ABOUT
SHARING NOTES
Sharing Notes is a Chicago-based non-profit that brings joy and comfort to hospital patients, their support communities, and those in health care facilities through a dedicated group of over 115 high-caliber, locally-based musicians who are passionate about sharing the healing power of music.
MISSION & HISTORY.
In 2012, student cellist Allegra Montanari saw a huge gap in where music was going versus where it was needed most. After having conversations with friends at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, she realized that there was an opportunity and began organizing visits from fellow musicians to people receiving treatment at the Lurie Cancer Center. Thus, Sharing Notes was born.
Today, Sharing Notes improves quality of life for Chicago hospital patients through intimate, engaging, uplifting live music performances either in-person or virtually using FaceTime or Zoom.
Sharing Notes provides high quality performance arts and unique, individualized live musical experiences for patients who otherwise wouldn't have access. Moving beyond the boundaries of traditional recitals, performances focus on the audience with careful musical selection and personalized interactions. In our 2023-2024 season, Sharing Notes musicians performed more than 250 hours of music serving 3,172 patients, family members and hospital staff in eight healthcare facilities throughout Chicago.
Music provides distraction to break the isolation of illness and long hospital stays and Sharing Notes musicians talk with patients, take requests, lead games with children and react sensitively to patients. While most of our performances are in-person, our live, virtual bedside concerts are as close to our in-person concerts as possible.
MISSION IN
ACTION.
PARTNERS.
We are proud to partner with great healthcare institutions across Chicagoland. Our current seven partners include La Rabida Children's Hospital, Ascension St. Joseph's Hospital, and the following branches of Northwestern Medicine: Lurie's Children's & Comprehensive Cancer Center, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, Lake Forest Hospital, Woodstock Memorial Hospital, and Central DuPage. We are also partnered Plymouth Place, a senior assisted living community located in LaGrange, IL. In previous years, we have partnered extensively with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and more.
Additionally, we are grateful for our educational & musical partnerships with Gilda's Club Chicago Chapter, Northwestern Medical Orchestra, Lyric Opera Stage Artists, Old St. Patrick's Church Music Ministry, Rendezvous Arts, and more.
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Sharing Notes acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
MAKE AN IMPACT.
We are always seeking new partnerships and partners. Tell us more about your interests and we will be excited to connect.