Louisa Womack "Live for Life" Wellness Day 2023

Established in 2013, Curtis’s “Live for Life” Wellness Day is part of the school's ongoing mission to prioritize student health

Established in 2013 and named in honor of the late double bass student Louisa Womack, who tragically died the year before, Curtis’s “Live for Life” Wellness Day returned this month on Friday, November 17, with a flurry of workshops and events. The day concluded with a keynote address by Due Quach, bestselling author of the book Calm Clarity: Rewiring Your Brain for Greater Wisdom, Fulfillment & Joy.

Wellness Day 2023 featured a Rittenhouse Fun Run led by Jonathan Coopersmith, chair of musical studies at Curtis; a discussion on financial wellness for students by alumnus Paul Lafollette (Horn ‘98); and a Wellness Fair with representatives from local businesses, nonprofits, and Curtis departments. Additionally, there was a flower ceremony honoring Louisa’s life, a yoga workshop led by instructors from Yoga4Philly, and a workshop on preserving hearing from the Jefferson Balance & Hearing Center, all highlighting the belief that at Curtis, the wellness of the group is inseparable from the wellness of any individual.

View the gallery below to see photos from the day.

To learn more about the Curtis Institute of Music’s mental health resources, including those relating to social, occupational, financial, environmental, intellectual, physical, and spiritual wellness, click HERE.

Photos of students, staff, and faculty during Wellness Day, courtesy of oboe student Oliver Talukder. Portrait of author Due Quach courtesy of calmclarity.org.

  • Soprano Juliette Tacchino, oboist Christopher Correa, and Gianna Pannulo, manager of residence life and off-campus housing.
  • Students enjoying the colorful autumn foliage and the Rittenhouse Fun Run.
  • Oboe student Oliver Talukder and Jonathan Coopersmith, chair of musical studies at Curtis, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art after a run.
  • Curtis staff and students in a yoga workshop at Gould Rehearsal Hall led by instructors from Yoga4Philly.
  • Curtis students running along the Schuylkill River trails during Wellness Day 2023.
  • Campus Safety Site Supervisor Omeia Fife and two staff members of the Mazzoni Center.
  • Jonathan Coopersmith, chair of musical studies, and Curtis students at the top of the "Rocky" stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art after a run.
  • Staff members of the Academy Chiropractic Center, specialists in the wellness of performing artists, massaging staff and students.

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