Today sure is one of them…at least, where I live. But contrary to the lyrics of the Carpenters’ song bearing that same title, they don’t always get me down. In fact, sometimes they motivate me to buckle down and get to work. The sound of the rain, mixed in with my typing, makes for a pretty good soundtrack!
Another song on that soundtrack is my go-to “Rainy Day” tune, which I use with my students when we sing about the weather. I’ve been humming it ever since venturing out into the rain this morning, and thought I’d pass it along to you :)
(If you haven’t already, you can join the Listen & Learn newsletter and get the entire Weather album for free.)
After a weekend away, I have plenty to do to keep me busy on this rainy Monday. Aside from laundry and housecleaning, I have emails to return, videos to make, and presentations to prepare. Better get back to work!
Last night, I attended the National Children Protection Training Center’s inaugural gala in St. Paul Minnesota. Not only did I attend, but I had the opportunity to perform the song my mom and I wrote, because it was chosen as the winner of their national songwriting contest.
Sharing the song with all of the gala attendees was such a fun experience. And each person received a copy of the song on CD (which I didn’t have to burn!) as a souvenir. Here’s a picture of my mom and I at the gala:
The weekend was great — we did lots (and lots…and lots…) of shopping at the Mall of America and even had some chill time, which I’m not used to at home!
But I’m excited to head back to Illinois later this morning, because I have so much to do in order to prepare for my next trip. I’m heading to Atlanta in a little over a week for the national music therapy conference!
As you read this, I’m either on my way to Minnesota (we hit the road to the airport at 4.30 am…eek!) or already there.
A few months back, my mom told me about a songwriting contest being held by a national non-profit organization whose mission is to end child abuse.
The National Child Protection Training Center (NCPTC) focuses on educational curriculum development and training for child protection professionals across the country. The winning song would be performed at their gala, Embracing Hope: A World Without Child Abuse Starts Tonight, as a theme song of sorts.
So we entered…and guess what? We won! We found out the good news in September, and now we’re off to St. Paul in order to attend and sing the song at the gala.
My mom and I are pretty excited about having the opportunity to share the song with so many people who we know will appreciate it. If you want to hear the song for yourself, click here.
Another thing we’re pretty excited about? Doing some shopping at the Mall of America! I’ve never been, and this trip just happens to fall at the perfect time to start doing my holiday shopping :)
This is the “it” song of the moment in my studio, at least among the teenage girl crowd. I don’t mind one bit, because I am a huge Adele fan. Sharing similar tastes in music with my students is kinda fun, not to mention that it makes me seem much cooler to them ;)
Cydney has been working on this song for just a few weeks, and we decided that she should record it at her last lesson. I think it turned out very well! Take a listen:
How about that voice? Cydney is a powerhouse — I never have to worry about the piano drowning her out! Oh, and she can yodel too. I never cease to be amazed by my students.
I spend most of my time writing children’s songs, providing music therapy to children, and teaching children how to sing and play instruments. Early on in my career, I realized that I was going to need a non-children-related outlet to keep me balanced, which is why I started writing songs and playing gigs for an older crowd.
I’ve kept that up over the last few years in different capacities — first as a solo act, and eventually branching out to perform with other musicians. This summer I met Matt Combs, and we quickly realized that our musical taste and style meshed well, as did our songwriting.
We’ve been hard at work for the past couple of months, writing music and preparing for our first gig in October. This week we launched our Facebook page, where we posted a demo album which includes two originals and some of our favorite covers.
I know most of you come here for content related to music therapy, music education, and children’s music, but I like to stray from the beaten path every once in a while and write about what else is going on in my life. If you want to keep up with my new pursuit, you can “like” our page below:
I’m always curious to hear about my colleagues’ endeavors outside of their professions. What do you do outside of work for fun and to stay balanced? Feel free to share links to your “for fun” blog, project, Facebook page, etc.
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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As you read this, I’m either on my way to Minnesota (we hit the road to the airport at 4.30 am…eek!) or already there.
