[Daniel DeLucia]

Singing: (A) Alter movements in response to singing (T) vocalizes in response to singing (I) imitates vocal sounds (c) sings high/low pitches (R) sings melodies that are familiar.

Playing: (A) turns head towards source of sound (T) joins in playing instrument with another person (I) plays a steady beat on drum (C) able to alter dynamics on instrument (R) imitate complex rhythm patterns/melodies with intent to relate to others

Movement: (A) move whole body (T) synchronizes movement to rhythm of music played (I) clap hands (C) initiate own movements (R) hold hands and sway side to side with another child

Listening: (A) prefer different types of music/intervals (T) makes pitches in response to silence in music (I) selectively attend to specific kinds of music (C) can choose between three instruments (R) pass around an instrument to a peer.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Echooing from what other members have mentioned, I would say that music therapy provides and opportunity for creative engagement and bonding between parent(s) and child. It offers opportunities for development through different mediums (singing, playing, dancing, listening) and above all, is a space that is safe and fun for both parties. I think music being that safe space is important within the Western cultural context as many parents now often have busy lives working and might not have time to engage and play with their child through the medium of music therapy. So, music therapy can in addition to being a safe space for families, often provide moments of catharsis and deepening of relationships.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Many of the integrated pre-school groups I work with currently are learning about sharing, following directions, learning more about social skills and their place within the group. Therefore, I would say many of them fall within the developmental levels of “Control” and “Responsibility”. Many of them have awareness, trust, and independence. I remember there have been several instances in which many of the group members would frequently interject verbally as well as musically and thus required support from teachers and aide’s present. The group members at one school I see on Tuesdays last week, required some visual cues to help promote passing the drum around to their friend as well as musical cues to help promote listening and processing information being presented to them.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Currently, I work within a predominantly Dominican and Puerto Rican school district with some students being of Brazilian descent. The music preferences of the community vary from person to person however, some of the music they enjoy is native to their culture. This includes genre’s such as Bachata, as well as other types of Hispanic music such as Salsa and Merengue. Some students are fluent only in Spanish, so to help them become more engaged within music making, I have incorporate Spanish phrases into the lyrics of the songs I use. This has been somewhat successful as the Spanish speaking students appeared to have an easier time building rapport with me and gain a positive experience when making music.

[Daniel DeLucia]

So far during my time at Roman Music Therapy I haven’t used “The Tickle Song” or “A Car on my Knee” during sessions. However, The Scarf Song that is frequently used within Sprouting Melodies I have often used within integrated pre-k and early elementary groups. These songs often feel playful and exciting. The response I see from the children with the Scarf Song is that it allows them to learn a sense of control and learning to feel anticipations musically, as well as learn to follow direction (the song incorporates counting as well as many steps such as making a ball before throwing the scarf into the air). For some of the developmentally younger children, I would simply the instructions and adapt the music to meet them where they are at. For the older kids, I often have seen them initiate different ideas for moving the scarf. For example, in one integrative pre-k class, I’ve seen the children suggest moving the scarf like different animals as opposed to just waving it in a circle shape.

In my past work during graduate school, I used “Just Like Me” when working with children who are non-verbal. I felt that this song helped clearly convey the level of awareness as well as trust. For example, as seen in the videos, I remember singing the song to a child and reaching out my hands in order to provide an opportunity for that child to join into musical play with me, follow the structure of the song as well as build a sense of rapport and trust between us.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Awareness level: 1: Turn of eye gaze or head towards sound source. 2. Crys or coos as a response to certain timbres within their environment. 3. regulate to familiar timbres/melodies

Trust level: 1. join in musical play through synchronizing of musical behaviors (playing drum at the same time with the therapist/caregiver). 2. Singing familiar melody but within different keys. 3. Understanding or anticipating cues and melodic contour within the music.

Independence level: 1. Child can feel internal pulse of the music and synchronize with the rhythm. 2. Child independently makes own rhythm on the drum when prompted. 3.Child will clap hands upon hearing music.

Control level: 1. Child makes musical choice when prompted by the therapist. 2. Child stops moving when the music stops. 3. Adjust dynamic level of music in response to dynamic changes in the therapist’s music

Responsibility level: 1. Child voluntarily shares instrument with another child in the group. 2. Child emulates other child’s rhythm on the drum. 3. Child voluntarily joins in singing with group.

[Daniel DeLucia]

To be honest, there is more than one take away. Regarding chapter’s 2 and 3, one significant idea that came to mind is that development as a whole is more or less subjective (i mean in terms of how the theorist measures it). Each theorist sets the beginning and ends of each stage at different chronological ages and, in the case of Piaget, there’s stages within stages. Furthermore, regardless of the theory, it’s also important to understand the fact that these theories of development which were presented in the text and are most familiar to us, are within a specific cultural context (in this case Western culture) and thus may or may not be generalizable to humans across different environments and cultures. The very idea of what even is a human is different depending on where that individual was raised. However, despite these differences, there does seems to be some broad understanding of development moving from simple to more complex; moving from understanding of self to understanding of others and self within their environment. </p>
<p>As music therapists working with children from broad communities, we need to honor each child’s unique experience that they have when it comes to their development as well as how they experience music.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Hello!

I would also agree with what Camryn said. I resonate a lot with what she mentioned regarding the humanity of the child within music therapy and how she uses the lens of humanism to help provide autonomy and agency for the child. I felt a similar way when reading the chapters and watching the videos for this week. Something that I always try to bring to the session, especially for young children, is a sense of playful and wonder and pure joy. As alluded to within the previous chapters of Beth’s book, children take in so much of their environment and within music, something as simple as waving a scarf around and throwing it up in the air is so meaningful for them. That is something that I personally will continue to bring into music therapy with young children; help supporting and uplifting those moments in which the child feels totally free and autonomous. This could easily be applied to all individuals of different backgrounds, developmental levels and age.

[Daniel DeLucia]

Hello everyone! my name is Daniel DeLucia. I am currently a music therapist at Roman Music Therapy Services in Massachusetts and currently live in Reading, MA. I have previously studied at Molloy College on Long Island NY to obtain my MT-BC. During my graduate studies, I’ve worked with a variety of populations ranging from children and teens experiencing bereavement to older adults in a neurorehabilitation setting, to individuals across the lifespan with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I’m a big fan of music therapy research as well as clinical improvisation, music therapy theory and how that connects to practice. Currently, I am working as a music therapist in a school district in MA and will soon be working as a music therapist within the NICU setting. I’m excited to meet and share with you all the experience of going through this training!

In addition, I’m also a big fan of cats. I don’t have any 🙁 but I will hopefully soon!

[Author]

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