Musicians鈥 Wellness Program (MWP)

Yoga with Matt Tomatz

Welcome to the Musicians鈥 Wellness Program (MWP) at the 黑料社区网 College of Music! The MWP supports the whole musician. Our holistic approach emphasizes prevention, balance and long-term well-being. Whether you鈥檙e 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鈥 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鈥攔estoring function, reducing pain and preventing re-injury with specialized care for musicians.
  • Somatic + movement training鈥攊mproving posture, alignment and body awareness to enhance performance and reduce strain.
  • Wellness + health education鈥攔esources on injury prevention, healthy practice habits, nutrition and lifestyle balance.
  • Mind-body practices鈥攊ncluding breathwork, mindfulness and stress management strategies to support resilience and focus.
  • Psychotherapy + counseling鈥攊ndividual and group sessions with an embedded therapist addressing performance anxiety, stress and mental health.
  • Medical + wellness referrals鈥攔esources and referrals to the 黑料社区网 Student Health Services and community professionals.
Private wellness sessions, injury screenings + physical therapy consultations with Emily Gee Drop-in open wellness-space hours hosted by Emily Gee Collaborations + student wellness events Mental health services Additional services + resources Courses
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 Gee directly at emily.gee@colorado.edu, 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 (S303) 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.听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.

鈥淢oving toward balance: Yoga + mindfulness for everyday life鈥 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

鈥淵oga for musicians鈥澨with Emily Gee
In collaboration with the Center for Teaching + Learning
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 4:40-5:45 p.m., S303

鈥Fueling your performance: A mindful approach to nutrition for musicians鈥澨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 MWP mission. Interested in partnering with us? Contact emily.gee@colorado.edu.

Counseling + Psychiatric Services听(颁础笔厂)听offers听confidential, on-campus听mental health and psychiatric听services听for a variety of听students鈥 needs. Registered听students听are eligible to work with CAPS听providers, including 24/7 phone听support.

Matthew Tomatz听is听the College of Music鈥檚听embedded psychotherapist from CAPS. He brings听extensive experience in听supporting听students听through a wide range of personal, academic, and music-related challenges.听Students听often听seek his听guidance as听they navigate the demands听of music听school, whether working through mental health concerns, personal听struggles, or music-specific issues听like performance anxiety, creative blocks, and other barriers听to听success. His听work helps听students听pursue both personal and artistic goals听by addressing practice and performance听strategies, motivation, procrastination, career development, attention and focus, mood, relationship dynamics,听skills听for peak performance, and more. For individual or group counseling, contact Matt听Tomatz听directly at听Matthew.Tomatz@colorado.edu听or through the CAPS听main office at 303-492-2277.

Meetings with Matt听provides听opportunities听for informal and confidential consultation in our wellness听space (S303). This听service is听free and open to听students, faculty听and听staff. Topics听of 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:听Wednesdays, 3:30-4:45听p.m. in听S303.

Developing the Whole Musician听with Matt听Tomatz听is听a unique learning environment and powerful group process. Participation helps听students听make important personal discoveries听while听supporting their growth as听musicians.听Questions? Contact Matt听Tomatz,听Matthew.Tomatz@colorado.edu.

Medical evaluations at 黑料社区网 Medical Services
Tracy Casault, John Breck听and Julie Jacobson-Weaver provide initial evaluations as well as referrals for diagnostic tests, physical therapy听and appointments with specialists as needed. If you do not have medical insurance through 黑料社区网, check with Medical Services听to learn whether听your medical insurance is accepted.

Physical therapy
黑料社区网 Medical Services offers a patient-centered approach to PT in which the specific needs of each student听guides the care provided. Any 黑料社区网 student can access 黑料社区网 PT services at Wardenburg. If you have the 黑料社区网 Gold plan, you do not need a physician referral; third-party insurance plans may need a referral (check with your provider).听PT is also available at the听听in 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.

: 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.听 Information of a medical nature is provided by PAMA; information regarding contextual issues in music programs, by NASM.

MUSC 2/5608:鈥嬏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. 听We will consider how to integrate wellness practices into teaching, pedagogy听and practice. Students will complete several projects related to their specific musical pursuits and interests and become musicians鈥 wellness ambassadors by finding ways of sharing wellness knowledge with the whole College of Music community.

Contact

Emily Gee
Director, Musicians鈥 Wellness Program
emily.gee@colorado.edu

About the Musicians鈥 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鈥 Wellness Program in the College of Music.

A conversation about musicians鈥 wellness

MWP Director James Brody and Artist in Residence听Edward Dusinberre, first violinist of our Tak谩cs Quartet, discuss the impact and benefits of somatic approaches to musicians鈥 physical functioning and overall wellness鈥攊ncluding valuable insights into posture, flexibility听and injury prevention through mind-body practices.