Dr. Sing-Yi Feng, Pediatrics Emergency Physician, Medical Toxicologist, Professor & Musician: Madeline’s Monthly Musical Tips Blog & Radio Show for March 2026
Our blog and Radio Show celebrates’ the life and work of Dr. Sing-Yi Feng, Pediatrics Emergency Physician, Medical Toxicologist, Professor and musician.
Many of the world’s medical doctors, professors, scientists, researchers, mathematicians, engineers, chemists, physicists, inventors, statesmen, diplomats, printers, authors. poets, architects, teachers, and others have studied and played musical instruments since they were children. These eminent individuals have integrated music into their thinking process. Studying a musical instrument develops millions of new connections, synapses, between nerve cells in the brain.
Learning a musical instrument teaches discipline, cooperation, teamwork, motivation, concentration and self-esteem. Having trouble getting your child to do their homework? Play classical music in the background while your child is doing their homework! Try a Mozart Symphony in the background while they are studying.
Included is the article “The Benefits of Learning Music for Kids” by My Music Workshop
Our article of the month is “Don’t Let Adversity Knock You Down!” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D.
Feature Question for March 2026: How does Classical music play a part of Dr. Sing-Yi Feng’s life as a Pediatrics Emergency Physician, Professor & Musician and what musical instrument does she play?
https://madelinefrankviola.com/one-minute-musical-radio-show/
Early Years:
Dr. Sing-Yi Feng began studying the violin at 6 years of age. She “grew up in a musical family where her Juilliard-trained grandmother taught piano for more than 25 years.” (“At just 6 years old, Dr. Feng was already fascinated with the violin.”)
As a young musician, she was a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and a “winner of the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition with whom she performed Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole.”
Dr. Feng “recognized while in medical school, how many of the skills she needed for music overlapped with medicine.”
She says, “Learning to be a musician is like learning a different language. In medicine, you have to learn the language of that specialty and also translate it for your patients.” (The Healing Power of Music” (Oct. 12, 2023) by Jan Jarvis, Center Times Plus)
Undergraduate University/ College, Medical Studies, Residency, Fellowships:
“Dr. Sing-Yi Feng graduated from the Pennsylvania State University/Jefferson Medical College’s 6-year pre-medicine/medicine program located in Philadelphia, PA. She did her pediatric residency at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, IL and stayed an extra year as chief resident. She then moved to Dallas, completed the pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas/Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, and stayed to do a Medical Toxicology Fellowship at Parkland Memorial Hospital.”
Currently she is “a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center and works at the emergency departments at Children’s Medical Center at Dallas and Plano, Texas. She is also a medical toxicologist associated with the North Texas Poison Center located at Parkland Memorial Hospital. During the academic year of 2019-2020, Dr. Feng was the assistant pediatric emergency medicine fellowship director and became the associate pediatric emergency medicine fellowship director in July 2020.” (Sing-Yi Feng, M.D., Professor, Medical School, Pediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Faculty Biography)
Music Concerts: Dr. Feng in 2014, “participated in the Baltimore Symphony Academy, which resurrected her violin career. Since then she has been in the Curtis Institute of music, Summerfest chamber music for adults and the Manhattan String Quartet workshops. She is also a member of the Boulanger Piano Quintet alongside other health professionals. Since 2017, Dr. Feng is a member of the World Doctors Orchestra and has been part of the WDO’s Munich/Salzburg, Portugal, Dubai, Houston and Australia tours. She also participated in the WDO’s 10th anniversary celebration in June 2018 with concerts at the Elbphilharmonic in Hamburg and the Berliner Philharmonic in Berlin. In 2023 she was a chief organizer of the WDO’s session in Dallas.” (charleston competition.com/performer-sing-yi-feng/)
Dr. Sing-Yi Feng, is a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and Plano, Texas ,Professor at UT Southwestern and a Medical Toxicologist associated with the North Texas Poison Center located at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
As a musician, a violinist, she brings “the healing sound of the violin to audiences” around the world.
Don’t Let Adversity Knock You Down! by Madeline Frank, Ph.D.
Walt Disney, “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
Walt Disney with his friend and collaborator, Ub Iwerks created “a new character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.” (1926) The Oswald cartoons were being turned out rapid-fire by Disney’s studio. They became very successful. “The hand drawn animation for Oswald was a labor-intensive process requiring many hours of painstaking work by Walt’s skilled artists. Skilled artists cost money.” He decided it was “time to negotiate a little more money for his product.”
Walt Disney, 25, went to New York to see Charles Mintz, the film distributor for Universal. “Mintz offered him substantially less than he was currently earning.” Minz said, “The Oswald character was owned by Universal, not Disney and most of Disney’s animators had already been quietly hired away.” (Jason Liller, 2013,“Walt Disney: Dreams Really Do Come True” (pp. 11-13)
Lesson: Always read the fine print on a contract.
Walt Disney was devastated. His business was “pulled out from under him… His investment of time, money, and talent was taken from him in a blink of an eye.” At this point he could have given up in defeat and returned home to Missouri, but that was not his nature.
While returning by train to Hollywood with his wife, Lillian, who worked as an ink artist at Walt Disney Animated Studio, immediately thought about creating a new character to replace Oswald.
He said, “I was all alone and had nothing. Mrs. Disney and I were coming back on the train and I had to have something. I can’t tell them I’ve lost Oswald. So I had this mouse in the back of my head,,,”
With input from his wife, Lillian, and a design revamp by his friend and collaborator, Ub Iwerks, they created the character they believed would secure their studio’s survival: Mickey Mouse. (Walt Disney: Dreams Really Do Come True, 2013, Jason Liller, p.15)
Walt Disney felt bullied and betrayed by Charles Mintz. Instead of tucking his tail between his legs and returning home, he decided his best response was to create something that would become wildly popular.
Walt Disney, “I function better when things are going badly than when they’re as smooth as whipped cream.”
When adversity knocks you down, get right back up, and visualize a new picture just like Walt Disney did!
Walt Disney, “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
“The Benefits of Learning Music for Kids” (Jan. 2026) My Music Workshop
“Artur Jaschke, PhD, a clinical neuro-psychologist at the University of Amsterdam said “learning an instrument provides a full-brain workout, stimulating growth and building connections in various regions throughout the brain.” Jaschke and his team conducted a lengthy study on the impact structured music lessons has on tests and IQ scores.”
“Music has been shown to improve cognitive function, communication skills, memory skills, math skills, discipline and focus, test scores, and be a creative outlet in children. Learning music is a great way to help your child develop confidence and social skills.” (“The Benefits of Learning Music for Kids”, mymusicworkshop.com)
“Musical Notes On Math” by Dr. Madeline Frank teaches your child fractions and decimals, the fun easy way, through the rhythm of music, Winner of the Parent To Parent Adding Wisdom Award is available in book form, newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook.:
· com(Kindle)
· Barnes and Noble(Nook)
· iTunes
·
Dr. Madeline Frank’s book “Leadership on a Shoestring Budget: Timeless Principles for Everyday Use, helps businesses stay afloat in times of trouble. She calls her innovative observations, Tuning Up Your Business. For over 25 years she has helped countless people create their great image brand, and communication style that makes them irresistible. Click on the following Amazon.com link to order your copy of “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget
“The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music” shares scientific evidence, medical evidence, test results, and true stories of the world’s scientists, medical doctors, and mathematicians who have studied and played musical instruments since they were children by Madeline Frank, Ph.D. Click below:
· com(Kindle)
· Barnes and Noble(Nook)
· iTunes
·
“Madeline’s Midnight Melodies- Music From around the World”. This CD complements her books with a blend of dance music, gigues, tangos, ballet and favorites including “Danny Boy”, Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”, Debussy’s “Claire De Lune” and others. “Madeline’s Midnight Melodies” CD is now available for purchase by downloading a song, downloading the album click below:
Amazon | iTunes
Wishing you and your family a happy Saint Patrick’s Day from Your Non-Invasive Medicine Music Expert, Madeline
For over 30 years, Dr. Madeline Frank has helped children and adults overcome problems through Classical music. Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an award-winning teacher, author, researcher, speaker, conductor, and concert artist. She has discovered a scientific link between studying a musical instrument and academic and societal success. Madeline Frank earned her Bachelor and Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music. Her education has included scholarships at the Juilliard School, Indiana University, and the University of Cincinnati and she has a violin performance diploma from the North Carolina School of the Arts. (C) 2026 Madeline Frank