Well-Being Concerts
Have you ever heard a piece of music that puts your mind at ease and softens the rough edges of an aching soul? Or one that lifts you out of your chair and into movement? A song that brings you back to the joyful satisfaction of childhood?
The healing power of music is well documented. Research continues to affirm that music can reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and help us reconnect with ourselves and one another. At Zoellner Arts Center, we are proud to introduce Well-Being Concerts, a transformative concert experience inspired by a pioneering program from Carnegie Hall.
Imagine a concert that invites you to fully relax with no expectation to sit still or remain silent. Instead, you will find yourself onstage with the musicians, seated in a comfortable chair, resting on a cushion, or lying on a yoga mat. Guided by a facilitator/host (Khalid Taylor or Sara Jane Black), you will be gently led through mindfulness practices designed to open your senses and deepen your connection to the music.
BELIEVE IN THE ARTS
There are no phones. No formality. Just the freedom to experience the music in your own way.
After the performance, you will have the chance to share reflections with others in community and a space for connection, healing, and joy. These concerts are for everyone, and especially for those seeking a new kind of live experience. This is one rooted in care for the body, mind, and spirit.
This is not a concert to attend. It is a concert to feel. It is an experience that is for you.
We are deeply grateful to three Lehigh University alumni:
W. Beall Fowler ‘59 ‘85P ‘89P ‘16GP ‘F/S
Barbara and Harvey L. York ‘67 ‘94P ‘98P
Marcie and Glenn M. Yarnis ’80
Their belief in the transformative power of the arts helped bring The Lullaby Project and Well-Being Concerts to the Lehigh Valley. Their generous support and vision set the foundation for us to move this pilot from theory into practice, ensuring that families across our region have access to creative, healing experiences rooted in community care.
We invite you to join us as we reimagine what live music can be. Well-Being Concerts break down the walls between performer and audience, inviting you into a space of comfort, creativity, and shared presence. Join us.
Come. Breathe. Listen. Heal.
With gratitude,
Mark Fitzgerald Wilson Executive Director
Thanks to:
SEASON AT A GLANCE
Sphinx Virtuosi
Their Carnegie Hall performances are an established highlight of that venue’s fall season. The ensemble has garnered accolades from The New York Times that described the group as “...top-notch...more essential at this moment than ever...a vibrant, assured performance...”; and The Washington Post wrote “true to their name, the Sphinx Virtuosi call up the vision of an iconic mythological feline with its immeasurable power, unwavering command, and soulful beauty.”
Hispanic Center
WED OCT 1 11am
Sphinx Virtuosi is a dynamic and inspiring professional self-conducted chamber orchestra and serves as the flagship performing entity of the Sphinx Organization – the leading social justice non-profit dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Comprised of 18 accomplished Black and Latinx artists, Sphinx Virtuosi aims to evolve and transform the face of classical music through a rhythm of artistic excellence, pioneering programming, and impassioned community engagement. Select members of the Sphinx Virtuosi ensemble will be performing.
Anat Cohen
Baker Hall SAT JAN 24 4:00pm
Baker Hall SAT JAN 24 7:00pm
Ever charismatic, prolific and inspired, Grammy-nominated clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen has won hearts and minds the world over with her expressive virtuosity and delightful stage presence. The New York Times writes, “Ms. Cohen on the clarinet was a revelation. Using the clarinet’s upper register, she could evoke infectious joy. In the lower register, her playing could conjure a deep, soulful melancholy. On up-tempo numbers, her improvisations weren’t just bebop fast; they had a clarity and deep intelligence that is really quite rare. She made it look effortless, even as she was playing the most technically difficult of all the reed instruments… she took my breath away.”
Anat has been declared Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association every year since 2007 and has also been named the top clarinetist in both the readers and critics polls in DownBeat for multiple years running. That’s not to mention years of being named Rising Star in the soprano and tenor saxophone categories in DownBeat, as well as Jazz Artist of the Year. In 2009, ASCAP awarded Anat a Wall of Fame prize for composition and musicianship, among other honors. As The Chicago Tribune has said about Anat, “The lyric beauty of her tone, easy fluidity of her technique and extroverted manner of her delivery make this music accessible to all.”
Price $10
General Admission - Run time 60 min. approx.
Located on-stage, seating options: chair, mat, cushion
Post-Show Reflection - up to 60 min.
“Anat does what all authentic musicians do: She tells stories from her own experiences that are so deeply felt that they are very likely to connect listeners to their own dreams, desires and longings.”
Bridge & Wolak
TUE MAR 24 12:00pm
“Imaginative musical mastery, unorthodox arrangements and tight ensemble playing…”
- Whole Note Magazine
TUE MAR 24 6:00pm
Bridge & Wolak are a globe-trotting musical duo from Canada who create life-affirming concerts full of beauty, virtuosity and humour. Michael Bridge, accordion, and Kornel Wolak, clarinet (both also play piano), met over a decade ago and immediately established an artistic alliance based on the attraction of opposites: Wolak—intensely focussed with a world view infused with sardonic humour; Bridge—flexible and fearless with a playful wit. They share a love of classical, jazz and world music, a fascination with fusing genres and a passion for performance.
They’ve logged about 350,000 kilometres on the road—from Kraków to Quito, from France to Fargo, ND—about the same distance as a trip to the moon. Their concert offerings include a survey of musical hits from the 17th century to today, a program inspired by travel to the cosmos and a look at the outrageously scandalous behaviour of some of the greatest composers of all time.
Price $10 for Baker Hall Performance
General Admission - Run time 60 min. approx.
Located on-stage, seating options: chair, mat, cushion
Post-Show Reflection - up to 60 min.
*DaVinci Science Center 6pm
815 W. Hamilton Street Allentown, PA
For tickets go to www.davincisciencecenter.org
Joshua Roman
WED MAY 6 12:00pm Fowler Black
THU MAY 7 4:00pm*
Committed to bringing classical music to new audiences, Roman opened the acclaimed 2017 TED Conference — and his performance of the complete Bach Cello Suites after the 2016 U.S. presidential election was the most-viewed event in the history of TED’s social channels, with nearly a million live viewers. Roman has collaborated with world-class artists across genres and disciplines, including Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, DJ Spooky, Tonywinner/MacArthur Genius Bill T. Jones, GRAMMY®-winning East African vocalist Somi, and Tony-nominated actor Anna Deavere Smith. Fowler Black
Joshua Roman is a cello soloist and composer, hailed for his “effortlessly expressive tone… and playful zest for exploration” (The New York Times), as well as his “extraordinary technical and musical gifts” and “blend of precision and almost improvisatory freedom… that goes straight to the heart” (The San Francisco Chronicle). His genre-bending programs and wide-ranging collaborations have grown out of an “enthusiasm for musical evolution that is as contagious as his love for the classics” (The Seattle Times).
Price $10
General Admission - Run time 60 min. approx.
Located on-stage, seating options: chair, mat, cushion
Post-Show Reflection - up to 60 min.
*The 4pm concert is part of the 118th Bethlehem Bach Festival.
“…a cellist of bold character and poetic grace…a masterful player who brings curiosity and electrical energy to every note.“
- The Plain Dealer
Box
Box
Pipo Romero
THU MAY 28 12:00pm
THU MAY 28 5:00pm
LVACA Conference
Fowler Black Box
FRI MAY 29 12:00pm & 5:00pm
Fowler Black Box
Pipo Romero is a composer and guitarist from Cádiz who has captivated the international scene with his innovative “Spanish Acoustic Fingerstyle.” His music blends influences from flamenco, world music, and folk traditions from various cultures, creating a unique sound praised by critics and audiences alike. His compositions offer a rich and emotional experience that transcends cultural boundaries, establishing him as one of the most innovative figures in the acoustic guitar world.
He already did when he released his first album, “Folklórico,” in 2017, which went straight to number 10 in the top 20 of the World Music Charts Europe. This led him to present his work all over the country, starring in El País’s “Los Matinales” in Madrid, being part of the Barcelona Guitar Festival lineup, as well as crossing different seas to offer recitals in Canada, London, Berlin, etc. And being chosen as an ambassador for brands such as Greenfield guitars, D’addario, Alpha case, and Lars pickups.
With a career spanning over a decade, Pipo has performed in some of the most prestigious venues worldwide, including Lincoln Center (New York), Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), WMFT@Taiwan, Folk Alliance International, SXSW or Adriatico Mediterraneo Festival in Italy. His ability to bridge traditional Spanish music with contemporary folk elements has made him a standout performer in both world and instrumental music circuits.
Price $10
General Admission - Run time 60 min. approx.
Located on-stage, seating options: chair, mat, cushion
Post-Show Reflection - up to 60 min.
LULLABY PROJECT THE
Another exciting arts and wellness project!
At Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center, we have been engaged in broader conversations about Arts & Wellness with healthcare providers, educators, and community organizations across the Lehigh Valley. The Lullaby Project directly supports the shared goal of using the arts to foster healing, connection, and well-being—especially for those who have traditionally had limited access to support services.
The Lullaby Project, a project of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, pairs new and expecting parents and caregivers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting parental health, aiding childhood development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child. In New York City, the Lullaby Project reaches parents in healthcare, social service, and justice settings. Extending across the country and around the world, the Lullaby Project enables partner organizations to support families in their own communities.
Our focus is on creating stronger systems of care for mothers who often fall outside the reach of services routinely available in wealthier communities. The Lullaby Project is a trusted program from Carnegie Hall that nurtures emotional connection, supports early childhood development, and provides a creative and therapeutic outlet for caregivers navigating the challenges of early parenthood.
WELL-BEING CONCERTS & THE LULLABY PROJECT
COLLABORATORS & SUPPORTERS
This project will bring together several trusted organizations to work with Zoellner Arts Center in order to create a supportive, creative ecosystem for expectant and new parents:
Lehigh Valley Health Network will identify expectant mothers through its clinics and hospital network, providing essential healthcare context and helping us connect with families who might not otherwise have access to creative support.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, a trusted voice for families in our region, will help elevate awareness and build relationships with local mothers.
Mindful Child Initiative, provides high-quality mindfulness programs to promote the mental and emotional health of children, and the adults who support them. What began as a modest after-school yoga program has since expanded significantly to address the growing mental health crisis among youth.
Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, a long-standing champion of arts, education, and youth development in the Lehigh Valley, will help ensure the Lullaby Project reaches families who have historically lacked access to culturally enriching and healing experiences.
Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, promotes philanthropy in order to improve the quality of life in our region, encourage collaboration among area philanthropists, and serve as a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving.
Resurrected Life Church, located in the heart of the community we seek to reach, will serve as a consistent and welcoming host site—ensuring that families have a trusted and accessible space to gather.
Lehigh University College of Health, we work to prevent disease and suffering by integrating diverse fields of study, prioritizing real-world impact, and educating our students through experience.
Lehigh University College of Education, offers premier graduate-level programs focused on innovative research, interdisciplinary applications, evidence-based practices, and partnerships at the local, national and international level.
Executive Director email: mawa20@lehigh.edu
Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University
Well-Being Concerts