The Ultrasounds make a comeback
The Ultrasounds make a comeback Heading link
Second-year medical student Chris Fong always had an interest in playing the piano. He played when he was younger, but as he got older, he slowly stopped playing.
“I definitely regret not continuing to play,” he says.
So, when fellow second-year medical student Emma Mendez told him about the idea of rebooting the Ultrasounds, a musical group comprised of medical students, Fong knew he would be onboard.
“I was pretty excited when Emma gave me this opportunity,” he says.
The Ultrasounds are a choral ensemble comprised of 15 first- and second-year medical students. The group features talented student musicians from the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford and includes soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers.
Comprised mainly of non-music majors, the Ultrasounds give students an opportunity to express their love of music through performance and community outreach.
The Ultrasounds also allow medical students to share their passion for music with the Rockford community while becoming future physicians.
“Music has been a way for me to relax and connect with other people,” Fong says. “Being able to perform with other people gives a sense of bonding that you can’t get just by talking to someone. This is the first time that I’ve played the piano with other people performing alongside me, which has been really exciting.”
The musical group went on a hiatus during the pandemic, but Fong and Mendez were interested in bringing back the group. Mendez has a singing background and has been in choir since she was in the third grade.
“Music has been a big part of my life, and especially through college when you’re trying to get through everything,” she says. “Always being in a choir just helped me stay grounded and helped me study and accomplish what I needed to do.”
During last year’s Medical Student Organization Fair, some fourth-year medical students told Mendez about the Ultrasounds. After getting to know her classmates and learning about their musical abilities, and how many students were singers in high school and college, Mendez knew this could work.
“Last year’s M2 performance at the Service of Gratitude inspired me to teach the choir Seasons of Love for our Service of Gratitude this past November,” Mendez says. “Chris kindly agreed to accompany the choir on the piano, and he and I began to recruit our classmates and M1s who wanted to join the choral ensemble.”
In addition to Service of Gratitude, the Ultrasounds performed at Anderson Japanese Gardens last week, and Mendez came up with the list of songs.
Their music has caught the attention of Regional Dean Alex Stagnaro-Green, MD, MHPE, MHA.
“It’s really great to see our incredible students restart the Ultrasounds,” Stagnaro-Green says. “Our students have so many talents and it is great to see them express themselves through music. Sharing their joy of singing through performances, such as Anderson Gardens last week, is another way that the College of Medicine has become an integral part of the City of Rockford.”
To prepare for their performances, the students practice their routines in the basement of the Medical Student Activity Center, better known as the Green House, which also has a piano.
“It’s been fun having the Green House be so lively with so many people filling it with music,” Mendez says.
Mendez says the Ultrasounds remind the students about the power of music. Students use music to take a break from studying and to connect with their classmates and the community.
“The connection you make with people through music is unlike anything else,” Mendez says. “When I was an undergrad, I sang for people with dementia and seeing them remember the music helped them with their memory. As future physicians, it’s important to know that you can help patients by giving them medications and talking to them, but you can also help them in different ways, like bringing joy into someone’s life just through music.”
Mendez also says she noticed some of her classmates come out of their shells and do things they never imagined.
“Last year, so many people said they wouldn’t sing or wouldn’t sing alone, and they now have solos and are doing multiple pieces,” she says. “You can see how brave everyone is becoming and they’re gaining confidence. It’s really been an honor.”