For the past eight decades, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera has been bringing music into schools and communities all across Utah.
Since 2023, their new program, Mindful Music Moments, has inspired calm and reflection for Utah’s students in their classrooms.
The web-based application provides schools and classrooms with 40+ weeks of Spanish and English-speaking curriculum.
Each lesson last 3 -5 minutes, providing mindfulness exercises interwoven with orchestral and operatic music.
Ben Kipp, Vice President of Education & Community Engagement at Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, says this year they are in 50 different schools and classrooms.
He explains that the program is intended to give students, teachers and administrators an opportunity to reconnect themselves, feel grounded in the moment and give them tools that allow them to respond, not react to an emotional situation.
Andrea Garry with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah says throughout history there's been a strong connection between music, creativity and mental-well being.
She explained that many Utahns were heavily impacted by the pandemic, espeically their mental well-being.
This is one reason why Regence is working to improve mental health and that includes supporting community events with the same goal.
