Recap: National Conference

by | Nov 29, 2009

Has it really been two whole weeks since I returned from the AMTA conference in San Diego? According to my calendar, it has, but it feels like just yesterday. My first national conference was an experience I won’t soon forget, and I’m already thinking ahead to next year. You can read some of the highlights I shared early on during my stay, but more important, in my opinion were the lessons I learned not only about my profession, but about myself, as well. (I know…how cheesy am I?)

Yes, there are actually others like me out there! Ok, so I knew this already, but it’s easy to forget that there are plenty of other music therapists out there, with jobs very similar to mine, when I am on my own in good ol’ Springfield. Having face-to-face contact and trading stories and advice was worth the price of admission, in my opinion.

The internet really is a good place to meet people. Of course, I mean that only in the most professional sense :) I’ve made quite a few online connections with fellow MTs over the last couple of years, and I was thrilled to have a chance to meet many of them IRL (that’s “in real life” for those of you who don’t speak internet!) at conference. Several of us joked that we felt like old friends already, but it really was true. And let me tell you, hanging out with music therapists in person is much more fun than sending tweets and writing on Facebook walls!

I’m on the right track. Having been in the field for only 2.5 years, I tend to question my knowledge, professional abilities, and the decisions I make as a therapist from time to time. I had this false notion that every other MT knew exactly what he or she was doing every step of the way, but I quickly learned from the vets at conference that those question marks are normal. Based on the feedback I received regarding my career, I came home with a brand-new sense of confidence and even clearer vision for my future path.

Public speaking is actually fun. This was probably one of the most valuable lessons of the bunch. In submitting my presentation proposal, I basically forced myself to face one of my biggest fears: public speaking. Little did I know that the key to this art is finding the right topic, which I definitely had by presenting “Music Therapy in the Blogosphere”. I enjoyed myself so much that I couldn’t wait to give another presentation two days later. I’m officially hooked on public speaking!

Good ideas lead to big things. I knew that I would finally get to see and hold the new Listen & Learn Songbook once I arrived in San Diego, but it wasn’t until it was actually in my hand that I was able to grasp the reality of it. What began as an idea was now, after lots of hard work, a product that people were buying! The picture above shows Michelle Erfurt (my wonderful publisher, on the left) and I at our booth in the exhibit hall.

I could spend another hour telling you all about the specifics: the presentations and workshops I attended, the people I met, and the conversations that were had, but I have a feeling those will unfold over time as I put them to good use. This conference was just what I needed to recharge my battery, so to speak. Do I really have to wait an entire year for the next one?

A Day For Giving Thanks

by | Nov 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I’m thrilled to be writing my second “I’m thankful for…” post (you can read last year’s here) and it seems that this year, the list has grown. It has been a truly amazing year full of new experiences, opportunities, friends, and additions to my family. So without further ado, these are the things for which I’m giving thanks today:

1. My Family
Zach and I are celebrating our second Thanksgiving as a married couple, and Sadie, our puppy, is having her first one ever! We are lucky to have most our family right here in Springfield, and they are our biggest supporters in all that we do. We’ve both been blessed with an amazing family.

2. My Career
I was hired at The Hope Institute before my internship even ended, and I am so grateful to have been there for the past 2.5 years. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to have built my own private practice, along with all the other music-related projects in which I’ve taken part over the last year.

3. Our New Home
Although our old house will always be our “first home” as a couple, we are still counting our blessings that we were able to buy our current home last winter. It is perfect for us: I have a dedicated music studio, Sadie has a huge, fenced in backyard, Zach has his “man cave” basement, and there is plenty of room for when our family starts to grow.

4. The Internet
No, really! I have made countless new friends and connections (including YOU!) through Listen & Learn, Facebook, and Twitter, and many of the opportunities I’ve had have come as a result of my online presence. I fully admit that I am a proud internet geek, and for that, I am thankful.

There are so many more reasons to be thankful, but I’d better stop there. I’m off to help my mom make Thanksgiving dinner, after which we’ll hit up Zach’s parents’ house and my uncle’s. Busy day, and I’m already loving every minute of it. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Listen & Learn: Thanksgiving

by | Nov 24, 2009

Okay, everyone…the final countdown has begun! We are only three days away from Thanksgiving, and if your students are anything like mine, they are probably getting restless in anticipation of the holiday and having a mini-break. Maybe you are even experiencing some of this restlessness – I know I am!

But there are still two school days to go before the fun begins, which provides an opportunity to squeeze in just a few more Thanksgiving songs. So with that in mind, I thought I’d recap the songs that I’ve written and have been singing with my students all month long.

Read the original post for each of these songs, including lyrics, here. Also, check out the Songs For Teaching blog (I am one of the bloggers!) for some great songs and ideas. What last-minute Thanksgiving activities are you introducing to your students this week?

Up and Down

by | Nov 19, 2009


You’ve probably noticed that something has been missing from this blog lately: songs! Yes, the very reason many of you visit Listen & Learn in the first place…so thanks for sticking around despite the lack of new tunes over the last couple of weeks. But that is all about to change, since I’ve been saving a few up in the vault.

“Up and Down” is a song I wrote this summer and just happens to be included in the Listen & Learn Songbook. There are so many ways to describe this concept, that I actually had to cut a few verses from the original! But feel free to add as many of your own as you’d like :)

Balls can bounce
Up and down.
Towards the sky,
Then to the ground.
Balls can bounce
High and low,
Up above and down they go.

Frogs can leap
Up and down.
Into the air
Then to the ground.
Frogs can leap
High and low,
Up above and down they go.

Elevators move
Up and down.
To the top floor
And underground.
Elevators move
High and low,
Up above and down they go.

Birds can fly
Up and down.
Way beyond the trees
And to the ground.
Birds can fly
High and low,
Up above and down they go.

We can jump
Up and down.
Towards the sky,
Then to the ground.
We can jump
High and low,
Up above and down we go.

Speaking of up and down, I have certainly traveled my fair share in both directions over the last week! And it’s not over yet; tomorrow I’m heading south to watch my sister-in-law defend her doctoral thesis, which just happens to be on the topic of neuroscience. I’m already preparing to be blown away!

31 Hours

by | Nov 18, 2009

Starting tonight and going through Saturday afternoon, my local radio station is hosting their 4th annual radiothon to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network and St. John’s Children’s Hospital. They will be broadcasting live from the lobby of the hospital, where there will be volunteers manning the phones and families who have been helped by the Children’s Miracle Network stopping by. I’m one of those volunteers, and looking forward to my 3-hour shift on Saturday afternoon as the radiothon winds to a close.

But I was able to donate my time in another way, as well. Each year during the radiothon, they air personal stories from the people who have required services through the Children’s Miracle Network and the hospital. Most of them are hard to hear, and very emotional. But our community needs to hear what kind of care is available should one of their children fall under dire circumstances. The stories are set to music, usually a popular song whose mood suits the gravity of the story.

This year I asked if there was any way I could contribute musically to the cause, and together we came up with the idea to write songs based on the stories themselves. So I sat in as the families told their stories, during which time I got ideas for the corresponding songs. Out of the four stories I heard, I chose two to set to music. They will be played during the radiothon, and I only hope that the families feel that their songs do their stories justice.

That’s the coolest part of being a music therapist, in my opinion. Not only can you work directly with a child, adult, or group of people, but there are infinite ways to use music therapeutically, reaching a wide audience at the same time. This point was driven home for me at the national conference, which I will writing more about in the coming days.

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