Friday Fave: You!

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Today I want to talk all about you, my wonderful readers. I used to feel a little lonely, being the only music therapist in my city. In fact, that was one of the motivating factors in starting this blog. I needed a place to share my ideas, receive feedback on my songs, and just communicate with people who have similar experience and background.

And communicate I have. It is such a great feeling to find an email from a reader waiting for me, whether he/she is asking a question, commenting on a song, or sharing an idea with me. Not only do I have new email buddies, but I have gotten to know many of you via Twitter and Facebook, too.

I am thrilled to have so many new connections in the music therapy community, but it hasn’t stopped there. Music educators, classroom teachers, and parents make up a big part of my readership, and those that I have talked with are advocates of music therapy and the difference music can make in a child’s life.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making Listen & Learn one of your regular stops on the web. Thank you for your emails, comments, and overall support, whether it is sending the link to a friend, making a donation, or purchasing a CD. Or all three, in many cases :)

Happy Friday to you. I hope that knowing you are my “fave” makes your day a little brighter!

Foggy Day

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

So foggy, in fact, that driving to school this morning was a little scary! I’m a nervous driver in any case, so unfavorable weather conditions do not help my cause whatsoever. But I made it here, and it’s Friday, so I can’t complain too much. In fact, this gives me the opportunity to share my “Foggy Day” song, which I’ve been waiting to do since November. A true example of lemons to lemonade!

When I go outside and look around,
It seems like there’s a cloud on the ground.
It’s hard to see, everything is gray,
It’s a foggy day.

Be careful, move slow,
Everywhere you go.
Like a blanket from the sky,
A foggy day for you and I.

When I go outside and look around,
It seems like there’s a cloud on the ground.
It’s hard to see, everything is gray,
It’s a foggy day.

So there you have it. Hopefully the fog will soon disappear, and the sun will come out to grace us with its presence. Not much can top a warm, beautiful Friday…except maybe Friday Faves at Listen & Learn! Make sure you stop by later today for this week’s installment.

Ring and Sing

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

Aside from my job as music therapist at the Hope Institute and in private practice, I also lead a music class for very young children at my church called Church Mice. One of the instruments that we play in every class is the resonator bell, similar to those pictured above. The set that we use is made up of D and A tones, which I need to keep in mind when choosing songs to accompany the bells.

The sound that the bells produce is light and pretty, so for the current Church Mice session, I decided to write a song to complement that sound. “Ring and Sing” is the title, and though it was written specifically for the resonator bells, you could also use it to accompany any type of bell.

It’s a beautiful day, so ring your bell.
Ring your bell, come on and ring your bell.
It’s a beautiful day, so ring your bell.
Ring, ring along with me.

Ring and sing, oh ring and sing,
Make a sound and do your thing.
Ring and sing, along with me,
Because it’s a beautiful day!

There is music to make, so ring your bell.
Ring your bell, come on and ring your bell.
There is music to make, so ring your bell.
Ring, ring along with me.

Ring and sing, oh ring and sing,
Make a sound and do your thing.
Ring and sing, along with me,
Because there is music to make!
And because it’s a beautiful day!

As far as adding additional verses, the possibilities are virtually endless. There are so many reasons to ring a bell…simply change the first phrase in the verse (and continue throughout the song) to make it work it any situation. A few examples:

1) It is time for school, so ring your bell
2) If your name is _______, then ring your bell
3) If you’re wearing ________, then ring your bell

Easy, right? Be creative and see what you can come up with. Or better yet, let your students write new verses, and don’t forget to share them with me!

Down by the Station

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This isn’t the first time I’ve posted about this book: Down by the Station, by Will Hillenbrand. I wrote briefly about it in reference to a student who has a very strong connection to this particular story, so I thought I’d expand on that today.

I like this book because there are so many opportunities to work on specific objectives, including identifying colors and animals, memory skills, and producing sounds. And of course, it’s fun! I’m currently using it with a small group of kids ranging in age from 1-5, and they all love it. It’s funny to listen to my students imitate the animal sounds – theirs are usually much better than mine! One way to adapt this activity is to have your students come up with additional animals and corresponding sounds…the creativity I see never ceases to amaze me.

May Day!

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

May is one of my favorite months of the year. As a kid, it meant that the school year was nearing the end, and now that I work in a school, that remains true! It is amazing to think that there are only four full weeks left before a nice little summer break, and then a much more relaxed summer school schedule.

There are a few other notable happenings this month, including Mother’s Day, my brother’s college graduation, and the day my husband and I have been waiting for…we’re getting a puppy! But in the meantime, let’s kick off the month of May with a song:

May is here, month number five,
Trees and flowers come alive.
Thirty one days from start to end,
So help me sing about May, my friend.

First comes May Day on day one,
Celebrate spring and have some fun.
Then don’t forget about Mother’s Day,
Each family honors Mom in its own way.

CHORUS

Memorial Day is a time that we
Should think about our history.
Let’s honor those who went to war,
And appreciate what they were fighting for.

CHORUS

We’ll have a break when May is through,
Summer time for me and you.
Play outside and sleep in late,
Enjoying our vacation will be so great.

CHORUS

What are you looking forward to this month? I am hoping for May flowers in place of the April showers we’ve been experiencing all week, but it looks like I’m not going to get my wish anytime soon. I am also hoping for a more relaxing weekend than the last one…we’ll see if that happens! Happy May Day to you all.