Posted July 8, 2026
July Theme | #TakeAStand
Some people clock out at the end of a shift and leave their work at the door. Others carry it home: in their bodies, their sleep, their quiet moments. Military members, first responders, and healthcare workers know the weight of that second kind of work inside-out.
This July, Denver Philharmonic Orchestra wants to say thank you. Not just in words, but in music. We’re offering $20 tickets to all active and retired military, first responders, and healthcare workers at every DPO concert this season. Because the people who show up for our community deserve a place where someone shows up for them.
The Power of Live Music
There’s a difference between listening to music through headphones and sitting in a room where it’s being made in real time. Live performance triggers the release of oxytocin, the hormone associated with bonding and human connection, alongside dopamine, the brain’s reward signal. It lowers cortisol. It reduces isolation. It puts you in a room full of people who chose, for one afternoon or evening, to be somewhere together.
For people whose work requires them to hold space for others’ pain (day after day, often without adequate recognition or support) that kind of shared presence matters. Not as a cure, but as part of what makes restoration possible.
Since World War I, physicians have noted the calming effects of music on military personnel experiencing shell shock and trauma. The science has only grown more precise since then. What has remained constant is the simple, documented truth: music heals.
Listening to music was the #1 coping strategy cited by veterans for managing stress (ranked above exercise and social support) with classical music most often chosen for calming
(Military Medicine, Oxford Academic, 2024)
Music instruction reduced PTSD severity by 14.3% and depressive symptoms by 20.4% among veterans with moderate to severe PTSD
(NIH/PMC, 2018)
Music interventions significantly decreased stress, anxiety, burnout risk, and psychosomatic symptoms in healthcare workers across multiple peer-reviewed studies
(Journal of Public Health, Oxford Academic, 2023)
Just 20 minutes at a live concert boosts wellbeing by 21%. More than yoga (10%) or walking a dog (7%)
(O2/Goldsmiths University of London, 2018)
Live classical performances produce measurable drops in cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone
(Imperial College London, Royal College of Music)
Regular concert-goers score highest on happiness, contentment, productivity, and self-esteem. The most sustained gains among those who attend at least twice a month
(O2/Goldsmiths University of London, 2018)
Your $20 Ticket
DPO is proud to offer $20 tickets to the following at all of our concerts this season:
- Active and retired military and their immediate families
- First responders (police, fire, EMS)
- Healthcare workers
Take A Stand with Us
- Claim your tickets — Visit our 2026–27 season page to see our upcoming concert schedule and reserve your $20 seats.
- Bring someone — Share this discount with a colleague, fellow veteran, or anyone in your life doing the hard work of caring for others.
- Spread the word — Tag a local hero in your life and let them know DPO has a seat waiting for them.
- Share your own experience using #TakeAStand and tag @denverphilorch across socials. Feel free to download one of our Take A Stand badges and make it visible.
Sources:
Fancourt, Daisy, and Aaron Williamon. “Attending a Concert Reduces Glucocorticoids, Progesterone and the Cortisol/DHEA Ratio.” Public Health, vol. 132, 2016, pp. 101–104. https://researchonline.rcm.ac.uk/id/eprint/31/
National Institutes of Health. “Music-Instruction Intervention for Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Pilot Study.” PMC, 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6299962/
National Institutes of Health. “Effects of Music Therapy on Occupational Stress and Burn-out Risk of Operating Room Staff.” PMC, 2020. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7448868/
Oxford Academic / Military Medicine. “To Calm and to Commend: Veterans’ Musical Preferences Anticipating End of Life.” Vol. 189, No. 11–12, Nov. 2024. https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/189/11-12/e2332/7681845
Oxford Academic / Journal of Public Health. “Music Therapy for Health Workers to Reduce Stress, Mental Workload and Anxiety: A Systematic Review.” Vol. 45, No. 3, 2023. https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/45/3/e532/7152949
O2 and Fagan, Patrick. “Music and Wellbeing.” Goldsmiths University of London, 2018. https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/archive/science-says-gig-going-can-help-you-live-longer-and-increases-wellbeing/