Sunday, July 31, 2011

Love Can Conquer All

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
~ Jimmy Hendrix



















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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Music Therapy in Pediatrics: A Multimedia Presentation

The Daily Muse     
Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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This is lengthy, but this lecture contains many great examples of music therapy and emphasizes the importance of music therapists in the medical setting. Great job by Christine Neugebauer in Texas at the "Exploring the Mind Through Music" Conference held at Rice University!  So, sit down and relax for a bit, grab some munchies, and enjoy:





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Friday, July 29, 2011

Music Makes Sense to be Featured on All Things Healing!

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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All Things Healing is an online community for healing mind, body, spirit and planet. The first article to be chosen from MMS is not live on their website yet, but I will let you know when you can find it. I appreciate their interest in music and music therapy! Thank you ATH!





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Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Daily Muse: Where is a CD case when you need one??


     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Many of us are moving to digital files, but there are still times when you need to burn a CD and can't find a case!  The main problem is that the CDs come in the giant bundle pack and the jewel cases are sold separately!  Here is a nifty solution that uses the actual CD.  No ruler needed!



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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Daily Muse: Darius Rucker Rocks Out With Young People With William's Syndrome

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Children with William's Syndrome often have a very strong interest in music. The may also have strong musical skills in relation to their other ability levels. There is a special camp that goes on every summer in Nashville for some of these kids and teens that brings them together with songwriters and famous musicians. This year they got to sing with Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker and Wynonna!





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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

The Daily Muse: 4 Really Awesome Chords!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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A music therapist's dream! Parts of 32 songs in a medley using only 4 chords!




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Monday, July 25, 2011

The Daily Muse: Music Therapy, The Full Wiki!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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There is a website called, "The Full Wiki," that purports to calculate the latest trending topics on Wikipedia. One of the pages is a list of the most viewed articles in the subject category of music therapy. "Music therapy" was the obvious leader, but I found it odd that the next highest subject was "singing bowls"? Music therapist Beatrice Sparks rounded out third place! I was happy that "drum circle" was next, but not sure how singing bowls was ahead of it. I guess raw numbers don't lie, but I bet the singing bowls are getting a lot of traffic from people not interested in music therapy specifically. Take a look at the list and see what you think! At the very least it is interesting to see what people are reading about.

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Sunday, July 24, 2011

The Daily Muse: Faulkner's Endorsement of Music

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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"I would say that music is the easiest means in which to express, but since words are my talent, I must try to express clumsily in words what the pure music would have done better." 
~ William Faulkner







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Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Daily Muse: Music Therapy Goes Hand In Hand With Rehabilitation

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Here is a great story out of the U.K.: "Runcorn Man Gains Back Use of Fingers Through Music Therapy." I like this story because it lists so many of the great benefits of using music therapy to speed up recovery time in rehabilitation. It also looks like music therapy is making some inroads into medical treatment in England!

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Friday, July 22, 2011

The Daily Muse: What In The World Is That Song Talking About?

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Have you ever wondered what a strange line from a song means? Many classic songs from the 1960's had double meanings or at least many people think some lyrics have alternate interpretations. Just in case you are wondering about an older song or something more contemporary, the website Songmeanings has you covered! This site is dedicated to discussing song lyrics and what songs mean. Some songs on the site have hundreds of comments! I think it is very interesting to read what people think about certain songs and we might all find their comments helpful in choosing songs for clients.


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Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Daily Muse: AMTA On-line Has Gone Live!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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If you haven't visited the new website yet for the American Music Therapy Association, you should check it out! It really is a huge improvement in look and functionality. I am sure many music therapists have already seen the new site, but if you are not a music therapist it is worth the time to see some of the resources that are available for parents, teachers, and others interested in how music therapy works. The new website is here.


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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Daily Muse: Music Therapy Moving Toward Licensure in North Carolina

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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(click title for news story)


This is really becoming a hot topic in the world of music therapy. If you have been reading my blog for the last few months, then you may have guessed that I am not a huge fan of the idea of making music therapists get licensed in every state. Unfortunately, it looks like the train may have left the station on this development. The news article says that fifteen more states are pursuing a license for music therapy!  My wish in a perfect world would be that we could get the MT-BC (national board certification) recognized for purposes of reimbursement and professional identity.  I am afraid that once we open the door to government sanction it may become a Pandora's box of unwanted influence in the future.  But don't let my opinions be yours!  What do you think about this issue?  


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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Daily Muse: Spotlight on DFW Area Music Programs

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Here is another sign that music education and the idea of using music to aid in development and therapy are making inroads in society.  I have met Casey Thomas at Creative Soul and love the way he approaches music learning.  The Creative Soul school is also very open to combining things like Kindermusik and music therapy into the music school environment.  I love it!  


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Monday, July 18, 2011

The Daily Muse: New Study Describes Neonatal and Perinatal Factors Related to Autism

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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The Journal of Pediatrics will be publishing a meta-analysis of studies related to the causes of autism as evidenced by perinatal and neonatal factors. The article will be published in the August issue, but is out now on-line for those lucky enough to have a subscription access. The news story is here and the abstract for the research can be found here. This meta-analysis does not discuss the effects of vaccines since most of those are not given during neonatal care. My eye did, however, catch the finding that children born in the summer months may have an increased risk for autism. The authors hypothesize that this may be due to factors during pregnancy such as the greater prevalence of viruses during the winter months, nutrition or vitamin deficiencies. Overall, I think it is very helpful research, although it will probably create more questions than it answers!


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Sunday, July 17, 2011

June Headlines from the Daily Muse

     Just in case you missed them, here are the stories from May in the Daily Muse.  If you want to be on the cutting edge of music news for the therapist, parent and teacher, then you can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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(6-30-11) Here are three great apps for the music therapist's iPad:


1. iCommunicate
2. Smule's Magic Piano
3. Garage Band



(6-29-11) Kat Fulton brought this to my attention and I wanted to continue to spread the word! A new book is out regarding music therapy and geriatric populations. One of the best things about the new book is that it is written by some of my favorite people! If you missed Kat's post, here is the link to obtain this new resource! Congratulations to all the authors! It must be a great day to see the final product in print!


(6-27-11) I have often used song-writing or asking questions about song lyrics to help children with Autism to be more creative in answering questions as well as be consistent in a 2-3 part communication exchange. I love this idea being tried at the University of Colorado where kids with Aspherger's Syndrome get a chance to be a radio interviewer. Not only is this an age appropriate and fun thing for a kid to do, but it is the perfect situation to teach about asking open-ended questions and then following up with another question on the same topic. You can find the full story here.



(6-26-11)
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." 
~ Henry David Thoreau



(6-25-11)  They found that music therapy treatment consisting of live, interactive music intervention over a 20 week period was a significantly better treatment for clinical depression than standard verbal therapy. They even found that patients had continued to show better psychological attributes up to three months after treatment! Not only was the music therapy treatment significantly better, but it also had a large effect size. This means that there may be a tangible and meaningful improvement in mood and quality of life for people who receive music therapy as part of their treatment for depression. The abstract can be found here.


(6-24-11) Kat Fulton continues to amaze all of us with her diverse repertoire of music therapy skills and activities! She has recently posted new videos on her Rhythm Renegades series as well as a great article about music therapy with large groups of kids. I am envious of her 100+ boomwhacker inventory! Please make some time to read her recent posts over at Rhythmforgood.com. Don't miss the video about the Cat song. I love that she has a song that speaks her name!

(6-23-11)
     

Fantastic news out of Washington State! It is great to see drumming highlighted as a treatment for Parkinson's Disease. There have already been news stories about Parkinson's choirs and dance therapy, but it is nice to see drumming in the mix too! Great work out there by music therapist Bill Dluhosh! The news story has a nice video to go with the transcript.




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(6-22-11) Alert! Attention all music therapists: Don't miss the deadline for submitting a poster for the research poster session at AMTA 2011 Atlanta! Turn in your applications by July 15th! Here are the details:

SUBMISSIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE ATLANTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE POSTER SESSION

Those interested in having their research considered for the Research Poster Session should:

1) Submit one copy of a 600-800 word abstract; or a copy of the full report (including an abstract). Regardless of choice each submission must include complete information for judging research quality.

2) Submissions must be received as an e-mail attachment using WORD (12 point in Times New Roman).

3) In the MAIN BODY OF THE E-MAIL include all of the demographic information necessary for listing in the final program including 1) the title of the paper, 2) names(s) of author(s) 3) institutional affiliation(s) and a complete address.

4) On the abstract or full paper INCLUDE ONLY the paper's title. DO NOT include the name of the author or affiliation.

The deadline for submissions is JULY 15, 2011. Please send submissions to: cmadsen@fsu.edu Clifford K. Madsen, AMTA Research Committee, Center for Music Research, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2098 USA. If, after 5 days of submission you have not received a confirmation of your paper being received. Please send it again and call Dr. Madsen (850) 644-4565.

After a blind review by the committee, each participant selected will be notified via e-mail of their status.


(6-21-11)
Here is the headline: "Autism More Common Near Tech Hubs." Although I find the article highly speculative and they do not offer proof of the correlation or even links to the research behind the article, this is an interesting phenomenon. What do you think? Is there any truth to the idea that autism may run in families that have talent in the area of math and engineering?



(6-20-11) I actually get ear worms all the time. In fact, I have to limit the music I listen to at night and try not to listen to any music at all the hour before I go to bed! The local FOX news team in Phoenix has a lot of fun with this story, but I think it is an interesting topic.  I also think it is cool that there are computer programs that analyze the "ear worm" factor of a song or song phrase!  Where can I sign up for that?!  I wonder how many of our therapy songs could go viral!



(6-19-11)
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." 
From, The End. ~ The Beatles



*You can find more great quotes form songs at Wisdom Bits.



(6-18-11) I am very excited about the recent wave of news stories about music therapy! Here is another one about music therapy in North Carolina. There is some great work going on out there by music therapists! It is nice to see some recognition for our profession as well as some references to our efforts in using evidence-based practice! Please take a minute to read about music therapist Elizabeth Fawcett at the North Carolina Children's Hospital.


(6-17-11) Kudos to our Florida State Alumni! Dr. Lori Gooding and intern Shane Swezey are both in the spotlight for this article regarding the expansion of music therapy in the Lexington area. We wish their new music therapy program a great future! The story is here.


(6-16-11) I have been involved with an incredible project in Georgia for the last six months. I have joined with other music and creative arts therapists who work at the state psychiatric hospital in Thomasville, GA, to help design and build an outdoor sound garden. I had not planned on announcing this so soon, but the proverbial cat is now out of the bag! The local CBS news station recently ran a story about our project! I look forward to sharing with you much more detail about the project as we move forward, but the basic highlights are covered in the news story. The hospital has already committed a significant donation to the project and I am submitting grant applications for the rest. The grant-writing experience has definitely been an eye-opening endeavor and I will likely share about that process in the future. In the mean-time, stay tuned for more updates, pictures and construction plans as we move forward with this unique and innovative use of music in the psychiatric setting! The news story on WCTV is here.



(6-15-11) There is a great Parkinson's choir in Tallahassee run by one of my music therapy colleagues. The choir is a wonderful benefit to people with this disease and I think current research is starting to support the anecdotal reports of success. The story out of Chicago is similar in that music is being used to help Parkinson's patients improve rhythm of speech and vocal strength. They are also using drama therapy as part of a holistic creative arts therapy program to work with their patients. It is very nice to see this kind of therapy spreading around the nation. You can find the story here. The YouTube video is also included at the end of the story. Great work Chicago!



(6-14-11)
Hugworks is a non-profit group that is now based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They employ music therapists as well as therapeutic music entertainers. Their award-winning music is a great resource for music therapists and teachers, but can also be a great source for parents looking for quality music. Please visit their page and see how you might be able to join with them in spreading the healing power of music! You can click here to go directly to their products page.




(6-13-11)
There are many talented musicians in the ranks of music therapists. Unfortunately, the demands of the job don't often leave room for performance gigs. Melou Stewart Cline is a music therapist in Utah who will be debuting some of her own compositions at a public recital. It is great that she is able to do this! You can find all the details here. If anyone out there is able to go see her, I hope they will share the experience with us! Good luck to Melou tonight!



(6-12-11)
"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness." ~ Maya Angelou








(6-11-11) Some interesting new research about the origins of autism is pointing to gene mutations that affect synapse development in the brain. The news story mentions how just one set of changes in the genes can set the stage for either autism or William's Syndrome, two very different forms of autism spectrum disorder. The new research also seems to help explain why autism is now seen as a spectrum disorder since there is such a huge variety of symptoms, traits and abilities depending on the person. The random genetic mutations would help to explain the wide ranging differences. You can find the story here at Disability Scoop.

(6-10-11)
Father's day is right around the corner! Amazon is running specials on box sets and MP3 collections that might have a special appeal to dad. You can find the sale here.


Here is just one of the albums on sale right now:



(6-9-11) If you haven't visited GOOGLE.com today, then you may miss the last few hours to play around on their on-line doodle guitar! You can find some instructions about how to play more than just a simple tune by going here. Have fun!

(6-8-11) Ty Cullen and others have created some intriguing videos where they ask random people on the streets what they are listening to on their iPods or MP3 players. It is very interesting to see the people and the music that they are listening to. Not only is there a huge variety of music, but it is fun to try and imagine what someone might be listening to and then discover whether or not you judged correctly! 


 The advent of digital music players has created a world that is both easier and more difficult for a music therapist. It is so much easier to find songs and arrange playlists than it used to be. The only problem is that people are becoming so exposed to huge varieties of music that their music preferences can be more difficult to pin down! I have also started to encounter situations where the proliferation of music and video has flooded in so rapidly that there is no longer a set of "standard works" that most people know. There are kids, for example, that have no idea about songs from Cinderella or even Blue's Clues! I just did a music therapy group today and there were several adult clients who had literally never heard "Hey Jude"! I found the full story on CBS here. I have also included one of the videos from London here after the jump:









(6-7-11) The NPR show, Talk of the Nation, recently did a show highlighting the work of Elena Mannes and her new book, The Power of Music. You can listen to the interview or read the transcript here. I enjoyed the stories about how music has changed people's lives. It was nice that they also had people calling in to the show telling their stories and asking questions. Elena Mannes is not a music therapist or scientist, but it is nice to have producers and authors creating books and other media materials about the power of music. I recommend that you take a few minutes and listen to the short broadcast and also forward it to someone you know who might appreciate learning more about how music works and why music makes sense!



(6-6-11)
I've written before about this effort to get music therapy recognized as a licensed profession in certain states. Oklahoma was one of these states where legislation was pending, but the governor of Nevada has just signed into law the rules for state licensing of music therapists. Apparently it takes 32 pages (I imagine that is short for government paperwork!) to lay out the rules for the license. You can find the document here for your reading pleasure. 


I understand the need for state recognition in order to obtain easier access for reimbursement and state funding, but it seems like it would be nice to use the National Board Certification instead. As it stands now, you can be a great therapist practicing in any state of the union, but if you step across the Nevada state line, don't reach for that guitar! Not until you pay up, that is! I am interested to know what you think about this? Is it inevitable? Are we trying to hold back the tide if we don't go along with this state licensing movement? Perhaps it will bring more good than bad?

(6-5-11)
"Who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once." ~ Robert Browning








(6-4-11) The LA Times has an update on the use of classical music to drive off hordes of hoodlum teenagers at malls and other public gathering places. I think the use of music for this purpose has been an elegant solution to what can sometimes be a thorny problem. I too have to admit hitting the drag as a teenager (although it was in a much smaller town than LA!) and hanging out at the mall or some store or restaurant parking lot. I think I can vouch for the power of classical music causing contemporary teenagers to find a new hangout! Mixing popular music and Mozart would have driven me crazy! The success of the California program also attests to the effectiveness of using client/patient preferred music for the most effective therapy. The full news story is here.






(6-3-11) It's Friday! I often like to highlight some of the great blogging going on regarding music therapy. Kat Fulton at Rhythm for Good has started a fantastic new series of video blogs called "Rhythm Renegades!" These videos spotlight some of the unsung heroes of music therapy and other musicians out there who are using music to influence people's lives for the better. Take a minute and enjoy the start of this new feature and don't forget to sign up to follow Kat on Facebook while your there!




(6-2-11)
     This is an exciting development for music therapy! Ronna Kaplan, M. A., the president of the American Music Therapy Association, is now a guest blogger on the Huffington Post. You can read her debut blogpost here. The article contains some nice anecdotes and a good primer on music therapy.

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(6-1-11)
    There is a new blog resource for music therapists who are NICU certified! The blog will apparently have bi-weekly posts, although you do have to be NICU certified to subscribe. For those who aren't yet certified, there are some good resources and links to research on the website. Check it all out here!



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The Daily Muse: Sunday with Tolstoy

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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"Music is the shorthand of emotion." 
~ Leo Tolstoy







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Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Daily Muse: Get Out the Vote! Help Noah Meet Ellen!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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I have no idea why Noah picked the Ellen show for his goal, but this kid is great! I think if it makes him happy and motivates him to keep on beating the cancer, then we should help him out! Apparently he became interested in dancing through his work with a music therapist and loves watching Ellen do her funny dancing on her show! He has gained some momentum in his quest since the news story you can find here, but it looks like he still needs our help to get him noticed by the Ellen show. We can help his video go viral by passing it along:



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Friday, July 15, 2011

The Daily Muse: Smurftastic!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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La, la, la, la, la, la...(I can't believe I am singing the smurf song!) In news from New York, the Scottish actor Alan Cumming, who will voice a smurf in a new motion picture, was recently asked to help out with some music therapy at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. I think it is great when celebrities are able to raise the profile of music therapy. Kudos to Mr. Cumming for participating! And thank you to the Gabrielle's Angels Foundation that made this possible! The full story is here at WebMD.




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Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Daily Muse: Aghast at Gaga!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Did anyone see Lady Gaga's wheelchair act she did in Australia?? I realize that Lady Gaga is an entertainer and depends on shock value to propel her career, but there are many people who think that she has finally stepped over the line. Does she deserve any criticism or can we ignore her antics because she is just an entertainer? Personally, I think her performance was in very bad taste, but I don't think she was specifically mocking people with disabilities. You can read the full story here, and then let me know what you think!


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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Daily Muse: Music Therapy in the LA Times!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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In case you missed seeing this, here is a nice write-up about music therapy in the LA Times: The Hope of Music's Healing Powers.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Daily Muse: 450 Years for St. Basil's Cathedral

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Here is a nice choral piece that took place at St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow:



And here is a video tour of the inside:    





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Monday, July 11, 2011

The Daily Muse: Music and the Brain in NY

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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There has been much hype about the possible links between music and learning (can we say the "Mozart Effect"!), but there is evidence in the research literature about some kind of a connection. I think that most of the research so far just has not been able to satisfy us about how much effect and exactly what kind of benefit can be gained. An organization called Music and the Brain in New York has been operating for over a decade on the assumption that music can benefit children's learning. They seem to have some high profile backers and donors and an extensive curriculum in place. I was especially impressed with their links to related websites. I admire their success in getting funding for the arts. The kids in their programs will benefit from the music instruction in more than just academic learning!




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Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Daily Muse: Benefits of the Music Bath

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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"Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body." 
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes







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Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Daily Muse: A Change is Gonna Come!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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Daniel B. Tague, MME, MT-BC, NICU-MT


Although this is one way I can write my name, in January 2012, the American Music Therapy Association will officially sanction only the MT-BC (Music Therapist - Board Certified) acronym as well as your college degree and any kind of state license that applies. Acronyms like NICU-MT (Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapist) or NMT (Neurologic Music Therapist) will have to be written out after the approved acronyms. For example, my signature will become: Daniel B. Tague, MME, MT-BC, Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapist. I think that this will be helpful to our profession since we are trying to utilize the MT-BC credential as the recognized certification for music therapy. Without these new guidelines, music therapists would all start experiencing a bad case of alphabet soup after their names!


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Friday, July 8, 2011

The Daily Muse: Clair Mac's Gonna Have a Great Day!

     Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

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In April, Brian MacDonald's music video and original song won the tubecontest.com contest for best inspirational song. You really should go and watch the video here! Brian was able to write a catchy tune and spotlight his sister who has autism in the video. He really was able to capture some great moments on film and it is terrific that his video won 1st prize! Congratulations Brian, and I hope that you and your sister continue to have great days!




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