A discussion with Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor-at-Large Reneé Fleming as part of the Kennedy Center’s Arts and Wellness programming. The discussion will also feature Susan Magsamen, Francis S. Collins, Dr. Emmeline Edwards, and David Leventhal.

How can someone with advanced dementia, unable to recognize their own spouse, perfectly recall songs from their youth? Why can some patients with Parkinson’s disease, struggling to rise from a chair or walk through a doorway, easily accomplish these tasks, or even dance, to the sound of a musical beat? Music and arts therapies are proving to be effective tools for addressing the symptoms of a vast array of conditions, not only Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, but also cardiac failure, stroke, PTSD, chronic pain, and traumatic brain injuries. The Kennedy Center joins the NeuroArts Blueprint, an initiative of the Aspen Institute and Johns Hopkins Medicine, to present a series of in-depth discussions. about the potential of the arts to improve our health and well-being.