About Apollo
Apollo Chamber Music Society was founded by two medical students who had previously trained as classical musicians, Chelsea Abbott and Michael Lee. Throughout their lives, music had been a form of release, connection, and creativity. As they began to explore their passion for medicine and pursue careers in healthcare, they learned firsthand how easy it would be to lose touch with music.
They also saw the need for more grounding and self-care amongst their peers in medicine, especially in a challenging healthcare system.
Apollo was born from that shared experience. The name itself was chosen because Apollo is the god of both music and healing, representing the interconnectedness of the two pillars we were founded on. It’s a space where healthcare professionals can return to their musical roots, not in competition, but in collaboration. Through chamber music, we offer an outlet for creativity, an anchor for mental health, and a way to connect, both with one another and with the communities we serve.
Meet the Team
Chelsea Abbott
Co-Founder
Hi, I’m Chelsea, and I’m thrilled to be one of the co-founders of the Apollo Chamber Music Society.
These days, you’ll find me at Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine, where I’m a student, but it’s been a winding road to get here. I started with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at McGill University, then completed a Master of Arts in Northern Studies at Carleton University before beginning my medical training.
I am grateful to have had incredible opportunities to learn and perform throughout my years as a pianist, and remember the collaborative experiences most fondly. Music has always been about connection for me: with fellow performers, with audiences, and now, with others in healthcare who share a similar story.
Founding Apollo has been a way to honour the musical parts of ourselves that often get left behind in this field. I firmly believe that exercising our strengths as musicians helps us grow - not just as musicians, but as people and healthcare professionals. It’s been such a joy to help build this community, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.
Michael Lee
Co-Founder
Hi, I’m Michael! I’m originally from St. John’s, and before medical school, I was a classical pianist.
I did my undergraduate degree at Memorial and then went to Toronto to complete two more degrees: a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts. I was privileged to get to play concerts across Canada, the US and Europe as a soloist, in chamber groups and with orchestras.
I was especially lucky to get to tour across Newfoundland and Labrador for 3 consecutive years, which allowed me to see many of the nooks and crannies of this beautiful province and meet some extraordinary people. I also taught at the University of Toronto, Dalhousie University and Memorial before circling back to medicine.
Through Apollo, I’m very grateful to be able to keep a foot in my past life and have discovered that there are many former musicians-current physicians who also feel the same way. Music is inextricable from culture and can so genuinely describe the multitude of human experiences - Apollo is equally about engaging with music as it is about how these facets of humanity manifest in medicine. We really hope that these concerts provide an enriching and rewarding experience for performers and audience members alike.
