
“It’s remarkable to witness the caring and connection that emerge through shared artistic experiences,” shared Gallagher. “I’m hopeful we’ll continue to grow opportunities for participatory arts engagement for the learners, faculty, and staff of the UK College of Medicine in 2026.”
For the Office for Organizational Well-Being, the medical orchestra exemplifies what the arts can offer in health care settings: connection, humanization, and a pathway to improved trust and teamwork. And for the musicians themselves, it is a space to breathe — literally and figuratively — while creating something meaningful together.
Additional information about the Dec. 12 performance can be found here. For those interested in participating as members of the orchestra, please complete this interest form.