I was reflecting recently on the people and influences that shaped me musically. I grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet so public school music was very important for me. I’ll admit to being a goof off but had the chance to participate in a wide variety of ensemble experiences and be exposed to different kinds of repertoire. My high school orchestra teacher demonstrated that music was about more than reading the notes on the page and encouraged us to compose

Long before our current pandemic, Infection control has been an important part of music therapy. Shakers and other rhythm instruments are generally wiped down after every use. Scarves are washed after every use. Right now, I am look at using more body percussion or disposable noisemakers and props. I use a barrier under my instrument case. My guitar and one of my harps have finishes that hold up well under repeated cleaning with antiseptic wipes. In the past, I would wip

When I first heard about using a tablet instead of paper sheet music, it didn’t seem worth the expense. I didn’t feel like I would recoup my investment before the tablet became obsolete. In addition, there weren’t many options for apps and the platforms they worked on. Fast forward to 2020. It’s a difficult time to work in any field but there are some challenges unique to musicians and music therapists. My patients have diverse musical experiences and preferences. It was