On a Positive Note

Acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming has performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, performing in operas, concerts, theater, and films. But now, the five-time Grammy Award winner is using her voice to help improve our wellbeing. In her new book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, Renee has curated a collection of essays from leading scientists, artists, musicians, creative arts therapists, educators, and healthcare providers about the powerful impact of music and the arts on health and the human experience. She’s here to discuss how this project came about and why she is so committed to sharing this message. In this episode, you'll learn: What compelled Renee to advocate for the arts as a healing tool. How following the Neuroarts Blueprint can improve your mental health. What Renee considers to be some of the music’s “best-kept secrets.” Discover Renee’s Music and Mind streaming series. Learn more about the Neuroarts Blueprint. Visit Renee online. Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Follow One Mind on social media: Instagram: @reneeflemingmusic Facebook: @ReneeFlemingMusic YouTube: @ReneeFlemingTV X: @ReneeFleming Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Music can be a powerful tool for improving mental health, and in this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Brandon Staglin, co-founder and president of One Mind, a mental health nonprofit organization committed to improving brain health by supporting research and providing resources. Central to their mission is music, which Brandon explains has been an incredible healing tool in his own struggle with mental illness. In this episode, you'll learn: Why One Mind was created. How Brandon uses music for healing and connection in his own life. How to be part of this year’s One Mind Music Festival for Brain Health. Visit their website. Learn more about the One Mind Music Festival. Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Follow One Mind on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onemindorg/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/OneMindOrg/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/OneMindOrg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCppDapOO0TNjRjUYNEjJEJQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onemind/ Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Music has the power to help us heal, and that’s why one Musicians on Call delivers music where it might be needed most: the hospital. This volunteer organization connects musicians with hospitals to provide live and recorded music to patients. In this episode, host Paula Felps is joined by Katy Epley, executive vice president at Musicians on Call, to learn how this program came about and how it has changed the lives of both patients and the musicians who perform for them. In this episode, you'll learn: The physical, emotional, and mental benefits of experiencing live music in a hospital setting. How this program has changed the landscape for accessing live music in the hospital. How to get involved with Musicians on Call. Links and Resources Visit their website. Sign up as a volunteer here. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiciansoncall Twitter: https://twitter.com/musiciansoncall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansoncall TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@musiciansoncallorg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/musiciansoncall/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@musiciansoncall Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

The holidays are here, which means we’ve been filling our ears with the sounds of the season. As we hit the final stretch, host Paula Felps sits down with Jasper Smith of the popular a capella group Straight No Chaser. Since being discovered on YouTube, this group has become an international sensation and has become part of a holiday tradition for many. In this episode, you'll learn: How a 10-year-old video from college launched the band’s career. Why Straight No Chaser has become synonymous with the holiday season. Why the band loves delivering happiness for the holidays. Links and Resources Website: https://sncmusic.com/ Twitter: @sncmusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StraightNoChaser Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sncmusic/ Listen on Spotify Watch the video for “A Long December” Follow the band on YouTube Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Sound frequencies can change not only our mental state, but change how we feel physically, too. Laura Widney first began using sound frequencies to help her wellness clients manage stress and anxiety. As she learned its many applications, she became chief innovation officer of Soaak, a company that offers sound therapy on the go. In this episode, she talks about how we all can use sound frequencies to boost our energy, enhance our focus, and improve our overall sense of well-being. In this episode, you'll learn: How different sound frequencies affect our physical and mental health. Why sound is so effective at changing how we feel. How to use sound as part of a daily wellness practice. Links and Resources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailysoaak Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/DailySoaak Website: https://www.soaak.com/ Special offer: Enjoy the Soaak mobile app free for 30 days by entering the code LHN30 Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

We are now back in school, and this week’s guest is going to be everyone’s favorite science teacher! In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Marsha Goodman, a cognitive neuroscientist turned popular children’s singer, songwriter and recording artist who performs under the name Marsha and the Positrons. As the name implies, her music is imbued with positivity and teaches listeners about things like kindness, friendship, and taking care of the planet and the people who live on it. She also throws some science in there and makes learning as fun and easy as listening to a song. In this episode, you'll learn: How she went from being a cognitive neuroscientist to becoming a popular children’s artist. Why she wanted to use her music to spread positive social messages. What to expect from her new album, “Energetic.” Links and Resources Instagram: @marshaandthepositrons  Facebook: Marsha and the Positrons Watch music videos, interviews and live performances on their YouTube channel. Discover the Marsha and the Positrons Spotify playlist here. Check out merch including t-shirts and music here. Win Free Music!! Enter to win our back-to-school prize pack that includes all three Marsha and the Positrons CDs, signed and personalized by Marsha herself, plus some other Marsha and the Positrons swag and a few gifts from Live Happy. Enter on our Instagram page, @mylivehappy Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

We know that listening to music can help heal our hearts, but what can it do for the songwriter? In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Morgan James, a singer and songwriter who has appeared on Broadway stages and with symphony orchestras in addition to writing and recording her own music. While working on her latest album, she and Doug Wamble — her husband and cowriter —were grappling with the devastating illnesses of dear friends. Morgan explains how they put the tangled emotions of uncertainty, grief and loss into a song called I’ll Be Holding On, which also has become the album’s video centerpiece. In this episode, you'll learn: How songwriting helps her process difficult emotions. Why it was so important to write about the grief she was experiencing. How performing songs helps her work through challenging situations. Links and Resources Facebook: @MorganJamesOnline Instagram: @morganajames YouTube: @morganjamesonline Watch “I’ll Be Holding On” here. Listen to Morgan’s album Nobody’s Fool here. Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Recording artist gnash has made mental health a central part of his music, delivering messages through music that might be difficult to talk about in conversation. As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month in May, it’s the perfect time to talk to gnash about his latest album, The Art of Letting Go, which is a journey through the tumultuous emotions brought on by the pandemic. In this episode, you’ll hear how making this album helped save his life during the pandemic and what he hopes we all take away from it. In this episode, you'll learn: How The Art of Letting Go developed during the pandemic. Why he shares breathing exercises with his audience when he’s on stage. How he uses music, movement, and meditation to manage anxiety and worry. Links and Resources Instagram: @gnash Twitter: @gnash TikTok: @gnash Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

Death is inevitable, but as with many things in life, music can change how people experience the journey. That’s the idea behind Threshold Choirs — an international movement in which a trio sings healing and comforting songs for people who are nearing the end of life. In this episode, Jan Stanley, a long-time Threshold Choir member, explains how sharing songs at this uncertain time not only brings comfort to the dying and their family members, but can be transformational for the singers as well. In this episode, you'll learn: What a Threshold Choir is and how they began. How music provides such comfort to those who are ill and dying. How being part of a Threshold Choir can impact members. Links and Resources Website: https://thresholdchoir.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-stanley-28a40420/ Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           

When acclaimed jazz vocalist Allegra Levy became a parent, she began noticing that the lyrics of classic children’s songs didn’t fit in today’s world of equity and inclusion. As a mother, she was concerned about what messages children were getting from the music and as a musician, she didn’t want to raise her child with songs that had been musically “dumbed down.” So she began writing her own jazz-tinged children’s music with a positive spin on mental well-being. The result is a new album, Songs for You and Me, and in this episode she talks about the importance of experiencing music as a family. In this episode, you'll learn: How the pandemic inspired her to rethink children’s music. Why children need to hear more inclusive music. What parents can do to use music as a tool for learning and creativity. Links and Resources Facebook: @allegralevyjazz Instagram: @allegrameanshappy Twitter: @allegralevyjazz Website: allegralevy.com Watch her music videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkARZY3yGoo Follow along with this episode's transcript by clicking here. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places: