Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
You’re Invited!
These invitations went out in the mail last week, so if you live in the Springfield area, there’s a chance you’ve already received yours. But if not, consider yourself invited to my Time to Sing Hello CD Release Party! Here are the details:
I’ll be performing songs from the album as an interactive experience for the children (and adults!) in attendance, followed by a cake-and-punch reception. It should be a fun afternoon, and a chance for all the wonderful people in my life to gather in one place and celebrate.
If you’re in my neck of the woods, I hope you’ll bring your family. To RSVP, send me an email and be sure to include a head count. Oh, and this is a completely casual affair, in case you were wondering. Let’s kick back and have a great time!
In the Swimming Pool
From the time I started elementary school until I graduated high school, most of my summer days were spent at the neighborhood pool. My friends and I would ride our bikes there as soon as it opened, and we’d usually stay until our parents made us come home late in the afternoon. And if there is anything I remember from those carefree days, it is my mother’s daily reminders to “wear sunscreen and reapply” as I walked out the door.
Of course, wearing sunscreen is just one of the many important rules associated with swimming. I was sure to include that, among others, in my newest song on this topic. “In the Swimming Pool” was inspired by my fun memories, as well as my students, who come through the door in swimsuit cover-ups and wet hair for their music lessons all summer long.
In the summertime, when the weather is hot,
You can usually find me at my favorite spot.
I’ll be splashing around and staying cool,
In the swimming pool.
Doggypaddlin’ from end to end.
Playin’ Marco Polo with my best friend.
Backstroke, freestyle, butterfly,
Swim, swim, swimming by.
CHORUS
Wearin’ my goggles, now I can see,
Underneath the water so clearly.
Backstroke, freestyle, butterfly,
Swim, swim, swimming by.
CHORUS
Listen up and follow each and every rule,
Like walk, don’t run, by the swimming pool.
Wear lots of sunscreen and reapply.
Don’t wanna get burned by the sun in the sky.
CHORUS
I know that for many children, swimming can be scary at first. It can take quite a bit of coaxing to get a hesitant child into the pool; I kept this song light-hearted and upbeat to reflect for such children that swimming is actually fun!
Do you have any go-to tunes about water activities for summer? I’m thinking this might make a fun series…I just might have to come up with songs about sprinklers, water parks, and boating to round it out. Any other ideas?
Sunday Singalong: Mia’s Composition
This week’s “Sunday Sing-Along” is more aptly titled a “Play-Along” since there isn’t actually any singing involved. But anytime I have a chance to showcase my students’ creativity, I’ll take it! Mia came to her lesson this past week bursting with excitement; she had composed this tune over the summer break and couldn’t wait to share it with me.
As important as it is for my students to learn the songs in their lesson books and do their theory exercises, I think it is equally important for them to create, whether it is through songwriting, improvisation, or otherwise. I have one student who comes to almost every single lesson with an original song, transcribed on notebook paper on handwritten staves, and another who has written not one, but two songs about bugs (her favorite subject).
Mia wants to add to her composition, and we’re turned it into somewhat of a summer project. Once the music is finished, we’re going to use Sibelius to create sheet music (a hidden theory lesson), Mia is designing cover art to be scanned, and then we’ll print the final product out to look like a “real” song, as she says.
How do you encourage your own students’ creativity? Fill me in…I’m always looking for new ways to do so!
Catch This "Days of the Week" Download!
97% of the songs I use in my music therapy sessions and music classes are those I’ve written myself. But it’s a pretty safe bet that the other 3% are borrowed from Laurie Berkner, who I’d have to say is my songwriting role model.
Some of my favorite Laurie Berkner Band songs include Buzz Buzz, Walk Along the River, The Story of My Feelings, and I Know a Chicken. But one song in particular that both my students and I are extremely fond of is I’m Gonna Catch You.
If you’re not familiar with this particular tune, follow the link and listen to an audio sample. It’s upbeat, catchy, and best of all, it’s about the days of the week. Now I’ll admit that this is a silly song, but I use it as an opportunity to sneak in a group calendar lesson.
I created a full-sized (8.5 x 11) picture for each day of the week, including the name of the day and a graphic + text for the description in the song. If I’m working with a large group, I’ll ask for volunteers to be in charge of each picture. Then as we listen to and sing the song, each child holds up his or her picture as that day is mentioned.
If the students are just beginning to learn the days of the week, I’ll have them sit in order so that they know when it’s their turn. But as they become more familiar with the order of days, I’ll arrange them randomly. For those who don’t or can’t yet read, the pictures serve as a visual cue.
My students really enjoy (and do very well with) this activity, so I thought I’d share those pictures with you today. Here they are in a nice, neat PDF download:
Download: “I’m Gonna Catch You” Visual Aide
Are you a Laurie Berkner superfan like me? It’s hard not to be; her songs are super singable, easy to play on the guitar, and can often be applied to my objectives as a music therapist. Fill me in on your favorite tunes of hers!
1 Cool Bass Line = 2 Singable Stories
One of my favorite ways to engage my music therapy students is through children’s books. I have a sizable collection of what I call “singable stories” – books with words that translate nicely into sung lyrics. Singable stories, along with the pictures that illustrate them, provide a wonderful opportunity to address goals such as identifying colors, objects, numbers, sight words, and answering “wh” questions.
A book that I find myself pulling off the shelf again and again is Down by the Station by Will Hillenbrand. The pictures are colorfully captivating, and the song is familiar to most children.
I’ve found that if I set the story to a cool beat, my students are even more apt to listen and participate. This acoustic bass line (available in Garageband) does the trick nicely.
Another book I enjoy, and find effective in addressing the previously stated goals, is Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. Again, the story is familiar, and like the first book, there is quite a bit of onomatopoeia (words that imitate the sounds they represent).
This book is new to my collection, and as I sat down to record it the other day, I realized that I could use the very same bass line as accompaniment!
When I want to jazz up my singable stories a little bit during a music therapy session, I actually play the accompanying bass line on my ipod as my student(s) and I explore the book. I make the track much longer than the length of the book, allowing for questions and conversation as we go through it. You are more than welcome to download it (for free) and use it in your own music therapy, classroom or home setting.
For those of you who have Garageband, this is “Cool Upright Bass 18” in the Loops section. You can adjust the tempo, key, and length to suit your needs. And of course, there are many more loops and beats to explore…I could (and sometimes do) spend hours playing around with them!
One Year in the Studio
When my husband and I started house-hunting in January of 2009, I had one prerequisite: our home must have a dedicated space for a music therapy studio. I’d been traveling to my students’ homes (in addition to my full-time job at The Hope Institute) for two years, and I was exhausted. Not to mention that I had to turn away potential new students, because with all the commuting I was doing, I just didn’t have the time for them.
It didn’t take long to find the perfect house; in fact, it was the very first house we toured. Two months later, we were all moved in and I got to work furnishing, decorating and organizing my office/studio. On June 15, 2009, the doors were opened to my students.
Today marks the one year anniversary of the Music Therapy Connections studio, and what a year it has been! Since last June, we’ve doubled in size from 15 students to 30, and a lot of progress has made within these four walls. I love the fact that there is a room in my house devoted to all of the things I love: writing, recording, and using music to help children learn and grow.
Just for fun, here is a video I made last summer which takes you on a tour through my brand-new (at the time) studio. A lot has changed since then, but you get the general idea. Oh, and don’t mind my novice camera skills – they have since improved!
Pssst…Want a Preview?
Behold, the cover art for Listen & Learn’s debut studio album: Time to Sing Hello. Although we’re still a few weeks away from its official release, I just couldn’t help but share my excitement with you. My experience in the recording studio was amazing, and I’m thrilled with how the tracks turned out, but this whole project didn’t feel real until I saw the finished album artwork.
Jason Taylor, a graphic designer on the East Coast, gets all the credit for the concept and design of this album. I approached him via email back in March, and he responded with an offer to donate his work to the cause. Needless to say, I was more than thrilled, especially considering his talent and impressive portfolio. Jason was a dream to work with; he managed to completely capture my vision for this album, and every aspect of the design is perfect.
I’ll unveil the back cover and actual CD artwork when the album is released on July 10, but for now, I’ll leave you with a preview track. “My Clothes and Shoes” turned out to be my favorite song of the bunch, and I hope you like it, too!
I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the song and the album cover. Please take a moment to share them with me in the comments section.
Confessions from My Comfy Couch
Okay, I’ll admit it: most of my work is done not at my desk, but rather, on my couch. If you were to visit my house on any given evening, you’d likely find both my husband and I sitting on our brown leather couch, respective MacBooks atop our laps. In fact, I’m actually in that very spot as I write this.
And since I know I’m not the only person who is blogs, tweets, facebooks, and partakes in various other computer activities from sofa central, I thought I’d let you in on this handy dandy little item right here:
The Old School Lap Desk not only keeps my legs from frying under the heat of my laptop, but it also holds papers, computer accessories, and anything else I might need while camped out on the couch. I have my friend Nabilah to thank for the recommendation; she clued me in on the awesomeness of this lap desk last fall.
Now it’s your turn to ‘fess up: are you reading this from the comfort of your couch? And if so, do you use a lap desk or something similar?
Friday Fave: Birthday Weekend Begins!
The first week of June just might be my favorite week of the whole year. Not only did summer break officially begin yesterday, but tomorrow is my birthday. To tell you the truth, I started celebrating this afternoon with a shopping trip, but the real celebration happens tomorrow night. My family is getting together for dinner at my favorite Japanese restaurant, and I can’t WAIT – their sushi is seriously amazing. Oh, and the company’s not too bad either :)
The fun will actually continue into Sunday, when my dad, brother and I head down to St. Louis for a Cardinals’ game. Heck, I might as well call it “birthday week” because my summer break continues through the 13th. (No school, but my private practice’s summer session begins on the 14th.)
In summary, I am one lucky girl. I have a loving family, wonderful friends, and a community of awesome people (YOU!) to connect with on a regular basis. I have a feeling that year #27 is going to be a great one. Here’s to a fabulous weekend, whether or not it’s your birthday!
So Long, School Year!
A year ago today, I sat in this same chair and wrote a blog post very similar to the one I’m writing now. I can’t believe an entire school year has flown by since then! It really has gone by quickly, not that I’m complaining :) As much as I love my time here at The Hope Institute, I sure am looking forward to having a few months away to tackle new projects and recharge my batteries so that when I return in August, I’m refreshed and ready to rock.
While cleaning out and organizing my office today, I’ve come across quite a few reminders of how busy, productive, and fun this year has been. There were leftover CDs my students and I created for our Celebrity Chef fundraiser, copies of my presentation at the Illinois State Board of Education’s nonpublic schools conference, an issue of the magazine in which our school (and my music therapy program) were featured, the programs from our holiday sing-along and spring sing-along, and my favorite: the numerous cards, gifts and artwork my students have given me throughout the year.
I’m a big baby when it comes to good-byes, so I’m trying to focus on all the big things this summer holds. Get ready for an onslaught of new songs, the release of my first studio album, and everything else I’m cooking up for you, my cherished Listen & Learn readers!