Here’s the truth: February is not my favorite month of the year. It’s bitterly cold, and my stress levels are higher than usual since our local National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival takes place over two weekends later in the month.
But February does have its redeeming qualities. For one, it’s short. And two, there’s Valentine’s Day. And while I don’t get too over the top excited about this particular “holiday”, I do like that it gives me an excuse to write and sing songs about L-O-V-E.
This year, instead of complaining about February, I’m choosing to celebrate it. So I compiled some of the songs I’ll be using the most this month, wrapped them in a pretty little package, and called it Listen, Learn, Love!
This 6-song collection features not only the recordings for each song, but also a PDF download with lyrics and chords. Five of the songs are originals I’ve written, and one is an adaptation of a pop song that I use frequently with my kiddos.
Give your month repertoire a boost with Listen, Learn, Love! — at $5 for this package deal, what’s there not to L-O-V-E? Happy February!
I haven’t written about the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary because, well, I’m not sure what to say that hasn’t been said already. What I do know is that I’m absolutely heartbroken — for the victims, for their families, and for the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut.
Earlier this week, I received a message from my friend and fellow music therapist, Julie Lindemuth. She had written a song called “You’re Unique, You Are Special” some time ago, but shared it recently with a child who has autism and was terrified to go back to school after hearing about the shooting.
She was kind enough to allow me to post the video here at Listen & Learn today; I know that many of you, like myself, work with children and adolescents who might very well benefit from a song like this.
As music therapists, we often are faced with difficult issues within our sessions and it’s not always easy to come up with appropriate ways to handle them. Thank you, Julie, for taking the time to pass this great resource along.
No lie: I used to store and transport my boomwhackers in a metal trash can. Yes, a TRASH CAN! That trash can now go back to serving its intended purpose, thanks to the Boom Tote.
I have known Michelle Erfurt to be a forward thinker and entrepreneur since the day I “met” her — after all, her inaugural email to me was an offer to publish a songbook based on the Listen & Learn song series. And in the four years since, I have also come to know her as a crafty DIY expert.
So what happens when a music therapist combines business savvy with sewing expertise? The Boom Tote, that’s what! What started out as a small project has now become an indispensable addition to the music therapy equipment I use on a daily basis, thanks to Michelle.
The boom tote recently got some major upgrades. The new features make it better than ever, and in my opinion, any music therapist who uses boomwhackers (and I know there are lots of us!) should have one.
First of all, there are three fabrics to choose from. My paisley tote is so pretty, don’t you think?! But even better is that the totes are sewn in a way that makes them very strong, which is vital since they are no doubt going to be handled by little (and not always so gentle) hands.
Next, the drawstring closure keeps boomwhackers from falling out, which was always a problem with my former boom “tote” (a.k.a. trash can). I can just slip the shoulder strap over my arm and go while still carrying an armload of other instruments and materials.
My most favorite feature of the boom tote is the outside zippered pocket, which Michelle suggests you can use for Octavator caps, business cards, or keys. I almost always use it to store my keys and small wallet, since I don’t like bringing a purse with me to my groups and classes.
You can get the full run-down on the official website and Facebook page. Michelle will have plenty of boom totes on hand at AMTA national conference next month, but I suggest getting yours ASAP!
A few years back, I had the privilege of creating and recording music for Model Me Kids, a company that creates modeling videos to help children with autism learn social skills. My original songs narrate the Model Me Faces and Emotions and Model Me Going Places DVDs.
Now there’s an app based on the “Faces and Emotions” DVD for both iPhone and iPad: Autism Emotion, which you can download for free in the iTunes store. It’s a great visual teaching tool for helping children learn about different emotions through photos, text, narration, and music.
The app includes four of the emotions featured in the DVD. Each emotion contains a photo slide show of a child experiencing a specific emotion, and you can play the song I wrote for each emotion as well.
I downloaded this app yesterday, and though I may be a little biased, I think it’s a great resource for enhancing my work on the topic of emotions. It’s free, so check it out for yourself…and if you use other apps to help your kiddos learn about emotions, please share!
If you’re a music therapist who partakes in any sort of social media activity (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), then you’ve surely heard about the launch of MusicTherapyEd.com. And if you haven’t, well…I’m about to fill you in!
Kat Fulton is a music therapist in San Diego who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know both through social media and in person at conferences over the last several years. The resources she has created for the music therapy and drumming communities — including her blog, drumming DVD, and CMTE courses — are nothing short of impressive, and now she’s added to that list with her latest venture.
MusicTherapyEd.com offers on-demand continuing education for music therapists (and anyone else who is interested in learning about the available topics) through video courses that are available 24/7. Current courses include There’s An App for That, Stop Burnout Before It’s Too Late, Reimbursement & Funding for Music Therapy Services: Private Insurance, Music Therapy Marketing 101, and MTs & SLPs: Collaboration and Co-Treatment in Pediatric Clinics. You can read about each course and instructor here.
Aside from AMTA National Conference, I don’t have much opportunity to travel to CMTE trainings throughout the year because of my busy work schedule. I love that more and more courses are becoming available online, and I have a feeling that MusicTherapyEd.com is going to become my go-to source for continuing education. Big props to Kat and her instructors for such an awesome resource!
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.
My Book + Course
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.
