{"id":15,"date":"2016-01-05T15:46:40","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T21:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/musician-health\/?page_id=15"},"modified":"2025-11-14T14:35:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T20:35:40","slug":"st-olaf-student-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/musician-health\/st-olaf-student-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Olaf Student Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

Faculty and Administration<\/h2>\n

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your musical health, members of the St. Olaf music faculty may be able to offer you some assistance. These faculty members might include your primary instructor, other applied faculty, ensemble directors or academic professors. The Music faculty are here to help you and would be happy to provide assistance if you reach out to them.<\/p>\n

Should a serious question or problem arise, you should ensure that your primary instructor is aware of your concern.<\/p>\n

The Musician Wellness Committee is comprised of Dr. Kathryn Ananda-Owens (piano), Dr. Karl Wiederwohl (trombone\/euphonium), Prof. Marita Stryker (voice), and Ellsie Covert ’25. Any of these committee members may be contacted to address your questions or concerns.<\/p>\n

Dr. Louis Epstein (musicology) and Dr. Tracey Engleman (voice) are the Music Department Chairs. As department chairs, they can help address any concerns you may have or point you in the right direction. Their offices are located in HOM 245 and CHM 202, respectively.<\/p>\n

The Music Department Student Committee<\/h2>\n

The Music Department Student Committee is a group of your peers who work with Music Department faculty and administration to improve your musical experience at St. Olaf. As your representatives within the music department, you can contact the student committee with comments, questions or concerns and they can voice your thoughts to the department at large. These students are your<\/em> advocates in the music department. Make good use of them!<\/p>\n

The Music Department Student Committee maintains a bulletin board located on the second floor of CHM. You can look there for more information, news, or events.<\/p>\n

St. Olaf Wellness Center<\/h2>\n

The St. Olaf Wellness Center is located on the second floor of Buntrock Commons, room 120. The Wellness Center serves as a resource to promote awareness and education on issues relating to healthy lifestyles. Peer Educators who staff the Wellness Center are available to talk with students one-on-one during office hours. Students are encouraged to come in and talk with a Peer Educator on any health-related issue. Peer Educators are current students who present programs per month on topics such as chemical health, nutrition, relationships, sexual health and mental health. All students are welcome to attend their programs.<\/p>\n

If you experience anxiety regarding performance, workload, injuries, or have any other concerns, Peer Educators may be able to assist you.<\/p>\n

For hours and more details, see the website https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/wellness\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Health Services<\/h2>\n

St. Olaf Health Services<\/a> are located in New Hall and are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (closed during student breaks and summer).\u00a0\u00a0Students are seen by appointment (self scheduling through the Ole Care Portal<\/a>) or by calling 507-786-3063.\u00a0 St. Olaf Health Services can offer referrals to local physical therapists<\/p>\n

Doctors and Physical Therapists<\/h2>\n

Many musician injuries require the attention of a licensed physical therapist (PT). PTs require a referral from a medical doctor in order to see a patient.<\/p>\n

There are several doctors in Northfield who will see St. Olaf students and refer them as appropriate to a physical therapist.<\/p>\n

Dr. Ananda-Owens has compiled two lists of local\/regional medical doctors and physical therapists who have worked effectively with musicians. Please refer to the \u201cLocal doctors\u201d and \u201cLocal physical therapists\u201d sections for more information.<\/p>\n

Make sure you speak with your parents about finances related to medical insurance and paying for physical therapy and doctor\u2019s visits. St. Olaf makes no recommendation or endorsement as to which doctor or therapist you should see.<\/p>\n

Earplugs<\/h2>\n

Reusable earplugs are available for free in dispensers in the Band and Orchestra rooms and in the percussion practice room hallway in HOM. Practice rooms \u2013 especially in HOM \u2013 and large ensemble rehearsals can be very loud. You might consider using earplugs to protect your hearing.<\/p>\n

Purchasing custom-made Musicians Earplugs<\/a> is also a possibility.<\/p>\n

More information can be found in the \u201cProtect Your Hearing<\/a>\u201d section.<\/p>\n

Additional Therapeutic and Somatic Resources<\/h2>\n

St. Olaf is fortunate to be located so near the Twin Cities, a place that has much to offer musicians concerned about health and wellness. Below is a list of resources that you may be interested in pursuing. St. Olaf does not advocate for or endorse any of these resources but we want to let you know that they are available if you choose to use them. (For more information, please see the \u201cComplementary Practices<\/a>\u201d section).<\/p>\n

Feldenkrais Method<\/h4>\n