Musicians’ Wellness Program (MWP)

Musicians' Wellness students in semi-circle listening to professor explanation

Welcome to the Musicians’ Wellness Program (MWP) at the 51Թ College of Music! The MWP supports the whole musician. Our holistic approach emphasizes prevention, balance, and long-term wellbeing. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing stress, looking to build healthy habits, or discover news ways to approach music making, the MWP provides guidance and support so you can perform, learn, and live at your best.

Our mission

  • Promote health and wellness practices and education throughout the College of Music
  • Prevent the occurrence of musicians’ occupational health disorders including physical, psychological and auditory health issues
  • Educate about health and safety practices, practical wellness tools and evidence-based injury prevention strategies and resources
  • Collaborate with students and faculty to share knowledge, meet needs, and co-create an environment that fosters sustainable and healthy musical practices

Our offerings

  • Physical therapy + injury prevention—restoring function, reducing pain, and preventing re-injury with specialized care for musicians.
  • Somatic + movement training—improving posture, alignment, and body awareness to enhance performance and reduce strain.
  • Wellness + health education—resources on injury prevention, healthy practice habits, nutrition, and lifestyle balance.
  • Mind-body practices—including breathwork, mindfulness, and stress management strategies to support resilience and focus.
  • Psychotherapy + counseling—individual and group sessions with an embedded therapist addressing performance anxiety, stress, and mental health.
  • Medical + wellness referrals—resources and referrals to the 51Թ Student Health Services and community professionals
Private wellness sessions, injury screenings + physical therapy consultations with Emily Gee

Emily Gee is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board certified orthopedic clinical specialist with a background in music and extensive experience working with student and professional musicians. She offers one-on-one sessions for students interested in wellness practices, seeking mind-body injury prevention strategies, or managing pain and injuries related to their musical practice. To schedule a private session, you may contact Emily directly or ask your teacher to arrange a consultation during your lesson for a collaborative approach.

Fall 2025 semester private session times:

  • Tuesdays: 1-4 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 1-3 p.m.

Come use the wellness space for gentle movement, stretching, yoga, breathing and more! This is drop-in time to ask questions, use the space, learn some new wellness practices, and/ or practice old tried and true methods. Some of these times will be used for MWP student events.

  • Tuesdays: 5-6:30 p.m.
  • Thursdays: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

“Moving towards Balance: Yoga and Mindfulness for everyday life” with Emily Gee and Matt Tomatz
In collaboration with the College of Music Student Government Association
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 5-6:30 p.m., S303

“Yoga for Musicians”with Emily Gee
In collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 4:40-5:45 p.m., S303

“ Fueling Your Performance: A Mindful Approach to Nutrition for Musicians”with Dietician Anna Repplinger
In collaboration with the College of Music Student Government Association
Thursday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., S303

The MWP is excited to collaborate with students and faculty to provide health promotion and wellness events that support the MWPs mission. Interested in partnering with us? Contact emily.gee@colorado.edu.

Counseling + Psychiatric Services(䴡ʳ)offersconfidential, on-campusmental health and psychiatricservicesfor a variety ofstudents’ needs. Registeredstudentsare eligible to work with CAPSproviders, including 24/7 phonesupport.

Matthew Tomatzisthe College of Music’sembedded psychotherapist from CAPS. He bringsextensive experience insupportingstudentsthrough a wide range of personal, academic, and music-related challenges.Studentsoftenseek hisguidance asthey navigate the demandsof musicschool, whether working through mental health concerns, personalstruggles, or music-specific issueslike performance anxiety, creative blocks, and other barrierstosuccess. Hiswork helpsstudentspursue both personal and artistic goalsby addressing practice and performancestrategies, motivation, procrastination, career development, attention and focus, mood, relationship dynamics,skillsfor peak performance, and more. For individual or group counseling, contact MattTomatzdirectly atMatthew.Tomatz@colorado.eduor through the CAPSmain office at 303-492-2277.

Meetings with Mattprovidesopportunitiesfor informal and confidential consultation in our wellnessspace (S303). Thisservice isfree and open tostudents, facultyandstaff. Topicsof conversation could be related to performance, time management, procrastination, how life and performance intersect, getting through the year, making choices, learning about therapy ... or just to talk:Wednesdays, 3:30-4:45p.m. inS303.

Developing the Whole Musicianwith MattTomatzisa unique learning environment and powerful group process. Participation helpsstudentsmake important personal discoverieswhilesupporting their growth asmusicians.Questions? Contact MattTomatz,Matthew.Tomatz@colorado.edu.

Medical evaluations at 51Թ Medical Services
Tracy Casault, John Breckand Julie Jacobson-Weaver provide initial evaluations as well as referrals for diagnostic tests, physical therapyand appointments with specialists as needed. If you do not have medical insurance through 51Թ, check with Medical Servicesto learn whetheryour medical insurance is accepted.

Physical therapy
51Թ Medical Services offers a patient-centered approach to PT in which the specific needs of each studentguides the care provided. Any 51Թ student can access 51Թ PT services at Wardenburg. If you have the 51Թ Gold plan, you do not need a physician referral; third-party insurance plans may need a referral (check with your provider).PT is also available at thein the Champions Center/Stadium.

Speech, language + hearing clinic
Take care of your hearing! Students can get a basic hearing test at no cost. Hearing protection specifically designed for musicians is available at below-market cost.

University resources

Community resources

Supplemental materials


Published by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). This is a comprehensive overview of hearing health issues for postsecondary schools and departments of music. Information of a medical nature is provided by PAMA; information regarding contextual issues in music programs, by NASM.

Links above to community healthcare providers who have expertise in a particular area do not imply or intend endorsement or recommendation of any particular provider, individual practitioner or modality by the 51Թ College of Music or the college’s Musicians’ Wellness Program. Rather, this information is provided as a service to seeking solutions to wellness issues.

MUSC 2/5608:​Wellness for Musicians 1

This course is designed to introduce holistic wellness knowledge, techniques and practical tools to prevent music related occupational health issues, improve understanding of health and wellness in relation to being a music student, and to help form safe, healthy and sustainable practices as humans and musicians. Topics include functional anatomy, mindfulness, functional exercise, body awareness and more. You will leave this course with your own personal wellness plan to help support your musical career!

MUSC 4608/MUSC 5808: Wellness for Musicians 2

This course develops and further integrates material covered in Wellness for Musicians.1. Dive deeper into topics of functional anatomy, body awareness, mindfulness, and movement mechanics and how to apply this knowledge to your own musical practice. We will consider how to integrate wellness practices into teaching, pedagogyand practice. Students will complete several projects related to their specific musical pursuits and interests and become musicians’ wellness ambassadors by finding ways of sharing wellness knowledge with the whole College of Music community.

Contact

Emily Gee
Director, Musicians’ Wellness Program
emily.gee@colorado.edu
303-735-7124
, S303

About the Musicians’ Wellness Program (MWP)

In this video, explore different aspects of the program, meet MWP Founder + Director James Brody and hear from student participants.

Promoting peak performance, mental health

MWP Director James Brody and Matthew Tomatz, embedded team manager and therapist, discuss their roles and the role of the Musicians’ Wellness Program in the College of Music.

A conversation about musicians’ wellness

MWP Director James Brody and Artist in ResidenceEdward Dusinberre, first violinist of our Takács Quartet, discuss the impact and benefits of somatic approaches to musicians’ physical functioning and overall wellness—including valuable insights into posture, flexibilityand injury prevention through mind-body practices.