by Rachel | Uncategorized
Before I go on, let me qualify that title: whether or not I will continue teaching lessons is NOT the question. But it’s a curious topic amongst music therapists.
Yesterday, I had a brief conversation with one of my music therapist friends about teaching lessons. It seems that there are two different camps in our profession: those who stick to music therapy and don’t offer music lessons at all, and those who do. I most definitely fall into the latter camp.
Even before I made the decision to become a music therapist, I taught lessons. It was a great way to make spending money back in college, and what I realized early on is that teaching was the perfect way to keep up my skills as a musician. In fact, I owe several young children (who are all grown up now) for getting me back to the piano — an instrument with which I had a love/hate relationship at one point — in order to teach their lessons.
Now all these years later, I am a much better pianist because of those lessons, and feel like I continue to get better the more I teach. Same with guitar and voice. And all of those skills carry over into my music therapy work, which is why I consider teaching to be a crucial part of not only my business, but also my professional development.
As a music therapist (if you are one), what are your thoughts on teaching lessons? Do you fall into my camp, or are you a music therapy purist?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
I freely admit that I am a total junkie when it comes to technology — particularly technology that I can use to make my work easier. I have highlighted a few of these in the recent past (Music Teacher’s Helper, Dropbox, Gigbook) and now I’m adding another to that ever-growing list: Spotify.
When I first heard about this new application, I thought it sounded cool but didn’t take the time to really look into it. I knew you had to have an invitation to get the free version, so I figured I’d just wait until it was more freely available.
But then I kept seeing posts and links to Spotify on Facebook, so finally last night I decided to see what all the excitement was about. Ten minutes later, I found myself springing for the $10/month Premium version.
The free version of Spotify lets you search for, play, and share with your friends millions of tracks — pretty much any song you can think of — via the Spotify app on your desktop. Pretty cool. The unlimited version ($5/month) lets you do this without advertisements and for as long as you like. The premium version lets you do this not only from your desktop, but also on a mobile device WITHOUT even being connected to the internet.
For example, last night I created a playlist of both songs I own (Spotify imports your iTunes library and even retains your playlists) and songs I searched for in Spotify. Then I connected my iPhone and iPad to WiFi and without even connecting them to my computer, the playlist synced to both devices. Today I listened to that playlist in my car using my iPhone.
But the coolest application of Spotify for me is how I can utilize it in my studio. I can create unique playlists for my students and play them either on my computer or on my iPad. Instead of listening to just a sample of a song or having to purchase it, we can stream the entire thing so that my student can decide whether or not to add it to his/her repertoire.
I have only just begun to explore the possibilities, but I’m already hooked. Warning: searching for songs and browsing your Facebook friends’ playlists can be quite addictive! Have you jumped on the Spotify bandwagon? If so, I’d love to hear how you are using it.
As I mentioned earlier, the free version of Spotify requires an invitation. I have 8 left to give out, so the first 8 people to comment on this post will receive an invitation in their email inbox!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
It’s the 3rd Tuesday of the month, and that means it is time for another episode of the Music Therapy Round Table podcast! This month we’re talking about professional development.
Check out what Kimberly, Michelle and I have to say on this topic — including our own personal definitions of professional development, what we count towards it, and our professional development goals down the road.
This particular episode comes at a good time, since another school year is beginning which always brings new challenges. I know that personally, I have lots of exciting changes and challenges ahead and need all the professional development I can get! Luckily there are many methods and resources from which to do so, as we discuss in the episode.
What have you done lately to further your own professional development?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Kat Fulton is at it again, you guys. First came her boomwhacker videos, followed by her Drumify DVD; now she’s counting down until the launch of her newest awesome resource for music therapists: Online Zen.
She hasn’t released all the details just yet, so I’ll point you towards how you can learn more. Head on over here to watch a video from Kat and sign up to receive a free video entitled Making An Unforgettable Impression Online.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Way the heck back in October of 2009, I posted a list of Facebook pages that I think every music therapist should follow. I still recommend all of them, which you can find right here.
But since that was almost two years ago, it’s high time to share my updated list with you. So in no particular order, here are the Facebook pages that you need to go “like” — right after you finish reading my blog :)
- Music Therapy Connections – Yes, I am shamelessly self-promoting right now. But hopefully you’ve already liked my page!
- Music Therapy Round Table – The latest from the ladies of the Music Therapy Round Table, comprised of myself, Michelle Erfurt, and Kimberly Sena Moore. I suppose this counts as another shameless self-promotion…
- Sound Health Music – Kat Fulton is a music therapy and percussion rock star. She has some exciting projects coming down the pipes that you’ll definitely want to hear about.
- Sonic Divinity – If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Tim Ringgold or learning from him, you have been missing out. Go like his new music therapy business page to get in the know.
- Wholesome Harmonies Music Therapy – Amy Kalas just recently got her new website up and running, and has been on fire! Check out her Facebook page for all kinds of resourceful info.
- Mundana Music Therapy – Megan and Kim are the music therapists behind one of my favorite blogs. They have just embarked on an exciting adventure, which you can follow via their page.
- Music Sparks – JoAnn Jordan is one of the most creative and hardworking people I know. It seems that she has a new song or activity to share just about every day. I’m in awe!
- American Music Therapy Association – Stay up to date with the latest AMTA happenings right on Facebook.
- Certification Board for Music Therapists – CBMT has a Facebook page as well! An endless well of useful information about our profession.
- The Music Therapy Center of California – I love watching the videos that are frequently posted here, along with tons of pictures. Music Therapy in action!
Okay, so help me out here: which pages am I missing? Leave your favorite Facebook pages to follow in the comments below, including your own if I have left it off the list.
