Music & Health Story Lab
ABOUT
MUS 429/529 is a class led by Dr. Jennie Gubner that has a Course-Based Undergraduate Research element, as well as being part of a Vertically Integrated Project which you can participate in after taking the class to continue your ethnographic and community building work if you so choose.
The Music & Health Story Lab invites students to explore relationships between music, health, and wellbeing through culturally diverse digital storytelling. Students may contribute through interviews, poetry, filmmaking, photo essays, audio/video editing, and digital story production.
This project is a strong fit for students interested in music and wellness, documentary work, songwriting or poetry, multimedia storytelling, qualitative research, or arts-based research. Join us this fall to learn multimedia and fieldwork skills as we collaboratively work to produce community-based short films and creative storytelling projects intended for public audiences.
JOIN IN FALL 2026
Class meets Thursdays 12:30-3:00pm and is a community-engaged course with an undergraduate research (CURE) component! All students welcome! If you have already enrolled in the class and want to join the VIP, submit the form here: VIP Interest Form
For questions, contact Dr. Jennie Gubner at jgubner@arizona.edu
WATCH STUDENT-PRODUCED SHORT FILMS
There are seven short films that have been made thus far, over the course of two years, all about various music-making groups in Tucson. These films are also helpful for people looking to join a musical community and wanting to know what it would be like to show up, to audition, and to participate in something new. These films also talk about the health benefits of group music-making, including mental, physical, and social wellbeing.
I Can Still Sing (Fall 2025)
A Film About the Arizona Women’s Chorus
Made by Taryn Mayer and Alivia Alexander
It’s Not Too Late (Fall 2025)
A Film about the New Horizons Band
Made by Alex Thompson and Lei Wang
Ganbatte (Fall 2025)
A Film about Odaiku, Sonora’s Community Taiko Ensemble
Made by Jenica Bosko and Gabe Marin
Monterey Court Folk Song Circle (Spring 2025)
A Film about a community of folk musicians in Tucson
Made by Elena Periclos, Lizzie Reaves and Dominic Camacho
New Horizons Band (Spring 2025)
A Film about the New Horizons Band for older adults
Made by Nicole Borchaloui & James Yao
Reville Men’s Chorus (Spring 2025)
A Film about the Reville Men’s Chorus
Made by Ashley Martin-Casler and Zaina Jasser
