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Colorado Symphony Blog

2024 DaVita Day of Music Recap

October 10, 2024

2024 DaVita Day of Music Recap

Music’s ability to evoke extraordinarily rich emotions — from happiness to melancholy, and laughter to tears — is at the core of the Colorado Symphony’s mission to bring the transformative power of music to audiences throughout the community. It was with that purpose in mind that musicians from the Colorado Symphony and the Denver Young Artists Orchestra took part in the fourth DaVita Day of Music on October 8. Started in 2018 and interrupted only by a brief COVID-19 related hiatus, the event has become an annual tradition for the Colorado Symphony.  

Featuring pop-up concerts at 17 DaVita Dialysis centers throughout Colorado, the event brought 21 musicians and 17 hours of symphonic music to over 400 patients undergoing treatment for kidney disease as well as 150 DaVita employees at the clinics. 

Solo and small ensemble groups visited clinics in Denver, Aurora, Lowry, Montbello, Westminster, Englewood, Boulder, Longmont, Castle Rock, Brighton, Commerce City, Lakewood, Littleton, Parker, Thornton, and Arvada throughout the day, spreading peaceful, soothing symphonic music to the grateful onlookers.  

“Of course, we love performing for audiences in Boettcher Concert Hall, but playing for the patients at the DaVita Day of Music was a powerful reminder of the healing force of music,” said Nick Tisherman, Assistant Principal Oboe. “It’s moments like these that show us how deeply music can resonate beyond the stage, offering comfort and connection in the most personal of ways.” 

According to a study by UCLA Health, for patients on dialysis, the use of music therapy may positively impact quality of life for those on dialysis. In addition, the research shows that music therapy helps with anxiety and pain management, supports emotional wellbeing and optimization of hemodynamic measures, like blood pressure and heart rate. 

Today, there are nearly 660,000 individuals living in the United States that have been diagnosed with end stage renal disease.  Of those, approximately 460,000 people are currently on dialysis, a treatment which replaces total kidney function. Dialysis patients typically undergo treatment 3 times per week which last between 3-4 hours each.  

The process is often exhausting for patients and many elect to sleep or watch videos during their treatment. But spirits were visibly lifted as the patients listened, enthralled by the live musical performances before them. Many even spent time engaging with the musicians thereafter, sharing stories and voicing their appreciation for the event.  

“It was a powerful experience to connect with the patients and to see our music brighten their experience in the clinic,” added Tisherman. “Being able to share our art in this way reminds me why we do what we do—it’s about bringing joy and comfort to people, especially when they need it most.” 

Participating Colorado Symphony musicians included violinists Dmitri Pogorelov, Megan Prokes, Anne-Marie Hoffman, Paul Primus, Slava Bartels, Delcho Tenev, Annamaria Vasmatzidis, Dorian Kincaid, violists Mary Cowell, Helen McDermott, Phillip Stevens, cellist Danielle Guideri, Principal Flute Brook Ferguson, 2nd/Assistant Principal Oboe Nick Tisherman, oboist Jason Lichtenwalter, and bassoonist Roger Soren