Can you believe that 2013 is already here? It seems like yesterday I was ringing in 2012! It’s hard to believe it’s been one year since I transitioned to working from home. I have loved how much flexibility this has offered each client. I am able to meet the needs of each one knowing that I have access to all my visuals and instruments at all times. It has been a fabulous year and it’s even harder to believe it has almost been two years since CLEAR Music Therapy came to life! I have been so blessed with support from my community, family & friends, my clients and their families! Being a music therapist is extremely rewarding!

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2013 full of great health, laughter, joy, self discovery and success!

I look forward to making music and connecting with individuals and their families at various CPL locations around Calgary!

Calgary is one great city!

]]> http://www.clearmusictherapy.com/2012/11/09/lullabies/feed/ 0 http://www.clearmusictherapy.com/2012/10/29/orange-pumpkin/ http://www.clearmusictherapy.com/2012/10/29/orange-pumpkin/#comments Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:01:26 +0000 Julie Lowry http://www.clearmusictherapy.com/?p=620 During the Halloween season the colours orange and black are everywhere! The song below emphasizes the colour orange but can easily be adapted to any other colour. For this intervention you will need either a collage of different coloured items (tip! google search images “orange items”, “black items”, “red items”, etc!)  or actual tangible items (toys, household items, etc). Have the children sit in a circle and lay your newly coloured items poster down with a dish cloth over top or cover up your coloured tangible items with a towel. Sing the song and then lift the blanket for the children to silently identify an object. You can focus on different goals during this intervention besides learning colours such as impulse control or receptive language goals by asking them to raise their hand when they have identified an orange object. You can also work on expressive language goals by asking open ended questions about the item that they have chosen. Cover up the poster and sing the song again!

Orange Pumpkin

Pumpkin, Pumpkin orange and round

You have a mouth, but don’t make a sound!

Tell me, tell me, if you please

what other “orange” things do you see?!!

A few weeks ago was the Music Therapy Association for Alberta (MTAA) first continuing education day. It was a huge success and I’m happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of the planning committee! We saw so many music therapists working in Alberta share their intervention ideas, research, and passion. Alberta is truly a unique province that is full of music therapists doing incredible work.

Some of the highlights for myself was to hear John Lawrence’s presentation on his recent Neurological Music Therapy (NMT) training from Colorado and how he is applying it to seniors. His interventions were extremely creative and is getting Alberta’s older adults cognitively and physically fit! Another highlight was to watch Jan Pearce lead us in a hilarious paper plate smashing dance to Offenbach’s Can Can. It was quite a work out moving around and laughing hysterically at the same time.

I look forward to where MTAA is going in uniting the province together as a community and as a wealth of resources for us to share with each other.

What a great day to learn new things and walk away feeling renewed and ready to tackle another week of having the best job ever!

1. This summer was full of new fun music programs for moms & tots! It was great to have such amazing weather!

2. The NICU Program continued over the summer at the PLC! I have loved working there with the wee babies!

3. Private practice is growing and CLEAR is still accepting new clients so e-mail me at julie@clearmusictherapy.com to find out how music therapy can help others!

4. Now that summer is over many exciting things are happening this fall so stay tuned for updates!

I will be more diligent about updating this blog and I stay tuned for some fun Halloween songs and an update on the Music Therapy Association for Alberta continuing education day this weekend!

German Potato Salad

4 green onions
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp fresh dill
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 Tbps vegetable oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp beef stock
1/2 tsp sugar
2 pounds of small red potatoes

Cut the potatoes in quarters. Cook the potatoes with skins on in a large pot of water.
Put in salad bowl and add onions, garlic, capers, dill, parsley. Toss lightly.
In a jar with tight fitting lid, put the salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, beef stock, sugar and shake well until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or longer before serving!

Class Information:

Where: Kiwanis Park 16th Street & 37th Avenue SW. The park takes up a block and is surrounded by 16A Street & 38th Ave. We will be meeting in the grassy area on 16th St.
When: July 23 – 27th (Monday – Friday) *
Time: 10:30 – 11:00 am
Fees: $40 per child, additional siblings are $15 each

* I will notify you if class is cancelled due to weather restrictions. During the week class will be only be cancelled if it is raining so please dress appropriately!

What to Bring:

We will be sitting on the grass together so please bring a towel or blanket for yourself and your child to sit on.

July weather may be quite hot and sunny in the mornings (fingers crossed!) so please protect yourself and your child with hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen!

Mini Melodies Class Expectations:

Class will begin at 10:30am and ends at 11:00am so please be on time to maximize your fun! We only have 30 minutes together to create some great music and have fun!

Snacks during class are not permitted due to allergies.

Each Mini Melodies Class is extremely diverse and can have children ranging in ages from 6 months to 3 years old. Each parent is responsible for facilitating the activity appropriate for their child’s ability and needs. If an action song seems too difficult for your child please assist them with hand over hand direction.

Your child’s enjoyment is dependent on your participation and sometimes participation means forgetting your ego and being a little silly! We promise not to laugh!

Children learn the best from repetition! Repeating songs, musical concepts and actions will ensure that your child has an opportunity to learn, practice and participate in the class. Each day will be different but please come prepared to sing a few of the same songs each day.

Payment is due in full at the beginning of the first class. You can pay in cash or by cheque made payable to CLEAR Music Therapy.

A music therapy session uses music as a medium to accomplish non-musical goals and objectives set by the parents, multi-disciplinary team and a music therapist. Goals can include but are not limited to, increasing eye contact, learning new developmental skills such as colours, numbers and shapes, increasing emotional expression and learning how to regulate emotions. Once the goals and objectives have been set the music therapist uses music such as music and movement, singing songs and playing instruments in creative ways to work on accomplishing the set goals in a fun and meaningful way. A music therapy session rarely uses teaching concrete musical skills (scales, rhythm, theory, etc) within the session unless it is accomplishing a greater goal such as increasing concentration, building confidence, etc.

A music lessons has one main goal which is to learn a new instrument. During a music lesson the teacher provides musical steps that build on each other which results in understanding the instrument and learning how to play it in a musical way. Learning how to play songs, scales and theory can be included in a music lesson.

Adapted music lessons also have one main goal which is to learn how to play a new instrument however, are prepared in a way that works with the student’s strengths and are adapted in various ways to be success-based. For example, if a child has difficulties sitting still movement breaks would be provided, if a child is unable to learn how to read music playing by colours or numbers would be provided as an option.

If you have any additional questions about the differences between music therapy and music lessons, and would like more guidance on what would benefit your child, please leave a comment or email me at julie@clearmusictherapy.com

1. Add Real Instrument Track
2. Click Media Browser (bottom right music note with film icon)
3. Select Song & Drag it into the track
4. Press option, command, G at the same time
5. while holding down those buttons select the song.
6. Audio region will appear
7. Select “Follow Tempo & Pitch”
8. Select Project in the main screen that shows the time.
9. simply select your tempo!
10. save!

I hope you find this helpful!