Anyone see piece on music therapy?

Subject: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: mike_in_st_c
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 12:44 PM

I'm wondering if anyone happened to see the piece on the CBS Sunday Morning show about Glenn Schifano who works evidently gratis at Schneider Children's Hospital. To me it was an amazing story and gives me a focus on an area I want to pursue as an absolute neophite guitar player (1 1/2 years of instruction).

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: GUEST,Scott W.
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 01:17 PM

I was very moved by it. It also gave me ideas on how to touch others and possibly convince someone to hire me doing this kind of work. of course, i don't have a degree in this area, but still, there may be a way.

cheers,
Scott

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 12:55 PM

If you want to do it Mike, don't let being a neophyte on the guitar keep you away. Let me share two things I have heard from people who deal with children a lot.

1. The first is from a woman who has a PhD in education and is second-in-command of a school system. She says that children today, whether from families which are affluent, poor or in-between, sorely need adults who will TALK to them.

I saw this myself when two little girls moved next door to me. The minute they saw me outside, they came to me, because I was interested in them and would talk to them.

Why not do a song, talk a little, do another song, talk some more?

2. The second friend has taught music for 25 years, both in schools and privately. She says that kids don't even care if you play the right chords on the guitar. If you get the first one right and get them started singing, they don't care what happens next. To them, the guitar simply conveys the message that we are all going to sing.

After 1.5 years you are probably good enough to do this. Best of luck.

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: Kaleea
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 05:52 PM

Music as therapy has been in use for a long time. There are degree programs for it. And, there are many non professionals who take Music to kids & adults for the joy of it. (be sure to ask before visiting any institution such as a hospital, nursing home or school)
If you have a talent for any art, be it Clowning, Poetry, Mime, etc., consider taking it where people need to be distracted-however momentarily-by a little fun.
If you don't do anything like that, perhaps you can read to people, take your very gentle critter to be petted (hats & shirts on critters are really cute), make balloon animals, tell jokes, be a "designated reader!" & read poetry or the comics-elderly folks get a kick out of hearing their daily horoscope, paint faces, do a puppet show, take your children to a nursing home to practice their piano lesson & recital pieces (or guitar or whatever), or just sit & talk to the folks. Use your imagination. There are elderly people all over your neighborhood who could use a visit &/or some goodies.
If you are a Musician, even if you only know a couple of songs, go somewhere & play for people. Don't hide your talents "under a bushel." Take them out & let them shine!

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: Bert
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 08:29 PM

Go for it mike! It works.

I was singing at the Doylestown Arts Festival one year. Just my usual silly and slightly bawdy stuff. Seven Dear Old Ladies, Threshing Machine and a couple of mine, Plastic Flower Seeds and Size Doesn't Matter.

After I'd finished this little old lady came up to me and said. "you know my arthritis was killing me but I laughed so much all the pain has gone."

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Apr 06 - 08:35 PM

Seriously Bert, endorphins released in the brain during laughter can hemp pain sufferers.

ooooo.. that was a Freudian typo and a half...

Subject: RE: Anyone see piece on music therapy?
From: Musicman
Date: 18 Apr 06 - 09:17 PM

lots of good past threads regarding music therapy....
i used to practice as such a few years ago...