Schumann: Music, Mood Swings and Madness

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This performance is hosted by the Dolores Jean Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine and made possible through the generous support of the Jerry and Sonja Wenger Endowment for Humanities in Medicine.

Creative artists are especially vulnerable to mental illness, and the German composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856) is one of the finest examples of the blurred boundary between genius and insanity.

Juilliard trained concert pianist and Harvard trained psychiatrist Dr. Richard Kogan explores how the racing thoughts, flight of ideas and sharpened imagination of Schumann’s hypomanic states induced prodigious bursts of creativity until the onset of psychosis led to his tragic final years in an insane asylum.

The presentation will be illuminated by performances of some of Schumann’s most beloved piano music.

This presentation is open at no cost to all Mayo Clinic patients, visitors, staff and community members.

Masking is encouraged. Even if you are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Richard Kogan has a distinguished career both as a psychiatrist and as a concert pianist. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and Artistic Director of the Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program, he has been praised by The New York Times for his " exquisite playing" and The Boston Globe wrote that "Kogan has somehow managed to excel at the world's two most demanding professions."

Dr. Kogan has gained renown for his lectures/concerts that explore the role of music in healing and the influence of psychological factors and psychiatric and medical illness on the creative output of great composers. He has given presentations at medical conferences, music festivals and academic symposia throughout the world.

 The venue is provided through collaboration with the Mayo Civic Center.

If you would like to hear more from Dr. Kogan, he will be featured with the Rochester Symphony as guest artist presenting and performing Tchaikovsky at their concert on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Tickets available at rochestersymphony.org

Please direct questions to humanitiesrochester@mayo.edu.