Second-year medical student Kyle Rossi will rekindle his love of performing while simultaneously helping hardworking members of UMass Medical School/UMass Memorial Medical Center wind down at the end of the day. On Thursday, July 14, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., Rossi will perform along with David West, who works for UMass Memorial Information Systems, at the Music Café in the Faculty Conference Room on the Worcester campus. The Music Café is part of UMass Memorial’s program Caring Talents: Healing through Arts, which brings musicians and artists from the local community into the hospital to help create a healing, warm environment for patients, families and staff through the arts.

According to Crystal Swenson, who coordinates the Caring Talents program, the Music Café is intended to connect colleagues through music and to create an environment for staff to come together and relax. People are encouraged to enjoy light refreshments as they listen to their talented colleagues, and to come and go as they please during the 90-minute performance.

Rossi, who is on campus this summer doing research in the lab of Beth McCormick, PhD, professor of molecular genetics & microbiology, is still putting together his set list, but he said, “I'll be focusing on some laid back acoustic guitar-based music. I usually pre-record some backing tracks that I can play along with as well, to simulate a full-band experience as much as possible. I'm going to try to cover a wide span of genres from the Beatles to Outkast, and to play some songs that many people will recognize, but maybe in different styles than they are used to.

“I’m pretty excited to get back out in front of people and play music, because it's been a couple of years since I've had the opportunity,” added Rossi.

West, who currently plays guitar and sings with the local band Ed N DaVe with T, will play singer/songwriter material inspired by artists such as John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett and classic rock inspired by bands such as Crosby, Stills and Nash. “I got involved in Music Café through my association with Jeff Stevens [UMass Memorial HR],” said West. “In working with him on several projects we found ourselves having several mutual interests on the music front. He invited me to participate in the program and I’m excited to take part.” 

If you have musical talents that you’d like to share with patients, visitors and staff, send an email to Swenson at talentsearch@umassmemorial.org.

Related links on UMassMedNow:

Healing through the arts
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