After a two-week hiatus, I’m back with a brand new video. It was such a beautiful spring day that I felt inspired to film this one outside, with the help of my wonderful husband. I’m thinking there will be lots more outdoor “Sunday Singalong” videos in the coming months!
“Good Green Earth” was another iTunes find, from the album Good Morning Sun, Goodnight Moon by James K. I’ve been incorporating in into my music therapy sessions around Earth Day for the last three years, because not only it is a personal and student favorite, but it’s great for reinforcing the days, months, seasons, and even up and down motor movement. I love songs that are so multifunctional!
It’s hard to believe that Sunday night has arrived, and another week will begin bright and early (“the sun comes up…”) tomorrow. How was your weekend? Mine was mostly spent catching up with laundry and cleaning, but I did sneak in a little shopping and lounging :) I’m excited for a low-key, productive week and even more gorgeous spring weather. See you back here soon!
Yesterday’s post about Glee! got me feeling pretty nostalgic about the “good old days” of high school show choir. So nostalgic, in fact, that I went over to my parents’ house and dug out my box of photo albums. I graduated from high school in 2001, the days before digital cameras became the norm, but I did find a few snapshots of my show choir, Seven & Senators, in action. Can you find me in the picture above? (Hint: click the picture to enlarge it.)
We actually called ourselves a “swing” choir rather than a show choir, because we performed mostly jazz songs. In this picture, we’re doing “Moonglow” – that’s me in the back, getting dipped by my sophomore year crush. We never dated, but almost all of my high school boyfriends were musical types. So it surprised lots of people when I went and married a non-musical soccer player :)
My junior year, our choreographer taught us all how to tap dance. And by the end of the year, we were GOOD. At our spring concert, we performed this awesome arrangement of “Bill Bailey” and seriously wowed everyone with our dance skills. That’s why we all look so happy in this picture!
Part of what made being in Seven & Senators so much fun is that I was surrounded by my best friends. We spent a LOT of time together, so over the years we became very close. Two of my fellow sopranos were even bridesmaids in my wedding.
There aren’t many life experiences like being a member of a tight-knit performing group. Of course, we had our share of drama (questionable directors, upperclassmen jealousy when as lowly freshmen, my two friends and I made the group instead of them, arguments over solos and dance partners) but we were quite low-key compared to the hijinks that ensue on Glee. We might not have made for very good television, but we still had a darn good time!
Who else is with me when I say that Glee just might be the most entertaining show on television right now? Judging from the response I received after posting about the return of Season 1 on my Facebook page the other night, I’m not alone in that sentiment. Hard-core fans of this show call themselves “gleeks” – and I just might be one of them!
There are so many reasons why I love this show. The first is that I’m a six-year show choir veteran, so every episode serves up a big heap of nostalgia (although thankfully, I never had to deal with teen pregnancy, sabotaging gym teachers, or blue slushies thrown in my face).
Next is obviously the amazing music. The variety of songs, from Lionel Richie to Wicked to Kelly Clarkson, keeps the show fresh and relevant. Not to mention the ridiculously talented cast. Lea Michele, who plays Rachel, is in my opinion the highlight of the show (and NOT just because I really like her character’s name). My husband, a closeted gleek, and I rewound and replayed one of Rachel’s songs from Tuesday night’s episode three times.
Another thing that makes Glee so appealing is that it’s hilarious. The absurd plot lines and one-liners are reason enough to watch this show. It’s definitely not for young children, but I do have quite a few teenage students who are big fans. We always discuss the latest episode at the start of our lessons, and I think the fact that I watch increases my “cool” factor with them :)
Speaking of cool, I love the fact that this show has made singing, show choir, and Broadway musical numbers cool. Too bad Glee wasn’t around when I was in high school! I never thought I’d see the day when “Tonight” from West Side Story and “Defying Gravity” from Wicked – the Glee versions, of course – would show up on my husband’s iPod (just don’t tell him I told you that).
What about you? Do you watch the show? If not, I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I highly recommend it. And now I’ll take off my Glee sandwich board (this post has made me sound like a walking advertisement for the show) and go to class. Happy Friday, everyone!
A whole week has gone by since I last posted, but at least I have a good excuse: I was on vacation! A much-needed one, to be honest, after a whirlwind winter and four long days in the recording studio. Zach and I had a wonderful time in San Antonio, where we hit up the Alamo (as you can see above), the Riverwalk, and of course, the resort pool. It’s always tough coming back to reality after a relaxing vacation, but as the title of this post states, my batteries are recharged and I’m feeling more than ready to take on all of the projects awaiting me.
And speaking of new projects, I figured that since the school year is winding down and summer is approaching, there’s no better time than now to share with you the big items on my list of to-dos and goals. June, July, and August are the three months I devote to my own work outside of The Hope Institute, and I’ve already set the bar pretty high for this summer. Here are just a few of the things I want to accomplish:
Finish creating sheet music for every last one of my 100+ Listen & Learn songs. I’ve been doing so on an as-needed basis, but it’s time to bite the bullet and get the job done.
Complete all of the materials I’ll need for my first-ever music therapy intern, who will be joining me at Hope in August.
Update the organizational system in my home office/studio. I spend almost all of my time there in the summer, so it needs to be in tip-top shape.
Release and distribute my first studio album! This will most likely take place in June or July, and I can’t wait for you all to hear it.
Of course there are many other goals on my list, but I’ll keep a few under wraps so I have new material to share with you every once in a while. And while I’m on the subject of new material, let me just tell you that my number one priority in the coming weeks is writing and posting NEW SONGS. Right now I’m working on one about the Ice Age for a kids’ museum camp-in at which I’ll be providing a musical experience, and I’m always up for other topic suggestions!
Well it’s time to roll on out to my first music therapy session of the day. Thanks for sticking with me, and for continuing to spread the word about Listen & Learn. I receive emails from new readers almost every single day, and they never fail to put a smile on my face. See you back here soon!
Last November, I had the opportunity to attend the AMTA National Conference in San Diego, California, where I met countless amazing music therapists. One person, in particular, stood out to me; I kept seeing him everywhere I went – the exhibit hall, the sessions I attended, and so on. He seemed like a fun and outgoing person, so I was excited to finally meet him face-to-face and chat a bit towards the end of the conference.
His name was Tim Ringgold, and I came to find out that he was a music therapist (and fellow blogger!) from Orange County, California. We got to talking about his daughter, Bella, who was born with a rare skin disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Tim explains it in these words on his website:
Anabella Ringgold was born on May 27, 2009 with a rare skin disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa, or EB. She has the rarest form, called Recessive Dystrophic, or RDEB for short. A single gene in her body responsible for making the anchor that hold her skin to her body is defective. This causes blisters and wounds to occur all over her body, including her mouth and entire GI tract. Any kind of friction, rubbing, bumping can cause blisters to form, or it can cause her skin to shear clean off. Currently, there is no cure for EB. Life expectancy is under 20 years due to risk of malnutrition, infection, or squamous cell carcinoma. Although pain and discomfort is constant, Bella remains bright and cheerful, bless her heart.
I was eager to stay in touch with Tim following the conference, and I was able to do so through Facebook and Twitter. When he announced earlier this year that his book, Bella’s Blessings, was available, I didn’t waste any time in purchasing it. I can’t tell you how glad I am that I did, because it is the latest addition to my “must read” list.
In the book, Tim takes us back to the hours just prior to Bella’s birth. He recounts the moments leading up to it, as well as the actual event, at which point they learned of Bella’s rare skin disease. I felt like I was with the Ringgold family on their roller-coaster of a journey from page 1 to the very end. Tim started a blog just days after Bella’s birth in order to keep family and friends apprised of her progress, and the book contains entries from the beginning through Bella’s first summer.
The back of the book reads: “The secrets to the silver lining…revealed!” This is such a fitting description; Tim and his family found the silver lining in the very darkest of storm clouds. Talk about a story of faith and strength. Faith in God during the most trying and scary times, and strength as they navigated their way though. Tim provided music therapy not only for Bella during her time in the NICU, but the other babies, as well. He shares every emotion, every struggle, every triumph, and every moment of Providence throughout those first few months; my only disappointment was when the book ended. Luckily, Tim’s blog picks up right where the book ends, and we can all keep up with Bella and the Ringgold family.
In the past, I haven’t reviewed books here other than those that I use in music therapy sessions. But Bella’s Blessings is one that I recommend to you, knowing that it will inspire and remind you that there is silver lining in every situation with which we are faced, just as it did for me.
Each month, up to 50% of the proceeds from book sales are donated to a different children’s charity. You can read reviews and make your purchase here. And right after you do that, add Tim’s blog, Care for Anabella, to your blogroll.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
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