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Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

by | Apr 10, 2024

This blog was written by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC 

On March 1st myself and my colleague Lauren had the opportunity to attend and present at SUNY Fredonia’s Mini Music Therapy Conference. Our presentation, “Becoming MT-BCs,” aimed to educate and empower student music therapists as they embark on the transition from internship to the workforce. Conferences are an amazing opportunity to meet other music therapists and exchange knowledge, stories, and advice about being a board-certified music therapist.  It is rare that so many music therapists are all gathered in one place, and one of my favorite things to do is hear about other music therapist’s experiences in their practice!  

Music therapy is a very diverse field and a practice with a wide range of benefits. The clients, techniques, instruments, and songs therapists use can vary tremendously depending on the population they work with.  A music therapist working with residents in hospice care likely has a very different day-to-day experience than someone like myself who works mostly in schools.  However, I find that I always learn something from my peers. Regardless of where we work we can all bond over our shared love of music and our field. It is a very affirming experience!  

While there are national and regional conferences, the conferences put on by colleges are special because the typical attendance is mostly students. I find that music therapy students bring so much enthusiasm and energy to a space. I love hearing their fresh perspectives. Many music therapy students will soon be music therapists and it is exciting to get to talk to people who will shortly become professional colleagues.

Despite not being too far from my own time as a student, I noticed that music therapy students often have lots of questions about post-graduation. As someone who has gone through that process in the past few years, it was an honor to be able to present about the transition between being a student to becoming a new professional. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in music therapy, student music therapists must complete a 1000 hour internship in addition to passing an exam in order to be considered a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC). That process and the unknowns within it can be daunting. Being able to shed some light on that transition was an exciting experience. The attendees asked several great questions about getting internships and jobs, how to maintain professionalism, the experience of being a full time music therapist, and more. One question that I really enjoyed was: “How prepared did you feel by your educational experience to begin a career as a music therapist?” This let me reflect on my own journey and my transition into my career. Oftentimes as a more recent professional, I find that I may experience imposter syndrome. However, when examining it I realized I do feel very prepared and confident in my ability to provide great services for my students. I attribute a lot of that to my education, as well as the support of my current co-workers and supervisors. It was awesome to be able to tell the students I was presenting for that yes, I do feel prepared. Becoming a music therapist takes a significant amount of work and effort, but it is an amazing and rewarding field.  I am so happy to have had the opportunity to share my experiences and love for my work with those who will hopefully be future music therapists.  

To learn more about what it takes to become a music therapist, check out our blog “5 Steps to Becoming a Board-Certified Music Therapist” or “Should I Become a Music Therapist?”

World Music Therapy Week 2024

World Music Therapy Week 2024

by | Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas. 

Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy Center would like to take a moment and share what our profession is all about. To start, what is music therapy?

Music therapy is a type of therapy that uses music to help people improve their emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being. Music therapists are trained to use music in a variety of ways to help people achieve their therapeutic goals. They use evidence-based practice to discern what music therapy interventions will help their clients achieve their goals.

Music therapy can be used to help people with a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, autism, and dementia. It can also be used to help people cope with stress, trauma, and grief.

Music therapy can work in several ways. It can help to:

  • Regulate emotions
  • Improve mood
  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Promote relaxation
  • Enhance cognitive function
  • Improve communication skills
  • Promote social interaction
  • Boost self-confidence

Music therapy can be used in individual or group settings. A typical music therapy session may involve listening to music, playing instruments, singing, or moving to music. The specific activities that are used will be tailored to the individual’s needs and goals.

Here are some examples of what a music therapist could implement to help people with mental health conditions:

  • Use calming music to help a person with anxiety relax and reduce their symptoms
  • Use upbeat music to help a person with depression improve their mood and energy levels
  • Use songwriting to help a person with trauma process their experiences and express their emotions
  • Use group music therapy to help people with autism learn social skills and communication skills

Music therapy is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. It is a non-invasive and enjoyable way to improve emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being.

If you are interested in learning more about music therapy, you can talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You can also find a music therapist in your area by searching online or contacting the American Music Therapy Association. If you are located in the Rochester NY area, we would love to answer your questions or assist you or a family member in obtaining music therapy. Contact us today! 

The Planets: A Story Orchestra

The Planets: A Story Orchestra

by | Apr 3, 2024

Blog post written by Abby Hamel

On April 8th, 2024, an out-of-this-world event will occur: the solar eclipse! Rochester is lucky enough to be in the path of totality for this eclipse and I can feel the excitement around me. The Planets by Helen Mortimer is the newest installation in “The Story Orchestra” series where the reader is taken on a musical journey along with learning a little bit about each planet in the solar system.

I love “The Story Orchestra” books because they take great works of music such as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, or Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and turn them into stories for everyone to enjoy. A notable feature of these books is the last page, where readers can learn more about each clip they heard in the book, the composer, and some important music terminology.

Each page has a musical note with snippets from Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets to accompany our two main characters on an adventure throughout our solar system. While reading the book, Jessica Courtney-Tickle’s illustrations bring to life how vast and mysterious our galaxy really is. The two explorers we follow visit the three planets closest to Earth, make their way through the asteroid belt, and onwards to the outer planets. There are an array of skills to be learned and practiced while reading this book, such as astronomy, memory recall, and musical terms.

Astronomy

Readers will learn about each planet and a trait unique to that planet such as the volcanoes of Venus, why Uranus is blue, and how many rings Saturn has! Each musical piece paired with the page reflects the traits of these planets, which help in adding more layers to the story.

Memory Recall

There are many memorable moments throughout the story. Reading a few times can generate so many questions such as, what music did your child like hearing the most? Does this match their favorite planet? It may also present an opportunity to recall information they learn in school, like how long it takes Neptune to make one full rotation around the sun.

Musical Terms

As mentioned above, there is a glossary in the back of the book that contains musical terminology to learn. This may be a helpful tool when reading the information that accompanies the clips heard throughout the story. The terminology learned in the back of the book may also be carried over to listening to music on the radio, not just classical music!

With the celestial event of the year upon us, The Planets is a great gateway into classical music and learning more about our very own solar system.

Click here if you’d like to purchase this book on Amazon!

Blast off!

Children’s Songs That Won’t Drive You Mad

Children’s Songs That Won’t Drive You Mad

by | Apr 3, 2024

Blog written by Rebecca Szalay

If you are the parent of a young child, chances are you have a CD or playlist of young children’s songs that you listen to everywhere, especially in the car.  You may also find yourself singing “Baby Shark” in the grocery store because you just don’t listen to “your music” anymore.  Children learn from repetition but as a parent, this can sometimes be maddening as you hear the songs of their favorite Disney movie for the thousandth time.

So, what can we do? 

Try out Sandra Boyton’s collection of albums based on her children’s books.  Her collaboration with Michael Ford has created fun children’s songs, based on her beloved board books, in the styles of more modern music. 

As a parent, these albums saved my sanity and were simply fun to sing over and over with my own children.  The accompanying books include Ms. Boynton’s wonderful and whimsical animal artwork and, for musicians, sheet music in the back of the book.  You can even find official videos on YouTube of her songs such as The Bacon Brothers (Yes, Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael!) singing the Big Band tune “Philadelphia Chickens” and “Be Like a Duck” sung by Keith Boynton. 

There is a musical style that’s sure to fit everyone’s fancy and you won’t mind hearing these songs over and over again.

Where can you find these wonderful albums? 

Try your local bookstore or search “Sandra Boynton’s Music Books” on Amazon for:

You can even pair your favorite songs with Ms. Boynton’s board books that you may already have.  What’s your favorite Sandra Boynton book? Check out YouTube and see if there’s a song to match!

Current Events: UMTC Plays at Webster Comfort Care Home

Current Events: UMTC Plays at Webster Comfort Care Home

by | Oct 6, 2023

On Tuesday, October 3rd Upstate Music Therapy Center employees joined the Webster Comfort Care Home community in honoring their residents. Webster Comfort Care Home is a non-profit community-based care home committed to providing compassionate care to the terminally ill and their families. Each year, they hold a memorial service for their residents who have passed.

Each resident was represented with a tea light around the home’s beautiful gardens. In 2023, there were over 200 residents and families supported by the home.

Comfort Care Home

While families enjoyed refreshments and snacks, UMTC and other valued members of the music community played background music for everyone to enjoy. Erin Triola and Lydia O’Sullivan created a guitar and violin duo, sharing soothing sounds with songs like “Let It Be” and “Rainbow Connection.” Abby Hamel, Casey Kunzer, and Katie Pistilli dusted off their clarinets to create a trio playing favorites “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Amazing Grace.”

Webster Comfort Care Home values their community and each member’s valuable role in it. They have certainly cultivated a welcoming, warm place for their residents and families. Upstate Music Therapy Center was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their memorial service and share their music at this beautiful event.