Panelists Announced for Music & The Mind

Piedmont Opera and Novant Health Present Renée Fleming's Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts to Heal & Connect

Symposium and concert launch Piedmont Opera's 50th Anniversary Season

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Piedmont Opera, in partnership with Novant Health, will launch its 50th Anniversary Season with two extraordinary events featuring internationally acclaimed soprano and five-time Grammy Award winner Renée Fleming. Together, the events explore the transformative power of music to heal, inspire and connect while celebrating the intersection of the arts, science and community.

On Friday, September 18, at 5 p.m., Fleming will lead Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts to Heal & Connect at Hanes Auditorium on the campus of Salem Academy and College. Based on her groundbreaking anthology Music and Mind, the symposium examines the growing body of research demonstrating how music and the arts can support mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Joining Fleming will be a distinguished panel of experts, including:

• Dr. Venkata Chivukula, clinical physician executive, Novant Health Psychiatry Institute in the Triad Region

• Dr. Stephen Cockburn, neurologist, Novant Health Neurosciences Institute

• Dr. Steven Meadows, neurologist, Novant Health Neurosciences Institute

• Christine P. Leist, PhD, MT-BC, is Professor of Music Therapy and Associate Dean for Student and Faculty Success at Appalachian State University.

  
  

  Together, the panel will discuss the role of creativity in healthcare, brain health, aging, education and overall wellness, highlighting how artistic experiences can improve quality of life for individuals and communities alike.

  
  

  "At Novant Health, we believe creating a healthier future means caring for the whole person," said Alisha Hutchens, senior vice president and president of Novant Health’s Triad Region. "Music and the arts have a powerful ability to bring people together, support healing and strengthen emotional well-being. We are proud to partner with the Piedmont Opera to help spark a meaningful conversation about how the arts can improve health and enrich lives across our community."

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  "Renée Fleming is one of the most important artistic voices of our time," said Robin Miller, Chairman of Piedmont Opera’s Board of Directors. "To open our 50th Anniversary Season with programs that celebrate both artistic excellence and the profound impact of music on our lives reflects who we are as a company and what we hope to contribute to our community."

  
  

  The celebration continues Saturday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m., when Fleming returns to Hanes Auditorium for Voice of Nature—The Anthropocene, an immersive concert inspired by her acclaimed collaboration with National Geographic.

  Combining music, stunning imagery and storytelling, the performance explores humanity's relationship with the natural world while examining themes of environmental change, scientific discovery and our shared future. More than a traditional recital, the evening invites audiences to experience the intersection of art and science through one of the world's most celebrated voices.

  
  

  Both events will be held at Salem Academy and College, whose historic campus provides an inspiring setting for the opening of Piedmont Opera's milestone anniversary season. The partnership brings together two of Winston-Salem's leading cultural and educational institutions while reinforcing the city's longstanding commitment to innovation in the arts.

  
  

  Presented in partnership with Novant Health, Flow Automotive, Salem Academy and College, The Kimpton Cardinal, Windsor Jewelers and WFDD, the symposium and concert underscore a shared commitment to enriching lives through education, wellness and the arts.

  
  

  Tickets and additional information are available at PiedmontOpera.org or 336.725.7101.

  
  

  About Novant Health 

  Novant Health is an integrated network of more than 900 locations, including 21 hospitals, nearly 800 physician clinics and urgent care centers, outpatient facilities, and imaging and pharmacy services. This network supports a seamless and personalized healthcare experience for communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. Novant Health is nationally recognized for our unwavering commitment to safety and the highest quality care, and we serve as a catalyst for healthcare transformation through clinical trials, leading-edge research, innovative care delivery models and robust virtual care networks. The expertise and empathy of our nearly 44,000 team members along with more than 9,100 independent and employed clinicians are at the heart of Our Cause as industry leaders caring for communities across the Carolinas. In 2025, Novant Health provided more than $2.1 billion in community benefit, including financial assistance and services. 

   For more information, visit NovantHealth.org. Follow Novant Health on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. 

  
  

  About Piedmont Opera

  Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season, Piedmont Opera is one of the nation's leading regional opera companies, presenting world-class performances, innovative programming and educational initiatives that enrich the cultural life of Winston-Salem and the Piedmont Triad.

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