The Mental Health Awareness Expo and Concert, organized by the URI Music Therapy Club, was held from 4:30 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Fine Arts Center.
The event, which also served as a fundraiser for the Music Therapy Club, aimed to educate and involve the community by sharing valuable insights on mental health and highlighting the latest research in music therapy, according to Allison Campbell, a senior music therapy major at URI.
The expo featured a variety of mini-presentations covering topics such as lyric analysis and songwriting.
Music therapy has been instrumental in providing support to individuals in numerous ways, addressing both their emotional and physical needs, according to Campbell.
“Music therapy was established since the end of World War II, and then just sort of progressed from there,” Campbell said. “It’s using music as a motivator to reach non-musical goals, and that can be physical and emotional, is definitely a big one in mental health.”
Panel discussions and live demonstrations revealed a key theme: music’s true power lies in its ability to express what words often cannot, according to Campbell. For many, music is more than sound; it is essential for survival.
“I think sometimes these lyrics can say things people don’t know how to say,” Campbell said. “There’s a song out there. It’s exactly what you feel. I think everyone has that sort of song.”
To close out the exposition, 11 students in the Music Therapy Club performed on stage, presenting an individual musical piece. Each student described a brief reflection on the connection between their chosen piece and mental health.
For students in the program, the concert represented more than a performance but rather an opportunity to demonstrate how music can be used to support mental health, according to Campbell. While the work behind the scenes is demanding, those involved say the impact makes the effort worthwhile.
“I just love this program,” Campbell said. “It’s very hard, but it’s very rewarding for the work that we’re doing.”
For more information on upcoming events and concerts held by the music therapy club, follow their Instagram @urimusictherapyclub.
