Blog| Notes
MM#31 – Let ‘FreeDrum’ Reign!
Playing the drums is an effective way of decreasing stress and lowering staff turnover, according to a survey from the US. When staff at a Pennsylvania nursing home took part in six weekly drumming sessions, it was said to improve their mood by almost 50 per cent. Dr...
MM#30 – Drumming Beats Away Bugs
A study published by Barry Bittman, MD found that a lighthearted group drumming session altered neuroendocrine and immunologic measurements in the participants - this means a boost to your immune system. Drumming was chosen for this study because percussion...
MM#29 – Musicians Do It Better
Retain what they hear, of course. A musician retains 17% more of heard information than the average person, who retains only 10% to 25% of what's heard. And we know kids' brains are like sponges, thirsty for information. With that much brain activity going on -...
MM#28 – Music Induces More Brain Activity
Thanks to brain imaging devices, researchers have been able to determine that music activates multiple brain regions, which is why it has such a global impact on our memory, immune response, stress response, and our emotions. W5 developed an incredible series called...
MM#27 – Bobbi McFerrin Stimulates My Mind
Occasionally someone does something that is so simple and yet so profound.....in this case I am jealous I didn't think of doing this with my conference audiences first.... Here is how Bobbi McFerrin makes a musical metaphor of how our expectations are embedded in our...
MM#26 – Autism Can’t Stop a Youth’s Dream to Perform
Giving a person with autism the chance to perform for their community has many positive benefits for performer and audience. For someone with ASD communication on the best of days can be a huge obstacle. For the community layman who does not understand a...
MM#25 – What Happens At Camp Should NOT Stay At Camp
Eight years ago a group of parents with special needs children looked at me intently, awaiting my reply to - “will you design a music based camp for our kids?” They referred to their children as having strong affinities to music yet not fitting well into the “regular”...
MM#24 – Music Speaks When We Are Scared
“My brother is having his first baby (due in the next couple of days). He has been really quiet throughout the pregnancy. He has never been good with words and has difficulty with changes. One week ago, he sent me this video and explained the metaphor of the song. He...
MM#23: A Lullaby for Laura’s Life
During her birth Laura lost 20 minutes of oxygen and had to be resuscitated immediately. She had no brainwave activity seen on the two EEG tests and little hope except in her parents’ heart. When Laura’s mother finally saw her baby, Laura’s little lungs breathed with...
MM#22 – A Sentimental Journey
Thank you to Christina Wensveen, MTA from JB Music Therapy for this next blog...her passion for bringing music to individuals regardless of age is evidenced in her writing and in her role as Music Therapist and Camp Coordinator. On a typical Saturday morning I...