In 1991, the LSO made a decision to use every concert as a benefit for Boston's medically underserved and organizations supporting medical research.  LSO's Healing Art of Music Program is a true collaboration between the orchestra and the community organization, a collaboration that empowers the beneficiary and promotes self-sufficiency.  Rather than directly donating concert proceeds to a medical charity, LSO guides the beneficiary to use the concert as a centerpiece of its own unique fundraising event.

Since the inception of the Healing Art of Music Program, the LSO has collaborated with 26 different medical nonprofit organizations, each with a focus on a different health concern and each with a different purpose for its event.  Each beneficiary is carefully selected from the community by the LSO, with criteria including size, compelling mission, and solid organizational infrastructure.

To date, LSO collaborations with community beneficiaries have resulted in over $700,000 raised for the medically underserved in Greater Boston.

With this model of community empowerment, the amount of money raised by beneficiary organizations only tells part of the story.  Some organizations have used their events to galvanize their boards and launch initiatives; others have recognized prominent people in their organization or field; still others have brought in their own patient and client populations.  The publicity surrounding each concert shines a spotlight on the beneficiaries and raises awareness that reaches beyond the hospital, beyond the community and even beyond the city.