August 2009

Click, Clack!

August 31, 2009

Wow, has it been a busy week! Between the students at the Hope Institute returning to the classroom and long rehearsals every night for Guys & Dolls, I was ready for a weekend-long nap. I didn’t have that luxury, though; there were four performances and lots of work to be done, instead. It was exhausting, [...]

Friday Fave: Guys & Dolls in Concert!

August 28, 2009

I know this is not music therapy or children-related, but I just had to mention the wonderful production that I’m a part of, which happens to open tonight! It is being put on as a fundraiser for the Hoogland Center for the Arts, which is a hub for all things theater and arts-related in Springfield. [...]

Today at Listen & Learn Plus!

August 27, 2009

School is back in session, which means lots and lots of singing “hello” and “goodbye” to my students. This week I’ve shared my brand new songs for that purpose with you, and today the lead sheet for “Time to Sing Hello” is available to members…learn about becoming one today! Members, click here to access this [...]

Music Therapy: A Hybrid?

August 26, 2009

That is exactly how it is described in an article from Time Out New York, which I found via a blog post by Brown Music Therapy. The article is titled “The New Hybrids” and leads in as follows: We’re not talking about eco-friendly cars, but innovative fields that blend disciplines in unexpected ways – and [...]

A New Way to Say Goodbye

August 26, 2009

When I introduced a brand-new goodbye song in one of my classes this morning, I was met with mixed emotions…from the staff! The students seemed to respond very positively to the new tune, while several of my coworkers didn’t hide their disappointment that I strayed from the usual goodbye song. They were good sports, though, [...]

Time to Sing Hello

August 24, 2009

The students have returned! Today is the official start of the school year, and I’ve already had music therapy with two classes. It was so much fun seeing all of the kids after an entire summer away, and for the most part, they were happy to see me, too. I was excited to introduce some [...]

The First Day of School

August 20, 2009

I wasn’t sure what to expect on my first day back after being away all summer, but so far, so GREAT! It has been wonderful seeing my colleagues, and although we’ve had meetings all day, somehow everyone is still in a great mood :) My room, which is often a disaster area when I return [...]

Yummy Summer

August 18, 2009

Back in July, I held a contest over at Listen & Learn Plus! which involved subscribers coming up with topics for fun summer songs. The second winner is Rebecca, and this was her idea: “There are so many foods that seem to be best eaten in the summer at picnics, cookouts, and pool parties. What [...]

Rumble in the Jungle

August 17, 2009

Have you ever bought a book, instrument, or other classroom resource and then forgotten about it, leaving it unused on a shelf? Well that is exactly what happened to me with the book Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae, which I purchased at Barnes & Noble over two years ago. I just dug it [...]

Weekend Wrap-Up

August 17, 2009

On Friday I wrote all about my plans to enjoy some downtime, and that I did! This weekend was perhaps the most non-productive I’ve had all summer, and that was just fine with me. I saw “The Time Traveler’s Wife” (a great film but not as amazing as the book), spent some time by the [...]

Friday Fave: Downtime

August 14, 2009

Yep, those are my feet, and this is my favorite summer vacation spot…my mom’s pool. Although it’s only two blocks away, I haven’t spent nearly enough time there this summer. I can’t complain, though: I have been lucky to work on several music-related projects that have been both challenging and extremely fulfilling, and I couldn’t [...]

One Step Closer

August 13, 2009

If you’ve been here before, then you are sure to have read about the project I am hoping to bring to life. I’m using Kickstarter, an online fundraising platform, to raise $2,000 in order to professionally record and distribute a CD of songs for children with autism and other disabilities, free of cost. My life’s [...]

Today at Listen & Learn Plus!

August 12, 2009

Music therapists often write to me asking the question, “how do you spread the word about your music therapy services and build your business?” Today at Listen & Learn Plus! I have answered this question by sharing a few of my most effective strategies with members…learn about becoming one today! Members, click here to access [...]

August Activities

August 11, 2009

Whew! What a whirlwind this last week has been. I can’t believe that I haven’t posted in so long – I’ve missed my little blog. Let me tell you what I’ve been up to since the month began… Zach and I attended the out-of-town wedding of our good friends, Doug and Jill. We got to [...]

Today at Listen & Learn Plus!

August 11, 2009

The start of a brand new school year is just around the corner, which is why I’m sharing a free download of the tune “Off to School” as well as the lead sheet that goes with it. This and more is available to members…learn about becoming one today! Members, click here to access this post. [...]