I Can't Keep From Singing

Sometimes a problems may require intense goal directed therapy. Sometimes all a person may need is the chance to make music with others. Perhaps a client in therapy needs to practice social skills in the public or find appropriate leisure activities after discharge. Participating in a community music group or open jam is not the same as music therapy but can have many benefits. Fortunately, Lincoln, NE is a town with many musical performances and opportunities to be part of a music group.

CGS music offers a number of open jams and instructional groups including ukulele and a drum circle as well as many others. Some jams may even have instruments available to try during the group. Interested in ukulele but don’t want to buy one until you are sure that you want to learn it? Lincoln City Libraries offer Ukuleles to borrow! I’ve heard it’s quite a popular program so you may want to reserve a uke ahead of time!

Interested in drumming and drum circles? There is a drum circle every first Friday at Ten Thousand Villages. The store even has drums to borrow while you are at the drum circle. There is also an outdoor drum circle offered during the summer months. Visit Lincoln’s Outdoor Drum Circle to find times and locations.

There are also various concert bands and choirs in the area. I play in the Lincoln Community Concert Band but there are also community bands in Waverly and in the general Southeast Nebraska area as well as the Civic Orchestra and Beatrice Regional Orchestra. These groups may require an audition or may only accept instruments if the section is not full.

Prefer singing? In addition to the Lincoln Choral Artists, there is the Lincoln Senior Choir, the Lincoln Continentals, and the i2 choir, an intergenerational choir open to all abilities.

Looking for more opportunities for people with special needs? Jessica Dodd dance studios offers special needs dance classes. Lincoln Community Playhouse hosts the Penguin project once a year where children and teens with disabilities are paired with mentors to produce a musical.

Did I miss any? Let me know!