By: Daytin Inserra-Cunningham
OMAHA, Neb. – Since 2016, The Maverick Quartet, a group of string instrumentalists hailing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), have been using the power of music to transform the healthcare experience through their performances. Recently, the quartet found a new stage at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), where they have been providing a unique form of therapy to patients, visitors, and healthcare providers.
Maverick Quartet’s cello player, Gregory Clinton, shared that their music transcends boundaries and have the ability to touch the lives of all kinds of people, including those struggling with memory loss. “The adults, the dementia patients, you know they’ve lost so much memory, short-term memory, but then we’ll play something, and their faces will just light up because that’s something, you know, maybe from the distant past,” says Clinton, emphasizing the profound impact of their music.
Quartet member, Olga Smola conversing with visitor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center located in Omaha, NE. (Photo/Daytin Inserra-Cunningham)
Olga Smola, another member of the quartet, revealed that UNMC has plans for a research project in the spring. As part of this initiative, the quartet will play privately for patients with dementia, offering a unique opportunity to explore the therapeutic effects of music on memory and emotional well-being. Smola excitedly states, “The next stage of the project will be in February and March when we will have six in-person visits with patients with dementia, and we are so happy to do this again because since Covid this will be the first time when we finally will be able to see them again in person.”
The power of music as a therapeutic tool has gained recognition worldwide. According to the American Music Therapy Association, nearly 2 million people received music therapy sessions in 2020 during the pandemic. Music has long been known to have a positive impact on emotional and physical well-being, and the work of The Maverick Quartet is a testament to its enduring power.
Patients and visitors at UNMC have been enjoying the quartet’s performances just as much as the musicians themselves enjoy playing. An unidentified UNMC visitor expressed her appreciation, “This is just perfect, you know, hearing this music, and it’s just so soothing for the things people have to go through.”
The Maverick Quartet prepare to play a piece at the University of Nebraska Medical Center located in Omaha, NE. (Photo/Daytin Inserra-Cunningham)
The Maverick Quartet’s commitment to transforming the healthcare experience through music is both heartwarming and inspirational. They continue to play weekly at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, providing comfort, hope, and healing to all who have the privilege to listen.
