Hope

At this same time last year I was running between work, caring for my mom, and going to the hospital to be with my brother who died of Stage IV cancer. He passed on September 2, 2024, and since then my life has been a whirlwind of change. 

Now that most of the paperwork has been done, and my own work begins to wind down for the summer, I find myself gently embracing a new chapter of my life. 

My work is moving more and more in the direction of music for wellness and personal growth. I am not a music therapist, and I have no plans to go through the rigorous process of study and certification to become one. Instead, I want to continue to grow as a teaching artist and music practitioner. I live to share the joy, enrichment and personal fulfillment that musical play and singing can bring. In my voice studio, I work with the whole person on all aspects of singing: body, mind, voice, and heart. Being a part of people’s musical growth, artistry and vocal opening is a privilege. 

This last Wednesday, I attended a wonderful concert performed by the Voices of Hope Choir. The singers are cancer survivors who know the holistic healing power of music. I have had the opportunity to facilitate singing classes, as well as vocal toning and improvisation classes for them, even through the pandemic on Zoom! They are a remarkable group of individuals, and the founders of the choir are equally inspiring. I found a great article about their story: Voices of Hope.

Music, improvisation in particular, helps me. When I sing and/or play, I feel calmer and happier. Everything in life seems to run more smoothly when I play regularly. That also includes singing songs I like with guitar and preparing concerts of classical arias and standards. I feel especially energized when I play music in collaboration with others.  

I have been spending a great deal of time these last 6 weeks learning about ADD/ADHD, and how it has been underdiagnosed in girls. More and more women are discovering that they have ADD/ADHD. There is research coming out on the role that music can play in helping adults and children manage symptoms. 

I am awaiting the results of a doctoral candidate’s study on resiliency that I took part in: I was facilitating community drumming. The study measured participants’ perceived stress levels before and after group drumming. 

Earlier this week, I was interviewed by a Concordia graduate doing research on the state of mental health among neurodiverse men, and more specifically whether I believe participatory musical activities and sound baths can be of help. I believe that music transcends the barriers that words can create. When I see a group of people in a circle drumming together, I see human beings bonding together in joyful sound. Drumming and playing instruments also keeps us off our smartphones. We have music and each other, no social media, no distractions. In a time when so many feel isolated, playing music offers an opportunity to connect with others. 

Last Friday I performed a sound bath for a small group of women as part of a birthday offering. Once the sound bath was finished, I gathered them all around a large table drum and we gently drummed and chanted. It was wonderful to see everyone relaxed and smiling. 

Finally, at our Improv retreat in the Laurentians a few weeks ago, I led a vocal toning session early one morning. What immediately struck me was how bright everyone’s eyes and complexions looked immediately following the toning session. 

Hope is the word that keeps coming to my mind. Summer is a time to slow down, take care of ourselves and take every opportunity to be with those we love. This quiet quality time will energize me for this coming fall as I look forward to an exciting lineup of live classes and Sound Baths. 

I may (or may not) pop in every so often with a newsletter and blog post, and I will be back in full writing mode in September. 

Outreach - if you know of any research or programs being conducted on how playing music can alleviate symptoms of ADD/ADHD, please share it with me. 

I wish you all peace and inspiration - and LOTS OF MUSIC.