Local Artists To Bring Holiday Cheer To Hospital Patients And Families

The Marcus Performing Arts Center has created a program, "Sounds of Healing" that offers patients and healthcare staff a reprieve from the challenges of being in the hospital or working in the hospital during a global pandemic.

A group of talented, local professional artists were engaged and recorded holiday favorites in the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Vogel Hall to create a series of holiday concerts for Froedtert Health and Children's Wisconsin. These concerts will be made available to inpatients, their families and healthcare staff to enjoy on demand during the holiday season.

"This year, it is especially important to celebrate the holidays in unique ways and this program allows families to enjoy beautiful and uplifting holiday performances from a hospital room," said Maggie Butterfield, executive director of patient amenities & family services at Children's Wisconsin. "Thank you to the Marcus Performing Arts Center and all of the artists for putting this together."

The Marcus Center tapped four of Milwaukee's most talented local artists to share their talents. These concerts featuring Paul Helm, Rána Roman, Chris Crain and Cynthia Cobb showcasing their musical talents and passion to use music for healing.

"Early in the pandemic, we knew we needed to invest in technology to create and livestream high quality performing arts programming to present beyond our walls. These unique concerts are the Marcus Center's special gift to patients, their families and the hard-working staff at both hospitals," said Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President and CEO of the Marcus Center.

These professionally recorded concerts were created and specifically tailored to be presented at Children's Wisconsin and Froedtert Health. There are four different concerts that patients and staff can enjoy with their families from their hospital rooms. Patients can watch one or all four, once or as many times as they'd like during the holiday season.

"As we continue to fight COVID-19, beloved holiday traditions look different this year as we work to keep each other safe," said Andres Gonzalez, Froedtert Health vice president and chief diversity officer. "Enjoying performing arts is among those cherished traditions, and we're grateful to be able to offer the healing power of the arts to our workforce and inpatients."

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