Words and melodies have, for the most part, eluded me over the past 6 weeks. The best I could muster was an adaptation of Maggie Rogers’ “Give A Little” for bells, which I used in my livestream classes recently, but otherwise…nothing.
And then last Friday, our governor announced that all schools in Illinois are closed for the remainder of the school year. Even though I was 100% expecting this news, it hit me hard. I still haven’t told my kids, who are only 4 and 6…young enough to be content at home, but old enough to love and miss their school, teachers, and friends. Needless to say, the rollercoaster my emotions have been on plunged downward.
That night, I sat down with my guitar, and all these lyrics came pouring out, along with a melody to go with them. “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay” was the result, and I want to share it with you if you need a reminder of this message as much as I do.
When I first started writing my own songs, I was working with children and young adults ages 0-22 in both the school and private practice settings. Not only did I want my songs to be effective tools for my students and clients, but I wanted them to appeal to the caregivers who were present in sessions, as well.
From the very beginning, my goal has been for my songs to transcend age ranges and developmental levels, but little did I know that many of them would also work well with older adults, too. It wasn’t until I started leading sessions in a senior living facility a couple years ago that I realized this was the case.
This blog post is the second in a series all about utilizing the elements of music in music therapy sessions or music classes, check out the first post on rhythm right here. The elements of music series will continue with a focus on *drumroll please* DYNAMICS!!
Bonding songs are essential to my early childhood classes, because they foster parent-child interaction and help us wind down toward the end of the session. I wrote “I Love Your Toes” specifically for my baby (0-18 month) class, though I have most definitely used it with kiddos who are a little older.
As musicians, we have all studied music intensely for years, and for many of us, even decades. We know and understand music on a very deep level and bring that knowledge into our clinical work and classrooms every day.
Because our knowledge is so intrinsic, sometimes we forget how complex and special music really is. We’re somewhat blind to the special power that we have, which is our deep understanding of music and how to utilize it.
So, I’m remedying this blind spot! My upcoming blog posts will focus on the various elements of music and how to highlight them in music therapy sessions and music classes.
Music is such an exciting time, especially for little ones. Sometimes our young group members get caught up in their excitement and lose their focus on what the rest of the group is doing. This can have a spiral effect and soon the group can feel out of control. How do we handle these situations?
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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This is the book + course that will help you shape your music therapy career in order to make more money and live your ideal lifestyle. Details here.
