AMTA Conference Preview

I will be leaving for Cleveland this week for the American Music Therapy Association National Conference. In addition, we will be celebrating 60 years of music therapy in the United States! Here are some highlights:

• Did you know that I am featured in the Erfurt Music Resource? Michelle Erfurt will have a booth in the exhibit hall displaying items from all the merchants who are part of her resource. Check it out!
• I will be presenting my original research regarding a pilot drumming curriculum at the Research Poster Session. I would love to have you come by and see the results from my research questions! Day: Saturday, November 20 Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm Place: Gold Room Foyer
• Using Drums in Therapy: Get Your Groove On! My own session to present tons of useful ideas about using percussion in different therapy settings. It will be one hour of fast and furious drumming and learning! Day: Sunday, November 21 Time: 8:00 am Place: Ambassador Ballroom

Don't miss out on many other great events:

Rachel Rambach and company will be doing a CMTE on Music therapy and the web.

Thursday: 1:30 - 6:30 in Blossom

CMTE Q. Music Therapy in a Web 2.0 World: Technology

for Advocacy and Marketing

Presenter(s): Michelle Erfurt, NMT, NICU-MT, MT-BC; Rachel

Rambach, MM, MT-BC; Kimberly M. Sena Moore, NMT, MM, MT-BC

(Pre-registration and fee required) The new Internet (Web 2.0)

is an interactive and informative platform that provides many

opportunities to network, market, and learn. This part-lecture,

part-workshop will provide an introduction various Web 2.0

tools including personal websites and social media. Participants

are encouraged to bring a laptop for an enriching and in-depth

experience.

Kimberly Moore has a great new e-book out about music therapy and private practice.

And Kat Fulton has a new DVD out with great lessons about using drumming with older adults!

Let's go!

Music Therapy for the Masses!

This story is rapidly going viral on the internet and I could not help but be part of it! What a great philanthropic project on the part of the Knight Foundation! I remember a similar event they did in the subway/train station there in Philadelphia. I am so glad that people in this new event stopped to listen. I think I only saw one lady still trying to make her way through the throng on some errand rather than just taking a moment to listen and enjoy. I was struck, however, by the number of people doing "air conducting." I love seeing how music affects people and how therapeutic it can be in all different kinds of situations. The choice of music was very important. Almost everyone knows the Hallelujah chorus and I think even the most hardened haters of classical music are secretly inspired by its majesty and musicality. Here is the video. I hope you will let me know your impressions and anything that you notice. Enjoy!

Another Market for Music Therapy?

FOXNews.com - If Aliens Exist, They'll Love Bach, Scientists Say

This is definitely a different take on why aliens would visit us. Society places so much importance on math and science, but art always seems to be the hidden force within cultures. I think the authors of this newly presented perspective may have a good point. Aliens may indeed be very interested in our cultures for their art and music. I thought it was humorous that they didn't know the effect of Lady GaGa on alien opinion! It would be very important for us to find out what their preference is since the client's music preference is usually the most powerful intervention tool!

~Live long and prosper...in music.