Joyce Elkus and Zac Greenberg co-founded Musicians for Health in 2012 to explore therapeutic music and help cure disease through awareness, fundraising and sound. 

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Greenberg composed a four movement piece titled “Unexpected Journey,” which interprets cancer in four stages: Life, Diagnosis, Treatment and Beyond. Greenberg recorded “Unexpected Journey” live at The Redmoor in Mt. Lookout during a fundraiser for the UC Health Barrett Cancer Center at the University of Cincinnati.

 

Musicians for Health also focuses on the development of music for individual patients of all ages and illnesses through “Healing Sounds,” a discussion between top professionals in the music and medical fields about sustainability and accessibility for music therapy to medical patients. Greenberg began Healing Sounds in 2016. Healing Sounds will bring therapeutic music to various settings from hospitals to health care facilities.

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Zac spoke at the Fifth Annual Music & Medicine Conference in Cincinnati. Zac shared the differences between therapy and therapeutic music. He also updated about how Musicians for Health helps provide music and art therapy in unobtrusive ways to patients. Co-presenting with Greenberg was Julie Sunderland, director of education at the Cincinnati Ballet. The Cincinnati Ballet danced to Greenberg’s “Unexpected Journey: Movement 1.”  View a photo from the event: at http://local.cincinnati.com/share/photo/287767. 

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Zac's “Healing Sounds” is being played in the meditation room of Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati, as well as the New York Hope Cancer Center.

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Meet our amazing board members!

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Joyce Elkus/President: Among Elkus’ many accomplishments, she taught second grade, authored several books, and pursued a life of philanthropy. For twenty-three years, Elkus was Director of Cincinnati Saks Fifth Avenue Club.  After retiring, Elkus founded the non-profit organizations Armed Forces Tickets Association (AFTA) and Musicians for Health.

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Prof. Kelli Jette/Secretary: Kelli M. Jette is the program coordinator and assistant professor of Human Development and Community Engagement at U.C., where she has taught undergraduate courses for nearly a decade. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the College of Mt. St. Joseph in 2006. She completed her master’s degree in special education from Xavier University in 2007 and her Ph.D in Educational Studies from the University of Cincinnati in 2012.

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Chad Levin/Treasurer: Chad Levin is a partner with Heyman Law, LLC and practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, elder law and special needs planning, and business law.

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Dr. Doug Hawley: Dr. Douglas Hawley, MD is a Hematologist/Oncologist in Cincinnati, OH and has over 42 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine medical school in 1979.

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Dr. Phil Leming: With Melanoma as his focus, Dr. Leming was a founding member of The Society for Melanoma Research and founding member of the Cincinnati-based organization, Melanoma Know More. He has contributed to many of the major new developments in melanoma treatment and has extensive experience in immunotherapy having been trained by Steve Rosenberg MD, PhD and Don Morton MD, as well as many other leaders in the world of Melanoma Research and Treatment. He is widely regarded as a local expert in melanoma and complex skin malignancies.

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Susan Tweddell: Since moving to Cincinnati in 2015, Tweddell has been involved with fundraising for Redwood, a facility for children and adults with disabilities. While living in Wisconsin, Tweddell chaired several fundraisers, including the Heart Ball and school fundraisers. In addition to in-studio yoga classes, Tweddell taught yoga at Off the Streets, and CHANGE Court, organizations supporting women who have been trafficked and struggle with addiction. In her free time, Tweddell loves biking and walking the parks, trails, hills and neighborhoods of Cincinnati.

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Evelyn Banzhaf: After earning a master’s degree in counseling, Evelyn Banzhaf’s accumulated thirty years of teaching experience. In 1995, Banzhaf was awarded Clermont Country Teacher of The Year. Banzhaf has continued on to become Women’s Committee Chair of The Cincinnati Art Museum, President of Mt. Adams Beautification Association, and Program Chair of Cincinnati Town Club.

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Edward Sawicki: Edward Sawicki has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University at Buffalo. He is a Senior Consultant at E141, CEO at Cinthesis, Board Member of Music to Life, Owner of Sawicki Consulting and Sawicki Photography and former Associate Director, Global Business Development at Procter and Gamble for over 36 years.