Alex Chen began playing the violin in fourth grade and joined the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) in 2018. Over the years, he advanced through the program, building meaningful connections with his mentors and fellow musicians.
Through his time with MYSO, Alex developed not only technical skill and artistry, but also a deep appreciation for music’s ability to connect people and support mental well-being. These experiences led to his senior capstone project, where he explored the connection between music and emotion.
Alex has always understood that music is more than performance—it’s a bridge between people, emotions, and even health. That understanding deepened during his volunteer work with the Aurora Health Care Musical Medicine Program, where he played violin and piano for patients and staff.
“Music doesn’t just make us feel better emotionally,” Alex says. “It heals us, physically and psychologically. It works in the background and in the spotlight, across generations, languages, and health charts.”
One moment captures this power vividly. Standing in a hospital lobby, Alex noticed an elderly man sitting quietly, seemingly disengaged from the world around him. As Alex played, the man’s posture shifted. His foot tapped. A smile slowly spread across his face. By the end of the performance, he looked at Alex and said simply, “Thank you.” That brief interaction demonstrated what Alex has felt time and again: music can reach places words cannot. It creates connection, comfort, and presence—essential ingredients for mental well-being.
Alex’s experience isn’t just anecdotal. Research shows that music can lower stress, regulate heart rate, improve mood, and even support recovery from neurological conditions like stroke, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s. For Alex, each note he plays carries this potential—not just for himself, but for everyone who listens.
Beyond hospitals, Alex reflects on his MYSO journey and the ways music shapes mental health for young musicians. The discipline required to practice, perform, and collaborate instills focus and resilience. Sharing music with peers and audiences nurtures empathy and joy.
“It’s amazing to see how a single song can spark memory, emotion, or calm,” he says. “And that’s why I continue performing—not just for my own enjoyment, but because music can make a real difference in someone’s life.”
Alex’s story reminds us that music is both personal and universal. It offers solace, connection, and healing, even in the quietest moments. And through programs like Aurora’s, the impact of a violin or piano reaches far beyond the notes themselves—it becomes a lifeline, a message, a human connection.
For Alex, every performance is an opportunity to say thank you—to the listeners, to the patients, and to the world that made this gift of music possible. In those shared moments of sound and silence, he discovers something essential: joy, healing, and the profound power of being heard without words.
Alex is currently studying actuarial science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, continuing to carry with him the lessons of creativity and empathy that music—and MYSO–have given him.
