CROSSING BOUNDARIES: Music and Medicine

Music and Art In the Times of Plague and Epidemics

Guest Speaker: Hector Bolivar, M.D. 

This is a multimedia lecture that crossovers between many disciplines. It reminds us of the devastating effect of plagues in human history and illustrates how art, in its multiple manifestations, is one of the most powerful responses against these deadly epidemics.  It intends to prove that, even during extreme circumstances, art is the best example of the resilience and endurance of the human spirit. *The lecture has basic technical aspects but it is understandable for those outside the biomedical field.

Watch this interdisciplinary work come to life in his upcoming show, “Plague, The Last Dance,” which will premiere at FIU International Music Festival, in November 2017! 

Dr. Hector Bolivar has dedicated most of his professional work to the specialty of Infectious Diseases (ID), both as a medical practitioner and as a clinical researcher. He is a faculty member of the School of Medicine at the University of Miami. Dr. Bolivar also serves as voluntary faculty at Florida International University, and he is an honorary member of the South Florida Infectious Diseases group.

He receives support from the National Institute of Health for his research work which improves the medical care of hundreds of patients affected by a diverse range of infectious agents. He has published extensively in the field of ID. Dr. Bolivar is often invited to speak at national and international scientific meetings, and he is a frequent guest on radio and T.V. programs where he educates the public on ID topics.

Dr. Bolivar lives in two worlds that are often separated, the medical/scientific and the artistic. He can link the two. Decades ago, when faced with the decision to choose a professional career, he hesitated between medicine and architecture. However, inspired by the Waldorf Educational model, Dr. Bolivar has kept his pursuit of art, music, and architecture. He studies classical guitar and is also working on his second photography book.