Last night, I attended the National Children Protection Training Center’s inaugural gala in St. Paul Minnesota. Not only did I attend, but I had the opportunity to perform the song my mom and I wrote, because it was chosen as the winner of their national songwriting contest.
Sharing the song with all of the gala attendees was such a fun experience. And each person received a copy of the song on CD (which I didn’t have to burn!) as a souvenir. Here’s a picture of my mom and I at the gala:
The weekend was great — we did lots (and lots…and lots…) of shopping at the Mall of America and even had some chill time, which I’m not used to at home!
But I’m excited to head back to Illinois later this morning, because I have so much to do in order to prepare for my next trip. I’m heading to Atlanta in a little over a week for the national music therapy conference!
Happy Halloween! It’s a brisk but beautiful October day where I live — perfect trick-or-treating weather, for sure. I had a chance to see lots of cute kiddos in their costumes over the weekend, and can’t wait for all the Facebook pics to start appearing on my news feed this evening.
I’ve written lots of Halloween posts throughout the years here at Listen & Learn, and also made quite a few videos featuring Halloween tunes. So I thought a fun way to celebrate would be to round up all those videos and share them with you right here.
My adaptation of a Hap Palmer classic!
One of my (surprisingly) most-watched videos ever.
Just one of the many ways I’ve adapted this great Cathy Bollinger tune.
A recent video of one of my oldest songs. Still a fave :)
I sang this song over the weekend with some kids in extremely creative costumes.
Ukulele + classic tune = Happy Halloween!
Did you make it through all the videos? If so, WOW! (And my apologies for the morning distraction.) Whatever your plans may be for this Halloween day, I hope it is a spook-tacular one. See you back here in November!
Just as the World Series started to heat up, I received this blog comment from Rene, a member of Listen & Learn Plus! and teacher extraordinaire:
Will you still be my music therapist when the Rangers beat the Cards in the World Series? How about a friendly “deal.” If the Rangers win, you sing “The Claw” on your Sunday Sing Along; if the Cards win you sing….do the Cardinals have a song? Ok, better yet…if the Rangers win you sing “The Texas Pledge Song” and if the Cardinals win AND if they don’t have a song…you write one and sing it? Have a super great day from your biggest fan in Texas.
I woke up on Saturday morning, still giddy from the Cardinals’ win and having all but forgotten about our little deal. And then I saw yet another comment from Rene:
Bravo, Cardinals and Cardinal fans. Though I am sad my Texas Rangers lost, the silver lining is we get to hear Rachel’s Cardinal song! Woo hoo.
Of course, she hadn’t forgotten! I wasn’t off the hook…so I whipped up “The St. Louis Swingers” and actually was pretty happy with the result. Thanks, Rene, for giving me such a fun topic to write about!
And congratulations on your team’s showing in the World Series; although they didn’t win, they played very well and gave the Cards a good run for their money. As my husband (an extremely avid Cubs fan) is used to saying, “there’s always next year”.
Every October, I’d go to each classroom at my former job brimming with excitement about the new Halloween songs I’d written for my students.
They always went over well. But inevitably, at the end of each class I’d hear, “Can we sing the ‘Purple People Eater’ song?” Mind you, it was usually (but not always) a staff member making the request.
Even so, the kids loved it just as much. Especially the movements – which I conveniently left out of my video! Ha! Luckily, they’re not too complicated: make “one eye” with your fist to your forehead, “one horn” with your thumb to your forehead and your pinkie sticking out, and then “fly” with your thumbs tucked under your armpits.
Did you dig this song as a kid, like I did? Raise your hand if you still get a kick out of it! Just don’t blame me if you have it stuck in your head all day long now :)
One of the things I’ll really miss this fall is seeing all of my former students at The Hope Institute dressed up in their Halloween costumes, parading around the school.
And I’ll be working away during trick-or-treat time this year, so I will just have to live vicariously through Facebook — for not only my former students, but also my current ones and my nieces, nephews, and friends’ children. If I can’t witness the costumes on parade in person, at least I’ll get to see pictures!
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.
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