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!
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.
I have found that some methods are more effective than others when it comes to keeping parents up-to-date with their music students’ progress. As in, my old method didn’t work so well…but luckily, my new one does.
Old method: I sent a form home in each student’s binder outlining that day’s assignments, practice tips, and new repertoire. There was a space where daily practice could be recorded, as well as a signature line for both parent and student. While I did have a handful of families who very diligently filled this out each week, most did not.
New method: I send an email to parents (and/or students, if they are old enough to receive email) outlining that day’s assignments, practice tips, and new repertoire. While not all families record practice time in the log provided on my website, many of them respond to my emails with notes of their own, or even specific questions related to the lesson.
I wrote about my method for taking notes during lessons in a previous post, in case you’re curious. But the purpose for today’s post is to stress the importance of parents being involved in their students’ education.
Just today I received an email from a parent:
Thanks for this great information every week! I like being able to show Elly what she needs to do/remind her what she needs to work on.
If the parent values his or her child’s progress, then the child is more likely to do so, as well. My most motivated students are those who are encouraged (but not forced) to practice at home, and whose parents take the time to respond to my feedback and pass it along to their children.
When I was growing up, my mom dropped me off for my piano lesson, I was sent home with nothing but my current piece or book each week, and there was never any communication between her and my teacher. No wonder I didn’t apply myself very well back then!
I love the fact that my students’ parents call me on my cell phone to discuss practice strategies, chat with me before and after lessons, and keep in touch regularly via email and Facebook. All of the above makes me a better teacher, and my students are more successful as a result.
After having taken over 10 years of voice lessons (including studying as a voice major in college) and teaching voice lessons myself for the past 8 years, I’ve learned a few vocal warm-ups in my time.
I could probably have gone on for another hour, but I decided to spare you of that and just throw out a few favorites ;)
As I mentioned in the video, I would love to hear from you — which vocal exercises do YOU use, whether for yourself or for your students? Please share them in the comments. My students thank you in advance for the fresh new ideas!
After almost three years of blogging (and over 700 posts), it still amazes me that some people think of me as an “expert” on certain topics related to studio teaching, songwriting, and music therapy. Yet I continue to receive emails and comments from people thanking me for my resources and advice. (Not that I’m complaining — each one of them truly makes my day!)
But I have a list of go-to people that I consider to be the true experts. Lisa Casciola of Kids Sing Studio is one of those people. I first met Lisa on the second day of my music therapy internship, since she was one of my supervisors. I got to spend almost nine months learning from someone with whom I shared many of the same interests and goals. Not only did she help me become a better music therapist, but I also got the bonus of learning about running a teaching studio.
Lisa is the kind of teacher I aspire to be. Her studio holds masterclasses (with famous Broadway performers, no less!), yearly recitals, holiday parties, and offers all kinds of cool classes and summer programs related to music technology and performance. Like me, she teaches students of all abilities.
Just this week, I emailed Lisa and asked for some new repertoire suggestions. She replied almost immediately with a huge list of songs and resources for me. Looking back over the last four years of teaching, I think I owe Lisa for all the songs that have been the biggest hits amongst my students.
So now that I’ve sung Lisa’s praises, I want to know…who is your go-to expert, or the person you look up to as a role model in your field?
I’ve been using MusicNotes.com to purchase instant sheet music downloads for over five years now. In fact, I’m a member of the MusicNotes Digital Club, which means I save 10% on every piece of music I purchase. (That may not sound like much, but when you buy as much as I do, it adds up.)
The only bummer about buying sheet music from MusicNotes is that once you’ve printed your allotted single copy, you can no longer access that piece of music.
Enter the MusicNotes app for iPad. I discovered this last week when I was downloading yet another song, and saw on the sidebar of my screen that it was “iPad compatible”. So I clicked on the link to read more, and found that if you have an iPad, you can access your account and then view all of the compatible songs (most of which are) right on the screen. Not only that, but you can annotate and transpose the score right on your iPad.
This app has opened up an entire collection of music for use with my students, and also just for my own personal use. It even works with my new wireless foot pedal-controlled page turner, the AirTurn BT-105.
There are a couple of other music-related iPad apps that are currently rocking my world, but each deserves its own blog post. More to come soon! Which apps have you been digging lately?
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.
