Denise Elam Dauw
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Mission: To ensure our most precious memories are accessible to the end of life; thus, if music be the food of love, play on...

Talent: It's What's for Dinner!

6/28/2019

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In both Nurtured by Love and Where Love is Deep, Master Teacher Shin’ichi Suzuki reminded us talent is not born in us, it’s nurtured over time. During his time alive, he lacked the underlying science behind those truths in his back pocket, but now we can further rejoice in his teachings with solid data.

Edwin Gordon, researcher/music professor/author/lecturer, taught there’s no period so critical to the development of the musical child than birth-5 years of age. “A child’s musical experiences from birth to age five have a particularly profound impact on the extent to which she will be able to understand, appreciate, and achieve in music as an adult. Children must be exposed to a rich variety of music during these years in order to develop the necessary readiness for formal music learning when they are older.” https://giml.org/mlt/earlychildhood/ While Gordon had thoughts on music aptitude, he never claimed learning to sing or play an instrument in adulthood was unrealistic, unachievable, not encouraged, or not beneficial. 

As music educators, we often hear adults describing their lack of talent as some contorted genetic description of not being “given the gift.” I would equate the subsequent teacher’s reaction to the known meme of Batman slapping Robin, responding with something to this effect:
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No human being is born able to walk either. We process through observation, we access pre-programmed circuitry in our brains, then we fail and fall. Excessively! Failure causes modifying synapses to fire in the brain, creating new neurotransmitters to connect cellular information, then we get up and try again. 

For years, neurologists spent much time researching how the brain learns on this cellular level, but they ignored the insulation that helps explain how people learn complex skills: Myelin.

“Every human skill, whether it’s playing baseball or playing Bach, is created by chains of nerve fibers carrying a tiny electrical impulse - basically, a signal traveling through a circuit. Myelin’s vital role is to wrap those nerve fibers the same way that rubber insulation wraps a copper wire, making the signal stronger and faster by preventing the electrical impulses from leaking out. When we fire our circuits in the right way - when we practice swinging that bat or playing that note - our myelin responds by wrapping layers of insulation around that neural circuit, each new layer adding a bit of more skill and speed. The thicker the myelin gets, the better it insulates, and the faster and more accurate our movements and thoughts become.” (pg. 5, The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle)
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Without myelin, which begins to form 3 months before birth, no human would have been able to learn to walk, talk, count, or learn any skills. This spark in our circuits happens with the flip of a switch, focusing on isolating the mistakes so the circuit fires effectively and myelin layers can grow with sequential slow repetition. 
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Many refer to this process in error as “muscle memory.” Your muscles do not not have memory - it’s brain circuits, connecting at exactly the right moment. As Daniel Coyle describes, myelin functions through some primary principles (pg. 44-45):
  1. “The firing of the circuit is paramount.” People cannot wish or will circuits to create myelin. It takes work and repetition. 
  2. “Myelin is universal.” It doesn’t discriminate whether you’re building it for dodgeball or learning piano, and it doesn’t care about your genetic dispositions. “Circuits that fire get insulated… myelin doesn’t care who you are - it cares what you do.”
  3. “Myelin wraps - it doesn’t unwrap.” Once it’s learned, it’s learned, which includes poor habits and explains why they are so difficult to overcome (one must build new behaviors to override them, like a software update). Certain diseases and aging (if left unattended) can destroy the myelin layers, but otherwise myelin is there to the end!
  4. “Age matters.” We all know the older and longer one waits to acquire skills that the process becomes more challenging and requires more time to achieve. We can still build myelin, but children will always learn faster.
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“A horse is born with its muscles already myelinated, online, and ready to go.” (pg. 68, Coyle) Humans were not made this way, but we can evolve. The most important aspect of gaining a particular skill set is to remember never to shut off one’s belief that myelin can be built. Unfortunately, many people with and without music skills alike still believe it’s too late. Worse yet, some believe it’s even too late to learn how to read music… I’ll again point to the loving Batman meme above and respond with, “Musicians only use 7 letters of the alphabet!” Of course IT’S NOT TOO LATE! 
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What is also intriguingly fascinating as it is frustrating, is when music educators succumb to the retort of people saying (on repeat) that they or their child plays by ear. Is that truly worth boasting? That equates to announcing great speaking/speech skills with no fluency in reading and writing - a mere one-third of the entire communication spectrum. Playing by ear, while it may contribute to an emotional connection in practice and performance (nothing to dismiss), only allows a portion of the brain to be activated upon ignition compared to those who are musically literate. 

We know through vast amounts of research that the study of music is the ONLY activity that activates not only both hemispheres of the brain, but it lights up all four lobes of the brain and nearly every subsystem like it’s the Fourth of July! Every time a musician reads music, ignites the circuits to form muscles, modifies practicing, and creates or performs music, the brain does pushups and becomes SMARTER! The message here is not to give up if you are a play by ear person, but rather to pursue a fuller comprehension and apply previously learned information to new circuitry… BECAUSE YOU CAN!

While childhood is the prime target for nurturing aptitude as Gordon describes below, it is not beyond our scope of ability at any age. I do, however, strongly recommend a wide variety of informal exposure (absorption) to assist in creating easier processing. Start with acculturation teaching yourself or your own child, then work your way down the chart with the end goal being assimilation (sound before sight). Just as we hear speech in infancy to learn how to speak, children must hear a variety of patterns in rhythm and pitch before having a primer or library from which to choose as well. When provided an adequate toolbox, learning to read then becomes a matching game like Old Maid, where we make connections to previously learned rhythm patterns and pitches.
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The imperative messages are as follows:

1. Talent is not born in us, nor is the acquisition of music ability dependent upon a genetic code. 
2. 
“Skill is insulation that wraps neural circuits and grows according to certain signals.” (The Talent Code, Coyle) 
3. 
Myelin can be built at ANY age, but the earlier the better. 
4. It is never too late to learn to read or play music. 
5. The study of music makes your brain stronger and smarter; however, mistakes and failures are part of the myelin building process - don’t let perfect get in the way of the good. 

So go on, get smarter - put down your phone and make the time because your brain is ready for anything! 
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#Talent #Myelin #Music #Musicians #MusicEducators #MusicEducation  #BuildMyelin #NeverTooLateToLearnMusic #MusicInTheBrain #MusicForAll #SkillsAreMade #BrainCircuits
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Giving Back

3/29/2019

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I believe we are all called to serve.

The concept of serving others before self may not be an inherent trait; in fact, you may recall playing in the sandbox or sharing your toys to be a rather traumatic experience in childhood. The idea of protecting ourselves from loss, whether of a materialistic or intrinsic nature, is normal. Our parents tell us to share and be nice in hopes of creating honest, kind, and good mannered human beings. However, sometimes these basic ideologies and principles for living get lost in the climb to find maximum success in attaining our goals.

Early on within the thrusts of parental nurturing and cultural norms as human beings, an innate response forms called GIVING:

“Giving is one of our greatest joys. It’s also one of the most fearless and powerful gestures there is. When we trust that we live in an abundant universe and allow ourselves to give freely, we raise our frequency, strengthen our faith, and feel awesome, thereby putting ourselves in flow and the position to receive abundant amounts in return.

“When we’re in fear, we hold onto what we’ve got because we don’t trust that there’s more. We pinch off the energy, we’re scared to share, and we focus on, and create more of, the very things we’re hoping to avoid, which is lack.” -Jen Sincero, You are a Badass


A vast percentage of young adults fall victim to the adage that being charitable, even in non-monetary ways, is something to provide later in life when time and resources become readily available. Admittedly, I was in that category in my twenties as well, not believing I could truly make a difference outside of the hundreds of students taught yearly. In reflection, neither karmic balance nor the understanding that simply a volunteering presence alone can leave an impact was registering in my mind. But, something is always better than nothing. 

“We live in a universe of give and receive, breathe and exhale, live and die, suck and awesome. Each side depends on the other-- every action has an equal and opposite reaction-- so the more you give, the more you receive. And vise versa.” -Jen Sincero, You are a Badass, pg. 10

I fear a society that does not comprehend what one human does, affects us all; and, what one person does not do, affects us all. These are two critical ideologies. Giving is becoming more difficult as our society clings to new waves of technology, a double-edged sword with severe consequences over time as one looks down to communicate instead of up. I hear of children texting parents from within the same home to ask what’s for dinner where parents will actually text back instead of engaging in conversation. Look up my friends, LOOK UP! Observe the earthly beauties commonly taken for granted, enjoy and admire creative minds unlike your own by actually visiting art museums and concert venues, and most importantly, engage in human interaction so that you may come to know people and their stories. It is through human beings that we actually learn how to be more human; sympathy, remorse, and compassion are acquired emotions needed to selflessly give.

My friends, I’m here to tell you to listen. Listen to the call to serve. To help. To use your time and talents to do what you can to make a difference – no matter how small. We are all called to serve in some way, but sadly those unwilling to listen often find their work meaningless and unfulfilling.

However, we all have a choice, and it all comes down to the original parental lessons: Share, and be nice.

LISTEN. Answers on what and how to serve may come in the subconscious of a dreamy slumber, in prayer, meditation, or in powerful reflection of quiet observation.

Meaningful work promotes a meaningful life of purposeful fulfillment! 

Musicians and Directors, our music should not be made or produced in the vacuum of our school buildings and stages! Here’s a fantastic way to serve and create meaningful connections with those who need YOU most. Spread this video to your buildings, ensembles, or students so they might know their gifts are POWERFUL and should be shared!
#musiciansformemories #musicians #musiceducators #EndAlz #TheLongestDay #AlzheimersAssociation #BandDirectors #ChoirDirectors #OrchestraDirectors #SymphonyOrchestras #MusicEnsembles #Conductors #music #musicandmemory #musicinthebrain #MusicServiceLearning #CommunityOutreach #GivingBack #MusiciansGive
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Music for ALL... right?

12/17/2018

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Stagnancy promotes failure. In contrast, an evolving philosophy is the root of growth. The conundrum of these two principles can, however, sit in juxtaposition.

What was once a steadfast approach to building a foundation, and the strategic layers that sat upon it, can become irrelevant over time due to multiple facets. We know that education systems were created to alter as society changes, intelligences shift, and technology advances; thus, the truths of appropriate instruction must conform or get left behind.

Unfortunately, the current system in place for the study of music has and continues to be an elitist, excluding art form . Elitism can hide in plain sight:
“We know enough about our ancient past to be able to say that most ancient civilizations, once they were big enough to have cities, had elitism. Human civilizations have always had power relatively concentrated in the hands of a few, and the elite have often received that status from parentage and wealth, although with many exceptions; at times, the strongest, smartest, or boldest individuals have been able to raise themselves to elite status.

“Throughout human history, most people have believed that the elite ruled by right; that they deserved to be the elite, and had better personal qualities than the rest of us, whether that was supposed to be because of the families they came from, because they were chosen by God, or because they competed for their status with superior strength or intelligence...But even if you reject heredity and God as sources of elite status, you may believe that the people who are raised in the best environments and receive the best educations are going to end up most qualified to wield power.”


Prolific pedagogues such as Mozart who played for royalty further propelled the notion that the study of classical music (as a genre) and the instruments therein were only available for the financially wealthy or privileged. Expensive symphony tickets and extravagant formal attire worn by upper class in attendance also rooted us in these elitist ideals. Social status labels were not isolated or unique to Europe.

In 17th century United States, however, the initial call for music education served primarily to increase singing and notation reading skills specifically for the church congregation. By nature, it promoted inclusion of all people as a community. This initiative did not have an elitist or exclusive undertone, but empowered participation by all.

It was not until 1950 that the Child’s Bill of Rights in Music was written as a model by MENC, which outlined that every child have the opportunity to a music education. Sadly, writers did not anticipate how to provide these same rights to all students at every age in public, private, and urban/city systems who were interested in music beyond the scope of singing. Our children want to make music not just with their voices; therefore, granting access to instrumental music at every grade, finding solutions for instrument affordability, and providing a quality, process-based method of instruction (over that of ensemble product) in all schools is key.

Access
Granting access to instrumental music education for all students means we have to eliminate the notion that musicians must start at a certain young age to reach proficiency. Knowing the science of how our brains illuminate upon learning an instrument should deem any access point in school worthy of our consideration. (The point of how that affects program quality efficiency is addressed later.) It may not be financially feasible to offer every beginning instrument each school year, but providing students ample opportunities for entry into instrumental study is critical to granting our students their natural rights.

In 2017, a Yale Symposium on Music in Schools created a dedicated document to address inequity and lack of accessibility within urban or city systems:
“This document is designed primarily for the fields of music and education at their broadest contexts, and we challenge these fields to assertively claim music as a social, educational, and cultural right for our cities’ students. It will also inform urban education policy discussions, ensuring that music is recognized as an important part of a comprehensive education system. We choose to provide a policy framework rather than a “road map” because each city’s needs, history, and populations are unique. It is up to the members of each city’s “music ecosystem” to determine how best to provide a robust music life to its students.”

While this document addresses equitable access for urban and city areas, a parallel comparison can be made to that of isolating entry points in larger suburban school districts, who exercise exclusion by only allowing beginning instrumental music at specific grades. Student realizations and roadblocks arise such as:
  • What if I want to try an instrument now?
  • My parents couldn’t afford an instrument before, but now they can.
  • I moved into the district after beginning band or orchestra started, so how can I be part of it now?
  • I feel like I’m on the wrong instrument for me, but I can’t afford private lessons to switch.

All of these restrictive circumstances are well within the realm of approach to a district dedicated to music for all students at every level of maturity. If a well-rounded education system is providing tiered ability-based performance ensemble opportunities in the high school setting, then students who begin later ideally all have a place for the advancement of their playing. Furthermore, if choral programs offer yearly access points in school (typically with no prerequisite), then instrumental programs must provide the same equality.

The first call to action bullet on the 2017 Declaration on Equity in Music for City Students states:
“We call for every student in every city in America to have access to a robust and active music life.”  
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It then affirms:
“Every student in every school in America deserves opportunities to make and learn music. A student’s access to an active music life should not be dependent on zip code, socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic background, country of birth, or language spoken at home.”

We must do our part as teachers, administrators, parents, and students to voice advocacy for all students at every level in education to promote the opportunity to grow musically via instrumental instruction.
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Affordability
“In its most recent report on arts education, U.S. Department of Education noted that "whether a school offered music instruction varied by its concentration of poverty."⁶ For example, elementary schools with higher concentrations of poverty were significantly less likely to offer music year-round, to have dedicated rooms and equipment for music instruction, and to have arts specialists available to teach music."

We all understand the financial burdens of learning a musical instrument, and some are more costly than others. Often times, larger suburban districts have the upper hand when it comes to availability of finances per student, but a resourceful answer could be endowments or donations that fuel need-based scholarships for struggling families in smaller or private schools. When there is nowhere else to turn, districts must be held accountable to uphold the premise of Goals 2000: Educate America Act, No Child Left Behind, and now the Every Child Achieves Act approved by Congress, which slated music as a core subject.

“It is essential to recognize that “access” does not simply refer to the existence of music opportunities at a school: it means that opportunities are easily accessible to all interested students. While a school may report “offering” music, it does not always follow that all interested students are able to participate; some remain excluded from this fundamental part of a well-rounded education due to a variety of financial, social, structural, and musical barriers. Each student should have equal access to a rich, meaningful, and inclusive music life. To address this, we must make existing music opportunities in city schools more robust and inclusive."

Elitism is further ignited when high schools require camps, charge marching band fees, attend regular competitions, and offer trips, which again engages the manifestation of exclusionary elements.

“We call for both school leadership and classroom music educators to consider the ways in which their current practices might be exclusionary to students. By examining current practices and trends—however uncomfortable doing so might be—it is possible to identify the barriers that prevent potentially interested students from participating in music. These may include:
Financial barriers: prohibitive costs, including purchase/rental of an instrument and fees for uniforms or transportation; incapacity to pay for outside-of-school enrichment opportunities including private lessons and summer music intensives; the need to spend out-of-school hours in employment rather than in rehearsals or practicing.”


Keep in mind instrument rental stores acquire playable overflow that can be made available through the course of the year as well. Stores may even donate instruments to schools as tax write offs; therefore, making a phone call when a student is in need never hurts. Reaching out to parents, whether PTO or booster representatives, can often have powerful social media pull in acquiring instruments through donation.

No matter how difficult or seemingly expensive opening multiple grade-level access points might be, our students have the right to an instrumental music education.


Process over Product
Over the last 300 years of music education in the United States, there is and continues to be an emphasis on developing well-polished, elitist products to promote the recognition of performance accolades at state and national conventions. Our measurement of quality music programs tends to rest entirely on an ensemble’s ability to record and be selected by a panel of university professors, but what about all the other underlying factors that could be used to determine the success of a well-rounded music program?

Perpetually, directors pose these types of judgmental notions to fellow music educators:  
  • How many students are in your program?
  • What percentage of students make the honors band/orchestra yearly?
  • How many students were selected for state this year?
  • How many entries do you have attending solo and ensemble festival?
  • What number of those entries received Superior ratings?
  • What grade literature does your top ensemble perform?
  • What did your ensembles receive at contest this spring?
  • Do your students receive regular private lessons?
All of these ruminating questions tend to define the success of one’s program, and they all have to do with developing a product. Why?

“We have to trust these feelings. We have to trust the invisible gauges we carry within us. We have to realize that a creative being lives within ourselves, whether we like it or not, and that we must get out of its way, for it will give us no peace until we do. Certain kinds of egotism and ambition as well as certain kinds of ignorance and timidity have to be overcome or they will stand in the way of the creator. And though we are well thought of by others, we will feel cross and frustrated and envious and petulant, as if we had been cheated, somehow, by life". –M.C. Richards, Centering in Pottery, Poetry, and the Person

Directors, NAfME members, and administrators alike, your challenge is to raise the bar for the artistic processes so encouraged by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) and redefine your expectations. Some considerations:
  • Why are we still writing classroom assessments based on product preparation or performance?
  • Why does large ensemble festival merely take a snapshot of performing elements alone?
  • Why are we allowing ensembles to perform at state and national conventions without analyzing the entire program’s artistic processes output as a whole?
  • Where are the new curricula, accounting for less concert preparation and more project-based learning and ideals to enable this shift to the NCCAS?

Engaging in the intended shift means analyzing student understanding of these processes (creating, responding, and performing); not putting out performances for spectatorship alone. It may also allow directors breathing room to effectively enjoy their craft, and in turn, our students to further appreciate our programs.

“Innate human dignity implies innate human rights. The right to enjoy and participate in society and culture is a natural extension of this relationship.”

Lastly, in order to accommodate the rewiring of our student’s brains in a technologically advanced era and shortening attention spans, we must agree that perhaps the time of child prodigies and pedagogues is coming to a close. Children are unable to engage in mastering skill sets for hours, and so, the original foundation of our music education system must relocate and rebuild to survive.

The landscape is vastly different than even 10 years ago, and the time to provide access at every age, and at any cost, is now. The basic fundamentals of what it means to promote humanity through the vehicle of music is at stake.

​#MusicEducation #musiceducators #musicians #education #NCCAS #MusicforAll #MusicInclusion #NAfME #MusicEducatorsAssociation #MusicAccess 
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Guest Blog: A Calling, Music Therapy St. Louis, and Kids Rock Cancer

9/29/2018

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This quarter’s guest blog features Jaime Kennington Wilhite, MMT, MT-BC, and Owner/Director of Services & Clinical Supervision at Music Therapy STL, LLC. I’m thrilled to bring her unique story, research, and new business venture to the forefront as her particular story serves to provide a gateway to understanding the powerful call of music therapy.
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"As a child, I was always a dreamer: a kid with big eyes and big ideas. Too often I was reminded they were too grandiose for our reality. But, what is our reality? It’s what we make it. 

At the age of 30 with a successful career in marketing, I found myself at a life roadblock. I had done everything perfectly. I followed the path of opportunity with provided privileges. I did what I was supposed to do. At the end of the day, I felt empty - like what I did really didn't matter. This feeling was a constant reminder after suddenly losing my mother at the age of 24. What did I want to do with my life? How can I make a difference?

A year prior, I shadowed a board certified music therapist in a phase 4 school working with an autistic child. The child walked in, head down, and did not use words to communicate. By the end of the session, his eyes were looking at mine, he was engaged, and energetically said, “Bye!” That moment changed my life. I cashed it all in for two more degrees: music and a masters in music therapy. 

Years later doors started opening to work with various populations, from disabilities, to memory care, psych, education, brain injuries, and hospitals. I became a trained in NMT (neurologic music therapy), studying the brain and music therapy interventions based on scientific outcomes and practice. Specifically, I was one of two board certified music therapists to work for a non-profit 501c3 under Maryville University called Kids Rock Cancer. In joining the team, I met Tracie Sandheinrich, MT-BC (pictured below), who helped start Kids Rock Cancer. To say we hit it off is an understatement. With Tracie specializing in hospice, palliative care, and geriatric, she and I both had private practices and shared our woes of the contract-driven side of the music therapy world in our community: How can we take care of music therapists so they don’t burn out? How can we provide consistent and quality care? How can we be the most reliable resource to our community? How can we advocate and let people know music therapy is a thing and very much a clinical practice?

Well, no one else was doing it, so we did. We joined forces to create Music Therapy St. Louis, LLC where we now serve nearly every population. We are both trained in NMT and have post-graduate work under our belt. We are the first company in our area to hire board certified music therapists as employees to co-treat and support clients as a team. We often find ourselves driving around town speaking, advocating and supporting community groups. Music Therapy St. Louis is hoping to have a brick and mortar home base where we can host music therapy and community groups. Furthermore, we are working towards building a scholarship program for families who may not be able to afford services but could significantly benefit from them. With Kids Rock Cancer, Pujols Family Foundation, St. Louis Arc, Lafayette Industries, St. Francis of Assisi, a plethora of Hospice Organizations and more, we find ourselves grateful every day, and continue to strive to offer consistent and quality care on both sides of the river in Missouri and Illinois. All of this would not have possible without big eyes, being big dreamers, and the creation of Kids Rock Cancer. 

Kids Rock Cancer is free for families by the generosity of donors and grants. We do therapeutic songwriting, recording, and performance with children diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders, and help the children affected by close relatives suffering from those ailments. In some cases, we provide services bedside to make it as comfortable as possible for the child. Music therapy is a safe playground for children to express, cope, and digest the feelings of diagnosis. It gives them control when they have lost every bit of it, and allows them to play when they have to grow up so quickly.
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​Before I was brought on to the team, I decided to do my masters specialization thesis on therapeutic songwriting themes in pediatric oncology. While doing the research I found only two published pieces on this topic. Globally.
Our answer was releasing groundbreaking research with Understanding Lyrical Expression: Songwriting Themes in Pediatric Cancer, soon to be published in music therapy’s leading qualitative journal Music Therapy Perspectives. In addition to music therapy, we are looking into child psychology journals to aid child life staff on the findings. 

Here is a brief abstract from the research:
The purpose of the study was to identify song themes from the Kids Rock Cancer program through mixed method lyrical inductive microanalysis, quantitative measurement of word and category frequency and deductive analysis. Thirty oncology pediatric patients participated in the study (n=30). Inductive microanalysis revealed eight key themes: emotions, experience (inside the hospital), support, identification, outside the hospital, wants/desires, third party and future. Quantitate analysis of word and category frequency determined “hospital related experiences” as the most frequent category expressed and the word “family” as the most frequent word used in therapeutic songwriting. It is critical to understand common themes developed from the therapeutic songwriting process. If therapists better understand the content and potential of expression, they can improve services and, as a result, enhance therapeutic outcomes. 

What is the benefit to this research?
There is a need for more research on therapeutic songwriting in this population. First, music therapy promotes active engagement, encouraging independence through choice making initiation of ideas and problem solving (Aldridge, 1993; Barrickman, 1989; Froehlich, 1996; Magill, Coyle, Handzo & Loscalzo, 1997; McDonnell, 1984; Robb, 2003, 2000). In addition to engagement, songwriting maintains “open communication and hope, which have been identified as aspects of good coping in children diagnosed with cancer” (Artinian, 1976; Cordobes, 1997; Froehilch, 1984; McConville et al., 1990; O’Callaghan 1996, 1997; Robb, 2003, 1996; Wiley & House, 1988). Furthermore, “it can provide insight about how the child is adjusting to the illness or coping with the treatment, and provide opportunities to acknowledge, support, and explore feelings regarding hospitalization” (Kennelly J., 2001). Moreover, music therapy can be used to address a variety of complexities experienced by children and families during hospitalization and treatment of cancer and blood diseases. These goals include, but are not limited to, pain reduction and tolerance, pain control, distraction, relaxation, expression, positive environmental stimulus, normalization, play and support (Davis, W., Gfeller, K., Thaut, M., 2008). Of all the benefits music therapy brings, pain is important with this population because recent findings state that pain is most common and prevalent for pediatric inpatients (Cotton, et al, 2014, p. 98). In addition to pain, decreasing anxiety is another reported benefit of music therapy (Wheeler, B., 2015, p. 108). According to O’Callaghan, C., Baron, A., Barry, P., & Dun, B. (2011), a substantive grounded theory emerged when examining music relevance for pediatric cancer patients. Unfavorable cancer experiences were relieved with the use of music. Furthermore, music promoted pediatric resilience and development. In addition, music therapy would frequently ease distress. (p. 779). Qualitative research suggests that “any fragment of joy and beauty that can be shared is treasured” when using music therapy with children diagnosed with a potentially terminal illness (Lindenfelser et al, 2008, p. 343). O’Callaghan reinforces this idea when examining oncology parent inpatients to their children. The research “indicated that song writing can enable important yet difficult communication at this time” (O’Callaghan, C., Grocke, D., 2009, p. 321). 

Therefore, these evidence-based benefits to patients along with the demand increase of therapeutic services, increased use of therapeutic songwriting and lack of research focusing on lyrical understanding in pediatric oncology determine a critical need for this research to ultimately enhance quality of therapeutic services. As therapeutic songwriting increases in popularity among music therapy interventions so does the importance of demonstrating program outcome and success. According to Jones, “additional research on the clinical efficacy of original songs and therapist’s compositional processes is needed to identify best practices models for strategic songwriting” (Jones, J. D., 2006, p. 94). However, the only way to understand therapy efficacy to is understand the lyrical expression first. Additional knowledge will help inform educators, music therapists, administrators and hospitals how to grow and maximize benefits to patients. The purpose of this study is to identify common lyrical themes of the retrospective and released songs written in the Kids Rock Cancer program. If therapists better understand the content and potential of emotional expression, they can improve and enhance therapeutic services. 

So much has happened in 10 years; however, dreamers are dreamers and doers are doers. It wasn’t an easy road but worth the reward. During that time, I had to seek out my support system. Surprisingly, not everyone in my life was understanding of this life choice. For me, it was the best choice I could have made. I had to work hard to digest and accept those feelings, and be okay with the idea that people in my life were disapproving of my decision to leave my opportunistic and safe path. I created my own. I live everyday with a Mark Twain quote, “Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” You never know where your dreams may take you. 
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Photo Credits: Richard A Nichols. Bottom: Jaime watching her patient with cancer listen to a recording of her first original song.
#MusicTherapy #MusicTherapySTL #KidsRockCancer #MusicTherapists #Musicians #MusicEducators #AMTA #MusicTherapies #therapeuticsongwriting #mtstl #songwriting #grouptherapy 
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Musicians Delivering Humanity

6/30/2018

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"When the deepest part of you becomes engaged in what you are doing, when your activities and actions become gratifying and purposeful, when what you do serves both yourself and others, when you do not tire within but seek the sweet satisfaction of your life and your work, you are doing what you were meant to be doing. The personality that is engaged in the work of its soul is buoyant. It is not burdened with negativity. It does not fear. It experiences purposefulness and meaning. It delights in its work and in others. It is fulfilled and fulfilling." -Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul

It is interesting how one can get pulled into social media: memes, videos, pictures, news networks, negative comments. All the sudden, you lose 20 or more minutes of your life wrapped around a screen when it was your last intention. Then, I see people discovering stories released 2-5 years ago and sharing posts as if they are brand new. For example, a member of a Facebook group called Music Teachers recently posted the story of Henry, an unresponsive dementia patient from the documentary Alive Inside  by David Cohen. As a refresher from my 2014 blog, the assisted living facility where Henry was being treated received a grant for iPods from the Music and Memory Foundation, and his daughter helped load it with Henry’s favorite artists and tunes. When headphones playing Cab Calloway were placed over his ears, Henry lit up with energy and came alive, singing along and speaking about the music from another time.

Am I excited to see that musicians are continuing to discover the power of music in the brain for those with dementia? Absolutely. Is there disappointment that the message is still missing educators? Yes.

Music therapy is a vastly growing career field, but skeptics exist in the music world, even with a great deal of qualitative and quantitative based evidence to support its’ positive effects. A member of the same Facebook group responded to the post saying, “That works a for a period of time, but unfortunately fades as the disease progresses. It also does nothing to improve cognition, unfortunately. It is just a nice moment perhaps for the caregiver. Nobody can be sure about that right now, but it does say something about the permanency of dual coding (associated items to be learned with music or pictures for instance).”

My friends, frustration abounds for these comments made by people who are obviously not doing their homework. Accessing Google, one can easily plug in “current music therapy research for Alzheimer’s” and find an overwhelming amount of information, such as this publication released by NIH from Translational Neurodegeneration in 2017, which states, “MT [Music Therapy] can be considered a non-pharmacological intervention which has the potential effects to reduce cognitive decline, improve neuropsychiatric symptoms, and enhance the QOL [Quality of Life] of AD [34]. Researches have demonstrated that MT can protect cognition of AD especially autobiographical and episodic memories, psychomotor speed, executive function, and global cognition.”

Music and Memory, a non-profit organization out of New York linked above, has presented years of longevity studies on how music increases cognitive and functional tasks in those with dementia.

Newspapers across the country are starting to take notice of music therapy as a valid choice for dementia patients and improving QOL. A June 2018 article from the Chicago Tribune funneled down to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the powerful work Northwestern University is doing through a 12-week music therapy program at Silverado Memory Care in Morton Grove.

Music therapy does work!

That being said, musicians and music educators are not music therapists, but we do have the a powerful opportunity to use our gifts to validate all we are doing with students daily. To simply teach music within the four walls of our classroom would be a mistake. Without validation in the form of purposeful engagement serving others, empowerment in leadership skills, and opportunities to be innovative thinkers who create their own learning experiences in and outside the classroom, our students may feel a lack of desire and interest. Rightfully so as we consider those driving questions every student asks central to their learning process: What’s the purpose? Why am I learning this, and how does it apply to me? And for our young musicians: Why should I study music? Why put forth the effort to learn an instrument/sing a song? How will this benefit me?

Take time to assess your philosophy this summer and reflect on Gary Zukav's sentiment above. When we apply our hearts and souls to an outcome where it touches the lives of others in a positive manner, we have the power to change the world; we experience purposefulness, meaning, and fulfillment in our life’s work.

Suzuki once said, “Perhaps it is music that will save the world.” It may not be physically possible to save the entirety of the world, but it is humanly possible to help save someone from their own world of suffering through our humanity. All we need is more love and kindness... Please share your music today. ​
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#MusiciansforMemories #MusicandMemory #EndAlz #Alzheimers #MusicTherapy #Musicians #Dementia #Caregivers #MusicResearch #MusicTeachers #MusicServiceLearning
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Guest Blog: Preparing a Home for Loved Ones with Alzheimer's

3/29/2018

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The 2018 Facts:
1. Between 2000 and 2015, deaths from heart disease decreased by 11% while deaths from Alzheimer's increased 123%. 
2. 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, and 16.1 caregivers provide unpaid care for those living with Alzheimer's or another dementia valued at over $232 billion.
3. Every 65 seconds someone in the US is diagnosed with the disease, and over 14 million are projected to be living with it by 2050.
4. 1 in 3 seniors dies from Alzheimer's or another dementia, now killing more people than breast and prostate cancer combined. 
... The numbers are sobering, and the time to act in the best interest of our loved ones is now, my friends.

​I'd like to welcome Ms. Lydia Chan to discuss items of pertinence when considering an effective, safe home environment as a potential caregiver...
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Unfortunately for many of us, Alzheimer's is simply a fact of life we must face. Luckily, symptomatic treatments are improving each day, but that still leaves us with day-to-day care. Life is going to be different, and modifying your home to help care for your loved one with Alzheimer's is often a necessary part of ancillary care. Here are some tips to preparing your life and home for your loved one:

Staying at Home
It can be crucial to keep loved ones at home for as long as possible, if viable. Being surrounded by people who love them and items they know can inspire their memory. You know your loved ones better than anyone else, and what their triggers might be; therefore, by keeping them at home, or getting in-home assistance, you can give your loved ones the quality of life they deserve. Survey your house and decide what needs to be changed.

Labels
A label maker, or even duct tape with a permanent ink pen will be beneficial. Your loved one is going to forget things you may see as basic. A way to help you both is to label things in large, clear print. Label objects, from remotes to the washing machine, but also label areas of your home for your loved one to see, including bathrooms, drawers (along with what they contain), and the front door. Medicines are especially important to label. Be prepared to change these labels as needed. Your loved one's condition is not going to be static and may deteriorate.

Clean and Clear
Be certain all walkways in your home are clear. Loved ones are going to have a more difficult time focusing, so get any hazards out of their way. If there are rugs or loose carpeting, remove them or make sure they are completely secured. The pathways must also be clearly defined. You don't want to confuse, and thereby stress, loved ones any more than the situation already entails. If they know how to get from the living room to the restroom, their lives will be all the easier.

Limiting Access
It isn't enough to trust that your loved one with Alzheimer's will know what is off-limits, or that any hired caregiver will have constant vigilance over them. This is one way, among others, modifications to your home are imperative. Install locks to keep your loved one out of dangerous or hazardous areas, such as the garage, medicine drawer, drawers with cooking knives, front door, basement or attic, if applicable.

Update Hardware
Doorknobs are going to be difficult for loved ones to grab and turn, and switches may be difficult for them to navigate. Smaller items like these will need to be replaced for ease of use. More lighting to make sure they can see better and are less likely to trip or injure themselves is also important. You may consider either movement sensor lights, or install light switches near each and every door.

Disability Grants
Some modifications to your home are going to be much more expensive than others. Installing a chairlift if you have a multi-story home may be important, but the price can be intimidating or downright impossible. The silver lining is that there are government and private grants out there to help you support your loved one with Alzheimer's. You do not need to feel you are alone in this or that you will lose all of your savings. In addition, there are many websites out there to help you find organizations and office branches for various grants to further help you.

With this diagnosis comes change, not just for your loved one's life, but yours as well. You need to prepare yourself and consider a touch of remodeling to your home in order to keep him or her living with you as long as possible. It is going to be a challenge, but keeping your family member at home will provide you both with meaningful time together during this long goodbye.
​

#Alzheimers #EndAlz #Caregivers #Caregiving #InHomeCare #Dementia #AlzheimersCare #LivingWithAlzheimers

Lydian Chan is a frequent guest blogger on numerous sites, and founded AlzheimersCaregiver.net to help fellow caregivers on a variety of topics she experienced after her mother was diagnosed with the disease. 
Image courtesy of Pixabay
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Enhancing Music's Power Through Dance

9/30/2017

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​The positive effects of staying active to boost neurological health has been a general understanding for a lengthy time now, but new research proposes that dancing specifically can have anti-aging effects on the brain and improve behavior and balance.
 
The hippocampus plays a key role in learning and memory, and is the area of the brain associated with causing dementia symptoms and impacting balance. In a recent published group study, half of all elderly volunteers were assigned an 18-month weekly course of dance routines (altered bi-monthly) and the other half were given endurance and flexibility training (repetitive exercises). Was one type of exercise better than the other?
 
With an average age of 68, it was more challenging with varying genres and routines to remember the movements under pressure, but these extra struggles proved useful when balance and behavior improved; thus, strengthening the hippocampus and reversing signs of aging in the brain. 
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What if my loved one is confined to a wheel chair? Well grab your dancing wheels and bring them to the closest community center. Therapies for those suffering from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of dementia are becoming more popular in adult education course selections across the country! Of course dancing can be scary, especially when one does not feel comfortable with their physical abilities to perform as well as the next person, or when one’s physique itself is causing a mental obstruction to perform. Myself included, we all question our looks and abilities, but adding a cognitive delay on top of all those insecurities can feel stiffening, which is why removing fear and inserting music is the key.
 
We know music enhances our emotional health, and as discussed in previous blogs, the amygdala acts as chief officer of the limbic system (where we process emotions). This area of our brain remains untouched by various forms of dementia, so as long as we can respond emotionally as human beings, we can respond to music. If we can always respond to music, then there are physical ways to act out enhancing our experience through dance:
“Right now, we are evaluating a new system called “Jymmin” (jamming and gymnastics). This is a sensor-based system which generates sounds (melodies, rhythm) based on physical activity. We know that dementia patients react strongly when listening to music. We want to combine the promising aspects of physical activity and active music making in a feasibility study with dementia patients.”  -Dr. Kathrin Rehfeld
(Source: “Dancing can reverse the signs of aging in the brain.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 25 August 2017. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170825124902.htm)
 

Neat concept, and one that could improve our brain health while having fun!
 
As always, I invite you to contact me with questions, or with any requests for presentations on Music & Memory, Writing, Book Signings, or Book Club Events. Also, if you've been trying to purchase a book, please be patient as I am working with a new publisher for book 1 and book 2. Thank you for your support and see you in December!
 
#Alzheimers #Dancing #Music #BrainHealth #Dementia #PreventingDementia #NeuroHealth #Exercise #AntiAging #EndAlz #Parkinsons
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August Presentations

7/20/2017

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Good day friends! Here's a featured flyer for my August presentation dates at the St. Louis County Libraries. Please attend if possible as this may be one of the last opportunities to hear me speak on Music & Memory for a long time. I'm in the midst of editing IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE with a new publisher to be released as a 2nd edition with fresh endorsements and Foreword later this year. Book 2 entitled PLAY ON should be ready for release in 2019!

Thank you for your unwavering support, and we'll see you in September for a fresh blog!
#EndAlz #MusicandMemory #Musicians #StLouis #StLouisCountyLibraries
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Guest Blog: 4 Apps to Improve Your Brain Health!

6/22/2017

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Happy June, my friends! I am extremely happy to introduce George as a guest blogger today, and appreciate his persistence in seeking out means to spread such an important mesage!

Due to the reality that Alzheimer's is the only disease among the top 10 in the U.S. causes of death to have no cure, no treatments, nor pathways for slowing down progression, one of the questions often asked in my Music & Memory presentations is, "What can I do to help slow down the onset if I have one of the genes responsible for Alzheimer's?" After explaining that testing positive for one of those genes does not automatically mean one will ever show symptoms of the disease itself, I am also happy to inform my audience of a few health tips learned via symposiums or conferences from top neurologists and clinical professionals over the years:

1. Exercise 30+ minutes daily with plentiful cardio to keep your body and blood moving!
2. Eat a healthy diet (Mediterranean style) consisting of a colorful palette high in antioxidants, omega-3, amino acids, folic acids, et cetera.
3. Yes, enjoy that glass of red wine! Highest in antioxidants and resveratrol are pinot noir (number 1), merlot, malbec, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and shiraz. A fabulous tasting "brain cocktail" combines 4 ounces of cabernet with 4 ounces of straight pomegranate juice on ice - what a delicious dessert!
4. Avoid sugar... I know it's incredibly difficult, but sugar is a toxin to our brains and increases risk for Type 2 diabetes. 
5. Keep your brain active with stimulating games like Sodoku, crossword puzzles, trivia, and fun apps that challenge your brain!

Here's our friend, George, to provide more information on several fantastic apps that will keep your brain active and healthier.
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As per the Alzheimer’s Association, 1 in 9 people in the US over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. There are a number of factors that contribute towards the development of this disease; however, saying that you cannot do anything to potentially delay onset would be wrong. You can use different exercises to improve your brain health, thereby reducing your risks of developing dementia and other related disorders.

This is the technology generation, and almost all of us have a tablet or a smartphone. So why not use these devices to your advantage? Use one of the various brain-training apps and improve your brain health anytime and anywhere. The four best apps that help train your brain include:

1. Lumosity
Lumosity is not only the oldest brain training app, but also the most popular one used by more than 85 million people across the world. The games inside this app help you work on core cognitive abilities like problem solving, memory, processing speed, attention, and adaptable thinking. Once you download this app, you will be asked to give a brain fitness test. This test is mainly done to show your standing against the others in your age bracket. The developers of Lumosity strongly believe that just one session of three games daily will help boost your mental skills. Available for both Android and iOS devices, this is a free app. 
 
2. Peak
One of the highlights of this app is that the games inside it are developed with expert inputs from Yale and Cambridge. Both Android and iOS devices can download this free app. Peak offers you games that emphasize problem solving, coordination, emotional control, memory, attention, language, creativity, and mental agility. You will also get your very own virtual Coach, who will go through your results and give tips on how you can improve. Playing games on Peak will never feel monotonous because it offers you enough variety. 
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3. Elevate
If you want a brain training app that deals with practical everyday activities, then Elevate is perfect for you. Most of the games deal with everyday tasks such as calculating a tip or writing an email to your loved ones. This app is known to improve your communication as well as your critical thinking skills. In fact, a study found that people who used Elevate improved their performance by 69 percent as opposed to the non-users. 
 
4. Brain Fitness Pro
Brain Fitness Pro is one of the best brain training apps in the market. The focus of this app is on improving your IQ as well as your memory. This is a paid app, but the amazing user interface totally makes it worth it. Developers of Brain Fitness Pro guarantee that you will see great results, when you use this app continuously for 20 days, and spend at least 30 minutes on it daily. 

Download these brain training apps on your smartphone, and you be the judge of whether they are truly effective or not!
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(Photos courtesy of Pixabay) 
#EndAlz #Alzheimers #Brain #BrainApps #Dementia #BrainHealth #Health #MindHealth #HealthyMind #Lumosity #Peak #Elevate #BrainFitnessPro
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Whirlwind

3/28/2017

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"As you come to recognize the power of your consciousness, that what is behind your eyes, so to speak, holds more power than what appears in front of them, your inner and outer perceptions change. You cannot become compassionate with yourself without becoming compassionate with others, or with others without becoming compassionate with yourself. When you are compassionate with yourself and others, your world becomes compassionate. You draw to yourself other souls of like frequency, and with them you create, through your intentions and your actions and your interactions, a compassionate world. 

"As you come to seek and see the virtues and strengths and nobilities of others, you begin to seek and see them in yourself also. As you draw to yourself the highest-frequency currents of each situation, you radiate that frequency of consciousness, and change the situation. You become more and more and more consciously a being of Light."
-Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul

Happy March, my friends! It certainly has been a busy last three months, filled with meeting hundreds of new faces and friends alongside several personal and professional changes. While I am far from stopping my Music & Memory series for this year, I thought it best take a moment to send out an invitation to share with your St. Louis friends for April (more libraries to come in August).  
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While I have been the primary speaker at these presentations, it has been my pleasure to learn from the fine human beings sitting before me who seem to genuinely connect with the content. Shared stories always creates an opportunity to infuse a memorable and meaningful form of compassion amongst the groups, and posed questions are as intriguing as ever. One anecdote begets the next, and it is a true joy to synergize the energy of our collective experiences across the room. I am both awed and in awe of the people who opt to seek information on a topic under the radar, but one so crucial in its' perpetual advocacy for maintaining Arts education in our schools. Seeking meaningful ways to connect with our loved ones through music, when words and all else fails, is absolutely invaluable to any societal structure. And, if you are a musician, please join us this spring in sharing your gifts with those who need it the most! Join Team Musicians for Memories by playing or singing with your groups at a local assisted living facility! #musiciansformemories
While I am fortunate to continue this advocacy work on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association, I am currently searching for a new publisher who will support and propel my mission by printing IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE. If you currently have a copy of the work, please hang on to your first edition! A second edition may be on the way from a company who understands the vision for how this special historical fiction can help so many affected by Alzheimer's Disease. 

In the meantime, I hope you stay tuned to future quarterly blogs to stay up to date with current research on practices for using a prescribed music repertoire to help your loved ones gain access to lucidity, if only for moments. See you in June!

#musiciansformemories #EndAlz #musicians #musicadvocacy #ArtsEducation #musiceducators #musicandmemory #musicforall #SLCO #StLouis #musictherapy 
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    Denise Elam Dauw

    Music is the food of love as a true gateway to lucidity; therefore, it is my plea, along with thousands of music educators across the world, that we continue traditions of music excellence in our schools and within our homes to ensure connections to our families, their thoughts, and their minds until the end of natural life. 

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