Photo By Ian Neligh | Uniformed Services University students Air Force 2nd Lt. Courtney O’Keefe and Army...... read more read more
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As the busy sounds of the Uniformed Services University (USU) grow quiet with the end of the day, the music of violas, woodwinds, and guitars gradually fill the air.
Groups of medical school students cluster together in the darkening corridors of the campus outside of the Sanford Auditorium, preparing for the Apollo Society’s Winter Talent Show on Dec. 3.
The student group, appropriately named after the Greek god of healing and music, meets regularly to give the musically inclined, or inspired, a chance to collaborate and perform for their peers.
Army 2nd Lt. Hyeveen Cho and Air Force 2nd Lt. Aubrey “Gray” Mount organized the event to give students the opportunity to showcase their musical and artistic ability.
“That’s sort of the point of our organization, the Apollo Society,” says Mount. “Its goal is to foster and encourage people to keep up with whatever talent they have.”
The Apollo Society was established at USU in 2013 by then-medical students Colin Smith and Brian Andrew. According to Andrew, the two enjoyed discussing their interests in literature, movies, and their own writing, and wondered if other members of the USU community were interested in the arts as well. Since USU did not have a humanities interest group, the pair submitted a proposal – as a sub-organization of the Family Medicine Interest Group – for the Apollo Society. The first event was held June 25, 2013, as an “open mic” that featured singing, musical performances, poetry reading, short stories, and later expanded to include display of artwork, and included the entire USU population.
Apollo Society member Air Force 2nd Lt. Courtney O’Keefe says she joined the group after her first year in medical school to connect with others who played musical instruments.
“Just being able to play music with others has been really nice,” says O’Keefe, who once considered a career as a violist, before joining the military to go into medicine.
“I would say our goal is to share and celebrate the artistic talents of the USU community and just provide a way for musicians, of any skill, to meet others, to form ensembles and to learn new music,” says O’Keefe.
According to O’Keefe, the Apollo Society is a great compliment to the scholastic demands of medical school.
“It’s a creative outlet, not only does it give you a break from studying but you get to exercise different parts of the brain, connect with your classmates and it’s just fun,” O’Keefe says.
The student group currently has between 15 to 20 members who attend its meetings.
O’Keefe says it seems like it’s a pretty natural switch to go from music to medicine for many students she knows.
“I think the reason why is because both encourage self-discipline,” O’Keefe says. “There’s detail orientation, which I think is important both for medicine and the military. (There’s also) music and leadership opportunities in both.”
O’Keefe adds music also taught her how to have stage presence, which she now applies to public speaking as an officer, which she finds helpful.
After solo performances, student musicians performed an Irish song and a couple of Latin pieces for the audience. Mount says this year’s talent show was the first time the Apollo Society has created musical ensembles that facilitated larger groups working together.
“That part was fantastic — that was probably my favorite part,” says Mount. “It was awesome from a teamwork perspective just meeting every week and having a couple of hours just to relax and jam out.”
For her part, O’Keefe says she’d like to see the USU student group performing for different venues once the pandemic comes to an end, such as for nursing homes or hospitals.
“Just to give people the opportunity to listen to music and have some beauty,” O’Keefe says.
| Date Taken: | 12.21.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2021 08:15 |
| Story ID: | 411745 |
| Location: | BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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