by Rachel | Uncategorized
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.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
When asked what I do for a living, I almost always answer automatically: “I’m a music therapist.” But the long answer is a little more complicated.
In addition to providing music therapy, I also teach lessons, perform, write music, blog, design websites, and juggle professionally. Okay, just kidding about that last one. But in all seriousness, the items on that list are right up there in importance with my “official” career, and they are things that I spend time doing every day.
My dad is well aware of my “multiple irons in the fire” — as he termed it when he sent me this article last week. The author writes that it’s okay to have multiple interests and talents rather than follow one clearly defined career path, and even has a name for such people: mulipotentialites.
She states that the alternative to having one true calling is to create a life around all of your interests; furthermore, create a platform that’s fueled by your multipotentiality. The article cites Chris Guillebeau (one of my personal heroes) as someone who has successfully done so. And the reason for his and others’ success? There is one over-arching theme connecting all the facets of their platforms.
The article got me thinking about my platform and over-arching theme. If you read this blog on a daily basis, then you know that I jump around from topic to topic quite frequently. Sometimes I write about business, other days I share music therapy songs I have written or songs that my students have recorded, and then there are the many posts related to my favorite technologies and how I use them. The list goes on, really.
My tagline since starting Listen & Learn has been “helping children learn and grow through music” — and while I think that covers most of the content I write and the work I do, I wouldn’t say that covers all of it. Maybe my over-arching theme will become more clear with time.
Do you have one true calling, or would you consider yourself to be a multipotentialite? And if so, what’s your over-arching theme?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Upon learning of the death of Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, my husband posted this quote of his on Facebook. Many others have followed suit, and I’m doing the same now. Steve Jobs made a huge dent in the universe, and helped millions of others make their own…including me.
I vividly remember one night back in 2006: my boyfriend (now husband) and I were sitting on the couch — he was typing away at his brand new Macbook, while I did the same on my old Dell. Zach said, “You should check out this Garageband program. I bet you could get lots of use out of it for your music therapy work.” I took a quick look, and then told him I doubted I would ever need something like that. After all, I was a PC girl all the way.
But I tried it out the next day while he was at work, and was hooked. Since then, I’ve gone through multiple Macbooks, using Garageband to record hundreds and hundreds of songs for my students, myself, and this very blog.
I’ve used iMovie to create over 75 “Sunday Singalong” videos. My iPad has a place in almost every music therapy session I facilitate, lesson I teach, and gig I perform. I would feel lost without my iPhone.
Slowly but surely, I’m making my dent in the universe; and although I can’t give Steve Jobs all the credit, I will say that I couldn’t have done some of my best work without him and his creations. So today, along with the rest of the world, I’m remembering an amazing visionary and feeling thankful for his contributions to us.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Yesterday during my presentation at the Sharing a Vision conference, I may have gotten a little carried away explaining just how powerful music can be, and how much I love what I do. If the attendees walked away having learned nothing at all (which I hope is not the case!), at least they will have recognized my genuine passion for music therapy.
And today, for the second time this week, I have the opportunity to educate another person about this field and what it’s like to be a part of it. A high school senior with an interest in music therapy is coming over to talk with me today, which is exciting but scary. I always feel a great deal of pressure when I talk to students, because I want to make sure I represent my field enthusiastically yet accurately.
After all, one of the most influential factors in my decision to do so was a job shadowing experience I had with a music therapist as an undergraduate student. Her passion was apparent; I saw with my own eyes just how much she enjoyed the work she was doing and how it was benefiting her clients.
As much as music therapists are advocates for our profession in the community — to parents, educators, legislators, other kinds of therapists, and the list goes on — I also feel like I have a responsibility to help our field grow. I’ve had many students come to observe or interview me about music therapy, and each time, I hope that I’m influencing them in the same way I was by a music therapist all those years ago.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
When I look at this picture of my best friends and I at our high school graduation, I find it extremely hard to believe that ten years have passed. We’ve taken many pictures like it since — at each other’s bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, and other milestone events. And I’m sure we’ll take lots more this weekend at our high school reunion.
My husband has been hard at work planning this event (after all, he was voted “Life of the Party” in our senior yearbook) along with the rest of the committee. It’s going to be so much fun to see all of the people I’ve only kept in touch with via Facebook for the last few years. I keep reminding myself of that, rather than dwelling on the fact that this reunion has me feeling a little old. Ridiculous, I know :)
But despite feeling old, I also feel accomplished — and that is a good feeling :) I love that I’ll be the only music therapist at my reunion, though I’m not so much looking forward to explaining my profession dozens of times. I guess I’ll have to rehearse my elevator speech between now and tomorrow!
