Drawing Strength From Music

Published:  
04/12/2022
Categories:  
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Music can play a powerful role in helping patients find strength and comfort both during and after treatment. In this episode, Dr. Raymond Liu, Director of Cancer Survivorship at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, and host of AIM’s podcast, “Beyond the Clinic: Living Well with Melanoma welcomes music therapist and leader of the Sylvester Survivorship Choir, Mary Adelyn Kauffman, DMA.

Mary provides Music Therapy for patients, staff, and caregivers as a part of the Cancer Support Services team at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and is collaborating with colleagues in multiple disciplines on projects exploring the effects of music performance and music listening on mental and physical wellness.

Mary Adelyn Kauffman, conductor, vocal coach, and pianist, studied at the University of Miami, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in Collaborative Piano. Upon completion of her studies, Dr. Kauffman was a young artist at the Greater Miami Opera and performed with the Miami City Ballet before moving to Europe. She spent nearly twenty years in Germany, conducting musical theater and opera in both private and public theaters. While in Germany, she worked extensively with both adult and youth choirs and instrumental ensembles, instructing and leading both amateur and professional singers and musicians.

An intense desire to find out just what it is about music that makes everyone feel so good led Dr.Kauffman back to Miami to pursue a master’s degree and board certification in Music Therapy, as well as completing Neurologic Music Therapy certification. She now provides Music Therapy for patients, staff, and caregivers as a part of the Cancer Support Services team at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and is collaborating with colleagues in multiple disciplines on projects exploring the effects of music performance and music listening on mental and physical wellness. Dr. Kauffman is active as a pianist, conductor, and vocal coach in the South Florida area.

Beyond the Clinic: Living Well With Melanoma is a twelve-series podcast hosted by Raymond LiuMD, Director of Cancer Survivorship for Kaiser Permanente San Francisco. For more information on our program, Beyond the Clinic: Living Well with Melanoma, and to find out about upcoming topics and guests, click here.