When people talk about the healing power of music, they are generally referring to the listener, but one orchestra in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont is founded on the idea that music can be transformative for the people playing it, too. The orchestra, called Me2/Orchestra, is made up of performers living with mental illness and those who support them. And although the organization existed before the phrase “Me Too” was popularized to talk about sexual assault, it is based on a similar concept: combating stigma by sharing one’s story with the world.
Jim Braude was joined by co-founder Ronald Braunstein, who conceived of the idea in the wake of a bipolar disorder diagnosis and is the orchestra’s music director, and co-founder Caroline Whiddon, who also serves as the executive director.
