We at Ace Music Academy believe that music is essential to life. Which is why we are excited to announce our partnership with another essential service: Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC).
OUC has been a part of the Orlando community since 1923. They provide water and electric service to the city of Orlando and even serve a portion of Osceola County. OUC is not just a committed community partner and leader. They are also committed to the wellbeing of their employees through their corporate wellness program: “Wellbeing: Power to Thrive”.
Prior to the pandemic, OUC Wellbeing offered many on-site and group-focused activities such as health and wellness fairs, health screenings, nutrition and cooking classes, and more. Their mission is to assist in engaging employees by presenting them with valuable and fun health resources. “We never use the word ‘should’,” said Jill Rainford, Wellness Manager, “instead we ask [employees] ‘What do you think?’”. This approach puts the workers in control of their health, where they can be mindful of their lifestyle and how it affects their health.
After the arrival of coronavirus in America, the wellness program faced the challenge of transitioning to virtual. Flipping to service a 70% virtual workforce in March was a difficult challenge, but one they achieved within 48 hours. The current public health crises brought a mindfulness to health Wellbeing had been designed for. With health in the forefront of everyone’s minds and no commute times, the wellness program helped OUC employees thrive in a time of quarantine. But as the pandemic dragged on, participation dropped.
To curb this effect, the program team began brainstorming ideas to refresh their offerings and inspire employee participation. Wellbeing already offered yoga classes, nutrition classes, and simpler approaches to holistic health such as mindful moments. The program had to consider the social distancing recommendation that the virus brought into effect and the already-present mental health crisis renewed by the coronavirus. How could they reach the employees affected by the deaths of their co-workers and friends and provide the educational tools they needed to take care of themselves? How else could they compete with the noise or silence in their employees’ homes?
The solution was to offer a music wellness program. When tasked with the challenge of locating a music expert in the community, OUC enlisted the help of Ryan Aceituno. As the founder of the best music school in Orlando, Ryan mentors dozens of future artists. His passion lies in music education so when he received the call from Jill Rainford, he was ecstatic. “It’s very exciting to know that music is being taken very seriously in regards to health,” Ryan said, “and the response has been really encouraging.” Attendance surged in OUC’s Wellbeing program when their music wellness classes went live. “We were seeing totally different people,” stated Alison Roy, an OUC Wellness Advocate, “[this shows] certain things speak to different people.”
Ace Music Academy is a home to music students of various levels of talent. An excellent fit for instructing Orlando utilities employees in the healing power of music. As music students and supporters, we’re familiar with the beauty of music and how it affects us, both mind and body. “Some have never thought of music that way before,” Founder Ryan said, reflecting on his experiences with his newest students, “the best part is that some of them are already actively trying what I’ve suggested to benefit their health.” As for the mental health and wellness of our Orlando community, Ryan shared his wishes with us: “Hopefully other organizations will become interested in integrating music wellness into their mental health and wellness program. And that they will think of Ace Music Academy when they do.”
What are some other ways we improve our health besides music? Jill Rainford and Alison offer us these tidbits of wellness advice:
“Keep trying, don’t give up.”
You may be wanting to improve your relationship with your children, master a song on the guitar, reach that soprano pitch, or quit a habit. These words hold true for us all.
“Be willing to fail”
Life has its ups and downs, that doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish your goals: musical or otherwise. When you fail, you learn a new way to do it better.
“Ask yourself ‘what are we doing to make it better tomorrow?’”
Bach didn’t compose a song in a day so don’t be too hard on yourself. We all have our faults, but if you have the passion for music, you can light up a stage and connect with your audience.