Shenandoah Conservatory has been awarded a $5,000 Community Impact Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts to support the launch of its innovative Well-Being Concert series, a new initiative that harnesses the power of live music to promote reflection, mindfulness and human connection. The grant supports the inaugural season of the series during the 2026/27 academic year.

Created in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, the Well-Being Concert series reimagines the traditional concert experience as a space for reflection, mindfulness and human connection. These intimate, hour-long events combine live music with guided mindfulness practices, inviting audiences to slow down, listen deeply and engage with music in meaningful ways. Rooted in growing research on the relationship between music and well-being, the series encourages participants to experience music not simply as entertainment, but as a source of renewal, resilience and shared understanding.

Hosted by well-being facilitator Jess Bertin, whose work will center on mindfulness, guided reflection and creating spaces for meaningful human connection, the inaugural series will feature four performances in Goodson Chapel – Recital Hall by Shenandoah Conservatory faculty and internationally acclaimed guest artists. The season includes Associate Professor of Guitar Colin Davin, M.M., (Wednesday, Oct. 7); The Naghash Ensemble (Tuesday, Nov. 10), mezzo-soprano Devony Smith with pianist Danny Zelibor (Tuesday, March 2), and Assistant Professor of Percussion Karlyn Viña, D.M.A., (Wednesday, April 7). Following each concert, audiences are invited to gather for light refreshments and conversation, extending the spirit of reflection and connection beyond the performance.

“Music has an extraordinary ability to bring people together and create space for reflection,” said Executive Director of Performances & Engagement Courtney Reilly ’18, M.S. “Through this series, we are creating welcoming experiences that invite people to slow down, listen deeply and reconnect — with themselves, with one another and with the transformative power of live performance. We are deeply grateful to Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute for their partnership and to the Virginia Commission for the Arts for investing in this vision and helping us expand the ways the arts can serve our community.”

The Virginia Commission for the Arts Community Impact Grant recognizes projects that strengthen communities through meaningful artistic engagement. As part of Shenandoah Conservatory’s Breaking New Ground season, the Well-Being Concert series reflects the conservatory’s commitment to reimagining how the performing arts can serve communities — expanding access to transformative artistic experiences while fostering health, connection and belonging.

Reservations for the Well-Being Concert Series are now available at conservatoryperforms.org. Admission is offered through a pay-what-you-can model, allowing patrons to choose the ticket price that best fits their budget. While walk-ins are welcome as space permits, reservations are strongly recommended.