center for early childhood music therapy, children's music therapy, music programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, music classes for young children, music therapists
Join Elizabeth Schwartz, MA, LCAT, MT-BC for the online event Together With The Beat: Expanding Your Early Childhood Music Toolbox. The event will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 from 8-9pm ET.
I was totally thrown off during a short trip to a local store during the height of the pandemic. As I approached the counter to pay, the woman at the register looked me directly in the eye and cried out ‘Miss Beth!’ Since I was fully masked, I couldn’t imagine how someone could recognize me, especially someone who was not at all familiar to me. She quickly came around the counter and again called out, ‘Miss Beth.’
My confusion must have been clear as she continued to explain that she remembered me from our time together when I led music groups for young children at the local library. As a music therapist, I had the privilege to facilitate integrated parent-child groups that focused on building community and a place for all within developmental music making. This woman and her son, a young one with many developmental challenges, were part of that program.
She burst into singing one of ‘our’ songs, and then emotionally shared that the music group was one of the things that kept her going through those early years of her child’s growth.
This story might not be so unusual except for the next thing this mom shared. Her son had gone on to thrive with this early support and was now attending a local community college.
The integrated, community-based music program was the foundation for Sprouting Melodies and for the Sprouting Melodies training. The training focuses not only on musical development, but on how developmental grownup/child music-making can create a community that supports children and grownups. It’s not just about the kids, but about those who care for them and the communities in which we all live.
If you are like me and want to use your music therapy education and training to make a long-lasting difference for all people, we invite you to join the next Sprouting Melodies training. The ten-week, completely on-line course is designed to give you the knowledge and experiences to make this kind of impact in your community. Our next training begins soon, and we welcome you to be a part.
Beth
Who’s More Stressed? The screaming toddler being strapped into their car seat? Or the parent trying to strap the toddler in?
I say, both. At this time of year which is supposed to be so magical, it sure seems as if there is a lot of stress out there.
What can I, a music therapist, do about it? A lot!
In my decades of running early childhood music groups, I was always amazed at the transformation from the beginning to the end – usually stress to smiles. In developmentally focused music making, we can help parents to better understand their child and give them both a safe and supportive space just to ‘be.’
This is one reason we started the Sprouting Melodies Training. The course makes use of your expertise as a music therapist, and gives you the knowledge, experiences, and music you need to serve the children and families of your community.
What’s unique about the Sprouting Melodies Training? We focus on both the child and the parent as people. Me and Me…Meaningful expectations. Music for engagement.
The Sprouting Melodies® program offers music therapists a chance to use your education, skills and experience to bring the best possible early childhood music experience to families in your community.
23 CMTEs available for you to complete in your own space, in your own time.
Registration is now open for January 2023!
What exactly do you get in the course?
Ready to register for the Sprouting Melodies Training?
We can wait to see you inside the Sprouting Melodies training!
~ Elizabeth & Meredith
When Meredith and I started Raising Harmony, we were determined to provide solid, effective information on music, young children, and families. After hearing from the 100s of music therapists who have taken the Sprouting Melodies Training, we’ve learned that the training provides so much more. Through taking the training, people have:
What more can you do? Come join us for the next Sprouting Melodies Training and find out.
Click the link below to register for our next course beginning March 30, 2022.
https://raisingharmony.com/training/sprouting-melodies-training-info/
Hope to see you!
Elizabeth
Not ready for this round of training? Visit www.RaisingHarmony.com to download 5 free songs composed specifically for music therapists to learn and use.
Wow! What a year this has been. I have been thinking that 2021 is a little bit like the two-year-old’s I know – tantrums, tears, testing limits; but also times of incredible tenderness and tremendous growth.
Understanding development of little children is so helpful in understanding people in general. Want to know more? We’ve got a great course that gives you comprehensive information on development as well as music development. How to get that two-year-old to tune in? Covered. Getting parents, staff, and administrators to tune in? Covered. All this covered in our 23 CMTE credit, totally virtual Sprouting Melodies training course. Here is the link to register for our January 2022 course.
https://raisingharmony.com/training/sprouting-melodies-training-info/
Bonus! As part of the course, Meredith Pizzi, Erika Svolos, and I will meet with you virtually to answer questions or to brainstorm ideas and solutions. This would be a great time to learn more about successful ways to run Virtual Early Childhood groups. Yes, it can be done. And yes, you can get a two-year-old (and their grownups) to tune in!
Hope you will join us. Register by January 1st and receive an early-bird discount. Contact me directly with any questions Elizabeth@RaisingHarmony.com.
Here’s to 2022!
Elizabeth Schwartz
Beth
Additional Fall Opportunities
Music Therapy Job Opportunities
Many of you are familiar with Sprouting Melodies & Raising Harmony, but you may not be familiar with Raising Harmony’s sister company, Roman Music Therapy Services. Raising Harmony’s Co-Founder and Roman Music Therapy Services Executive Director, Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC invites you to explore the potential for your next career opportunity with Roman Music Therapy Services. We are hiring qualified, people-driven professionals to join a small, dynamic team that provides music therapy to communities across eastern Massachusetts. Open positions include Board Certified Music Therapists as well as a Customer Service Coordinator. Click here for the job postings, or reach out to jobs@romanmusictherapy.com with any questions.
Have you ever wondered how music begins? How does a tiny infant learn music that helps them grow into a Grammy Award winner, or a basement band fan, or a music therapist? It’s not a secret. We know how music develops and how it becomes woven into a person’s identity. But we also know that many college programs don’t spend much time on music development. It’s only when you get out in the field that you realize that it would be something good to know.
In our Sprouting Melodies Training course, we lay it all out for you in a clear and practical framework. Each small music detail leads into the music making and then leads into a persuasive understanding of music in overall development. Right from the very start. In every session we give you new songs, music, and strategies that can be used in your work the very next day.
It’s not a secret. We’ve had well over 200 music therapists take the training, and we hear all the time how helpful the information is, no matter where you work.
It’s not a secret that this is really great training. Come and join us.
Beth and Meredith
Now more than ever, we need meaningful opportunities to be connected to others.
We search for ways to collaborate in creating innovative, creative programs.
And we seek flexible solutions to the challenges of staying current in a fast changing health-care environment.
Meredith, Erica, and I would like to welcome you to just such an environment through the Sprouting Melodies Training. Our newly updated and refreshed course begins Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The course provides you with:
