The Morton H. Myerson Symphony Center lobby was filled with the sound of music and deep breathing on Wednesday morning.
"When I'm not feeling my best, I will just do what I have to do," Lawrence Institute fourth-grader Sarah Pina said. "Take deep breaths in and out."
"It makes me feel very calm and relaxed," said Lawrence Institute fourth-grader Noah Gloria.
The students practice mindfulness to release stress and prepare themselves to learn. Now they are incorporating music with the practice through a program called Mindful Music Moments.
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"There's a lot of research that shows that the way music connects to the brain, it creates this very primal, soothing curiosity," The Well and Mindful Music Moments Founder Stacy Sims said.
Mindful Music Moments is in 200 schools across the United States. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is collaborating with and funding the 38-week pilot program for 10 schools in Dallas I.S.D.
"After such a stressful year, and even before the pandemic, with anxiety rising, we knew we wanted to be a support in the community," Dallas Symphony Director of Education Jen Guzman said. "Especially at Dallas I.S.D."
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The program uses DSO curated classical music to lead students through mindful meditation, helping them center themselves and focus on learning.
The Mindful Music Moments program is open to other schools by contacting the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
