by Rachel | Uncategorized
I came down with laryngitis for the first time as an 11-year-old in the 6th grade. Little did I know that it would be the first of many, many cases that would disrupt auditions, performances, competitions, and eventually, work responsibilities.
As someone who makes her living as a music therapist, studio teacher, and occasional performer, my voice is my livelihood. I’m a one-woman show, and I don’t have a substitute therapist or teacher I can call in when my voice goes MIA. Needless to say, that old phrase “the show must go on” resonates deeply with me.
Take this afternoon, for instance. I’m scheduled to lead an early childhood music class that is open to the public; not everyone who might attend is on the email list. So I have no choice but to show up and do the best I can to provide an enriching musical experience for those families.
I’ve done it many times before, both in this setting and in others, and there are a few techniques I rely on to avoid a total FAIL of a class or music therapy session.
- Many of my students love to perform for each other, and this is the perfect time to let them have an impromptu talent show.
- Lead movement-based activities that rely on imitation rather than verbal instruction.
- Sign along to meaningful recorded music and have students follow.
- Let students take turns leading musical activities or interventions.
- Pass out percussion instruments and have a drum circle.
- Use color-coded lyric sheets to lead handbell playing.
- Student-facilitated songwriting and lyric analysis. They talk, I write and/or play.
And the one big no-no: DO NOT FORCE YOUR VOICE. That sentence deserves capital letters. I used to do it all the time despite warnings from my doctor, but I know now that it’s just not worth it in the long run. Besides, there are lots of different ways to make music beyond singing. What can you add to my list?
(A final note — as much as I love MacGyver-ing my way through life as a music therapist with laryngitis, I really like to sing and would very much appreciate good vibes sent my way for a speedy recovery!)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Recently, a reader wrote to me the following:
“I don’t know if you’d want to blog about your desktop but I’d like to know…is your desk always so ordered? I have a feeling you have an ability to clear the desktop daily. I am consistently in the midst of so many huge projects with my classes, well, I see the top of my desk 3 times a year. One of my goals this year is to see my desktop more than 3 times a year. Maybe you could show us what your desk looks like when you are REALLY in the swing of things.”
It’s confession time. I always have to organize my desk for photos, because it definitely does NOT look this neat on a regular basis.
In the picture above, I was in the midst of filling out student applications for my local federation of music clubs’ upcoming Junior Festival. This was right after I received the email, so it was the perfect opportunity to capture the evidence of my cluttered desktop.
So even though I’m guilty of the occasional messy desk, I’ve become very good at making it appear neat and tidy. I really have no choice, considering there are students and parents in and out of my office/studio on a daily basis. But what they don’t notice is my inbox tray stuffed to the gills, the papers concealed under a music book, and the sticky notes tucked into a drawer.
Despite all of these confessions, I do have some tips that help keep the visible clutter to a minimum and maintain my sanity.
- I keep filing boxes stacked right underneath my desk, so that I can quickly file away invoices, pay stubs, and important documents that don’t require further action.
- I make it a habit to empty my inbox tray (and then empty the trash can) every Sunday so that Monday is a clean slate.
- Almost everything has a place or a dedicated folder. I only allow myself one tiny junk drawer for things that I can’t find a regular use for yet just can’t part with.
- I’ve broken all of my former pack-rat habits. When I moved out of my parents’ house after college, they forced me to throw out the boxes and boxes of schoolwork — dating all the way back to 6th grade — that I absolutely did not need. It was hard at the time, but I’ve never looked back.
- I keep a scanner on my desk so that I can digitize anything I think I might need later but don’t want taking up valuable space.
And just in case you thought perhaps the picture up top was staged for this blog post, here’s another one (taken back in the day, when I still had my old Macbook and warhorse printer) to prove my occasional desk messiness.
What about you? Are you one of those people who always has a perfectly tidy workspace? If so, please add your tips in the comments. And if you’re a total slob, tell us about that too so we can all feel better about ourselves. (Just kidding, sort of.)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
I spend a lot of time in this chair, at this desk, in front of this screen. But after divulging a little too much information in yesterday’s post, it looks like that time is about to increase.
I wrote my first blog post for Listen & Learn Music in September 2008. In 2009, my first full year of blogging, I wrote 234 posts. In 2010, I upped the ante by 1 post, totaling 235. In 2011, my goal is to write 365 blog posts. Yep, you read that right.
So here’s the million dollar question: can I increase my year’s total number of posts by 130? I was going to make a half-hearted effort…until I received several tweets and emails from readers who happened to notice when I made my goal public knowledge. Now I have no choice but to go all in!
This is post #10 of 2011, which means I’m already ahead of the game. Here’s hoping that I can keep up this momentum for the remaining 357 days of the year. You can help: since I’ll need plenty of topics to write about, please suggest one (or more) below.
Thanks in advance for your encouragement and readership as I make the leap from blogging enthusiast to blogging maniac!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
There’s no better way to start the first week back to work after a long vacation than with a student who can barely contain his excitement at the sight of you :) “Miss Rachel! Miss Rachel!” Jake exclaimed as he sprinted to the front door of my studio with his piano books in hand.
(Jake recently graduated to the next level, so after we took his picture for the studio bulletin board, we took some silly shots…including the one above, which I artsied up a bit.)
I’m a person who appreciates routine, so it felt good to slip back into the one I’m so used to — as hectic and exhausting as it might be! Of course, it took a little more adjustment for many of my students, but I think after almost a full week, we’ve all found our groove.
And this morning, as I slid through the snow all the way to work, I mentally took stock of the first 7 days of 2011, which have included:
- Writing at least one blog post per day (one of my goals for the year!)
- Welcoming several new members to Listen & Learn Plus
- Introducing countless new songs and interventions to my music therapy students
- Penning my first custom song of 2011
- Adding several new students to my studio waiting list
- Recording episode 12 of the Music Therapy Round Table (it will be out soon!)
- Preparing for a big presentation, to be given this Tuesday
Yep, I’d say I’m back in saddle, all right. Although I do have to admit, as wonderful and productive as this week has been, I’m certainly glad it’s Friday! How was your first week of 2011?
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Another year, another “Top 12” countdown. It’s always a pleasure (if not a challenge) to go back through the past year’s archives and choose my favorite moments to highlight. 2010 was a big year…I think the following blog posts represent it well.
January: My first Sunday Singalong video debuted! The series is still going strong.
February: I became a podcaster at the Music Therapy Round Table.
March: The 2nd Model Me Kids DVD for which I wrote/recorded songs debuted.
April: I recapped my awesome experience inside the recording studio.
May: My work was featured in Kappa Delta’s national alumnae magazine.
June: A post about bass lines for singable stories had my comments buzzing.
July: I celebrated my CD release with a big party and performance.
August: I heard from lots of music therapists regarding internship experiences.
September: Listen and Learn celebrated its 2nd birthday!
October: I confessed my love for another instrument…the ukulele.
November: AMTA conference month! I posted my in-depth recap and pictures.
December: My Counting Time Collection debuted and received excellent reviews.
Do you have any favorite Listen & Learn moments to add to the list? Please share them in the comments. As I’ve done frequently over the past two years and counting, I’d like to thank you for reading, commenting, and supporting my endeavors. I hope you’ll continue to include Listen & Learn as a part of your day in 2011.
