By Stacie Boyls | Arts & Life Writer
Flower Mound sophomore Leilani Hoang recently launched Healing Harmonies, a new Baylor student organization that connects student musicians with opportunities to perform in service of local Waco communities.
Like many young musicians, Hoang, a bioinformatics major on the pre-med track with a secondary in violin performance, grew up playing recitals. Over time, however, those performances evolved from routine events into something more meaningful — an opportunity to serve others through music.
The idea, Hoang said, grew from her own experiences serving her community through her musical talent, long before she arrived in Waco.
“So when I was a kid, I used to have to play recitals all the time,” Hoang said. “And I kind of hated it because first off, it’s a hassle trying to get friends and family to get there, but also just having to play for people you know, it’s really nerve-racking.”
That perspective shifted after her mom suggested a new avenue for performance.
“One day, my mom had this great idea,” Hoang said. “Instead of performing for just friends and family, why don’t we go to nursing homes? And so you get the performing experience, but you also get to give back to your community.”
For her entire adolescence, Hoang regularly performed at nursing homes.
Upon her arrival at Baylor, Hoang hoped to find a similar community; however, to her dismay, nothing quite like it existed. It wasn’t until an enlightening conversation with Dr. Eka Gogichashvili, associate professor of violin, that Hoang explored other opportunities.
“So when I got to Baylor, and there wasn’t anything like it,” Hoang said. “I started talking to Dr. Eka about maybe this is my semester project — submitting a proposal, getting together a constitution, picking out officers and advisors and kind of getting it all started.”
After months of planning, the organization was approved and officially launched this semester.
“It was a passion project of mine, something that had always been a part of my life,” Hoang said. “And I wanted to bring it to our community here in the School of Music at Baylor.”
Healing Harmonies welcomes musicians of all backgrounds and skill levels, including both music majors and those seeking ways to continue their musical involvement casually beyond high school.
For Denton sophomore Christian Cruz-Sotelo, joining the organization was an opportunity to share that passion with others.
“I wanted to join Healing Harmonies to spread music throughout Waco,” Cruz-Sotelo said. “Music helps brighten people’s lives, and with Healing Harmonies, I get to do that with my friends.”
Cruz-Sotelo serves as the organization’s secretary, managing attendance for meetings and performances and helping the group stay organized as it expands.
“My favorite part about Healing Harmonies is that everything is organized so that anyone who wants to join can do so easily,” Cruz-Sotelo said. “Our president, Leilani, takes care of many of the logistics so that the members only have to worry about showing up ready to play their music.”
Members can also collaborate to form ensembles for performances, not just solo work.
The group plans to perform throughout Waco, including nursing homes, retirement communities, and children’s programming through the Waco Public Library system.
“Our first performance is actually March 16 at 2 p.m.,” Hoang said. “It’s at Lynridge retirement facility and memory care.”
Participants can also expect to engage in a variety of musical genres.
“Most of the time it is going to be classical music because that’s what most of us are playing,” Hoang said. “But we are also open to worship music and even pop music.”
The organization hopes to expand its reach to children’s events and expose them to live music through recognizable tunes.
“When we do after-school programming for the kids, maybe we’ll do like a Disney day or maybe we’ll play along to a picture book,” Hoang said.
Prosper junior Luke DeMattia, the organization’s recruitment chair, said the group also focuses on expanding membership and outreach.
“I was inspired to join Healing Harmonies because it gives me the chance to share my own love of music with the Waco community,” DeMattia said.
As the recruitment chair, DeMattia manages the organization’s social media and new-member applications.
DeMattia said the organization’s mission reflects the power of music to improve people’s well-being.
“Music is proven to have major psychological and cognitive benefits to all age groups, and I believe that this organization will help ensure that everyone has access to them,” DeMattia said.
For Hoang, the heart of Healing Harmonies lies in the simple joy of sharing music with others.
“That’s one of the most important things about music,” Hoang said. “Just sharing the gift and the joy and seeing the look on people’s faces when you play that first note.”
Students interested in joining can apply through Baylor Connect or visit the organization’s Instagram page, @Healing_Harmonies_club.
“You should join Healing Harmonies if you love music and serving others,” DeMattia said. “There is space for everyone here, no matter what you study or your musical background.”
