Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Presents Music and Mind: A Conversation on the Healing Power of the Arts Featuring Renée Fleming
Free community event on January 10 to feature leading researchers in music, neuroscience, and well-being
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, is proud to present Music and Mind: A Conversation About the Healing Power of the Arts on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 10 a.m. in the Student Center Ballroom on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. This free community event brings together internationally acclaimed artist and health advocate, Renée Fleming, and a distinguished panel of experts to explore the powerful connections between music, brain health, and human well-being.
Inspired by Fleming’s anthology, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, attendees will learn how music shapes cognition, supports neurological development, enhances mental health, and opens new pathways for healing. Following the discussion, attendees are invited to stay for a book signing with Fleming. This event was made possible by the JKB Family Fund.
Featured panelists include:
Renée Fleming, world-renowned soprano, arts-health advocate, and founder of Music and Mind. Read her bio.
Dr. Jennifer Bugos, professor of Music Education at the University of South Florida and director of the NEA-funded CALM Lab (Cognition and Coordination in Music Across the Lifespan). Read her bio.
Dr. Jim Schumacher, neurosurgeon, musician, and research associate at Harvard Medical School. Read his bio.
Dr. Kevin Spencer, award-winning performing artist, educator, researcher, and leading authority on the therapeutic benefits of magic and creative arts interventions. Read his bio.
“Music has a profound ability to reach us in ways words alone cannot,” said Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, CEO of Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. “We’re grateful to collaborate with USF Sarasota-Manatee and host a panel of world-renowned leaders who are advancing groundbreaking research at the intersection of arts and neuroscience. Their insights help us better understand and celebrate the extraordinary ways the arts enrich our lives.”
For more information, or to reserve your free tickets, visit https://bit.ly/MusicAndMind.
Those interested in purchasing Fleming’s anthology, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, prior to the event may do so through Bookstore1Sarasota. Book signing with Renée Fleming to follow the discussion.
About Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s mission is to create and sustain a vibrant performing arts center, advance education, and enrich communities by inspiring minds through the power of the arts. Since 1987, the Foundation has partnered with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to bring arts education to more than 40,000 students annually across five counties. Today, the Foundation continues this commitment while leading the vision for a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center in partnership with the City of Sarasota, the Bay Park Conservancy, and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. PerformingArtsFoundation.org
About University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.