Day in the Life of a JoyRx Music Specialist
Even before they joined our organization, JoyRx Music Specialists Chrissy and Monica have always loved music. It’s no surprise, then, that they make for excellent music advocates as part of JoyRx Music. Working together, they’re a force of musical joy, visiting our Austin hospital partners and performing live music for kids.
These two stellar musicians have an amazing dynamic, working together to share the love of music with kids of all ages; they also divide and conquer, playing on their own with pizzazz and gusto.
Their day-to-day work might look different from a traditional nine-to-five, but the core of their mission fuels them onward: Helping kids feel like kids again.
Finding their Way to JoyRx — and Working Together
For Monica, music has always been a family affair. “My parents were both musicians,” she explained, smiling. “Everyone learned and still plays an instrument, no matter how old they are.”
Monica embodies the musical spirit, for sure. She’s a classically trained flutist and familiar with all types of music, from opera to Latin jazz to good old-fashioned rock’n’roll.
Chrissy, too, comes from a musical family. Her dad trained in classical cello, her grandfather performed professional jazz piano, and one of her great-grandparents was an opera singer.
“My parents say that I was singing before I spoke,” she shared.
It’s no surprise, then, that they’ve found their calling by helping deliver JoyRx Music to hospital partners across Austin, Texas. Chrissy started at JoyRx in January 2023, and when she learned of a new JoyRx Music Specialist spot opening up, she knew just the person to call in.
“Monica and I knew each other long before this,” she said. “We were both music teachers. I knew she’d be the perfect fit!”
“Now we get to make music together almost every day,” said Monica. “It’s a dream come true!”
And what is Chrissy and Monica’s favorite thing about getting to work together?
“Everything!” said Chrissy.
“Literally everything!” Monica agreed.
It’s clear that the two have a strong rapport. They can bounce off one another’s energy while both bringing different flavors to the table. They can play off one another or divide and conquer, letting one play an instrument while the other interacts more readily with a child.
“Also, having someone to go through an experience together with is important,” said Chrissy. “You can unpack and process together.”
Chrissy can’t help but look at it in the long term, too. “I think that for future music specialists, setting things up in a way where we can all work together adds so much for the kids and helps create that energy and connection.”
Music, Chrissy says, is all about togetherness — what brings the most energy, fun, and sense of community.
“It’s teamwork and working together to achieve it!” she said.
Getting the Day Started & Connecting with Hospitalized Kids
The two use the power of connection with each other to connect with the kids, too. The goal is always to meet the children where they are — whether it’s a calm room, a sad room, a happy room, or a party room.
When asked what a typical day at JoyRx looks like, both Chrissy and Monica laughed. “Coffee!” said Monica. “You always start with coffee.”
Joking aside, their schedule follows a clear scope: they get themselves warmed up and ready, loading up guitars to head to the clinic, looking over details of those they’ll visit today to get an overview of the day’s visits.
“It’s little snippets of information,” Monica explained.
They receive information like when they’ll be discharged, what time of day is best for a visit, and so on.
“And once we have a plan, we get on out there and start singing to the little pumpkins,” Monica said. “We love that part! We’re armed for battle. You strap on the guitar and say, ‘Let’s go make some music!’”
For them, sometimes it’s as simple as that.
They go around and share music and joy with the families who say yes to having an interaction. They have some repeat visits with kids who are in inpatient care, but often it’s a one-time visit with a kid who’s in for the day.
Their approach also depends on whether they’re visiting an outpatient clinic or an inpatient ward in the hospital. Depending on the hospital, they might visit different wings at different times of day or week. As of May 2025, Chrissy and Monica visit seven clinics and healthcare facilities on a rotating schedule, which makes for a lot of bedside visits for the kids.
It's not always bedside visits, either. Recently, Chrissy and Monica have started setting up in a hospital’s playroom and having hour-long blocks of group music. Last summer, Chrissy hosted a musical mad-libs event in the hospital, where she and the kids had a delightful, silly time creating their own songs together.
The two music specialists also have plans to introduce other activities alongside the music, such as an arts-and-crafts-themed music experience.
“There’s a lot of variety,” said Chrissy. “Maybe we’re playing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ to a kiddo doing PT on a treadmill, or we’re playing a lullaby for an infant receiving a transfusion. It really depends on what they want!”
“There are so many places here that are shared waiting areas, too,” agreed Monica. “We can post up and make music there and let it be more atmospheric.”
The Freedom of Music and Joy
For both Chrissy and Monica, their love of music and their musical training created natural pathways for each of them to express music and their artistry as part of a healing and supportive environment.
“After all that, I felt like I had these creative juices that you’re not as free to utilize when you’re dictated by a director, coach, and teacher,” Chrissy said. “For me, I don’t think of myself as a control freak, but creatively, I want more say over how I get to use my voice.”
And the ukuladies certainly get a chance to try new ways to sing requested songs. They have a few favorites that are requested often but are always a delight for them to sing. Monica’s go-tos are “Black Bird” by the Beatles and “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert.
For Chrissy, she likes to go for what she describes as oldies but goodies, such as “Let it Be” by the Beatles. But if the music specialists ever need something more upbeat and happy-go-lucky, the go-to is “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars.
They aren’t beyond the age-old classics like “Wheels on the Bus,” either.
“Sometimes, we’ll just opera-fy a song, making it all the different styles,” Chrissy explained. “Country, rock’n’roll, changing the time signature… Sometimes you have to improvise. A kid might want to hear ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ but also rock out… so what do you do? You make it happen.”
“All classically trained musicians go through that stage,” Monica said. “I don’t want to be put in a box, I want to do what I want to do, and so on.”
“Freedom!” Chrissy cheered.
The kids respond to that freedom, too. It’s just one of the many reasons why Chrissy and Monica can connect so readily with them.
“These kids have so little control over their situation,” said Chrissy. “So letting them decide how and if they engage with the music helps them to feel free and be who they are at their core.”
Such observations are what guide our kid-prescribed music approach — JoyRx Music emphasizes and celebrates putting children first at the center of their own interactions and joy.
Seeing kids being true to who they are, even in daunting locations like a hospital, encourages Chrissy and Monica to do the same.
“It’s energy you bounce off each other,” Chrissy said. “Everybody can just be playful and not have any kind of agenda, just pure joy.”
“We’re already silly at heart,” said Monica. “So that, plus the kiddos, is just a fun time — it’s good for the soul.”
Finding Purpose in JoyRx’s Mission
For Chrissy and Monica, despite the heaviness the job can bring, understanding the reality these families face, they also know there’s a great capacity for joy in the day-to-day, and they’re grateful for the chance to share that with others.
They feel a special bond when it comes to working with children, too.
“There’s something about being around youth that feels really special. You get so much out of it!” Monica said.
“For me, I often find it easier to connect with kids because you can be your most authentic self around them,” said Chrissy. “They don’t lie and they don’t sugarcoat things. They’re completely authentic to who they are.”
“My life’s mission and goal is to always spread love through music,” said Monica. “And I feel like JoyRx taps into that. Love IS music and music is love.”
For her, it feels like full circle to be able to share something so fundamental to her core being and help young patients move through dark moments into something lighter and more joyful.
“We don’t always get to follow families on their full journey,” said Chrissy. “But we do have some patients where we see the full impact long-term of what we do.”
“Through this organization, we’ve been able to give a family an opportunity to share their story and share what they’ve been going through,” said Chrissy. “I think that’s really important and one of the things that definitely lights up your day.”
For JoyRx Music, it isn’t just about sharing music — it’s about sharing connection. For kids in the hospital, it goes beyond just the musicians playing songs for them, it’s about getting to interact with people who are there for them and their joy.
“That’s why music is so great, too,” said Monica. “It’s a feeling. It’s a connection. When you play with others, it’s something you feel.”
“When you’re in this kind of setting,” Chrissy agreed, “where surroundings are often heavy, there’s something really powerful in being able to change the atmosphere.”
And they certainly use their skills to create that good in a child’s day.
“The actual work, the MEAT of what we do, is so rewarding,” said Chrissy.
“Being the light for someone,” Monica added, “is so important. You could have had the most godawful day and go into a room with a patient and it brings you back down to reality. You’re there for a reason. You’re there for them.”