Mark your calendars! Registration opens on September 8th.

Music Therapy (Ages 3-8)

Are you ready to make some music? We will use the fun and motivation of music to address social, behavioral and sensory goals of participants. Children will be singing, playing a variety of instruments and moving to the music as they engage in supportive and therapeutic music making. Parent participation is required – This is not a drop off program. Groups will be led by a Board Certified Music Therapist from Roman Music Therapy Services.

Social Skills Music Therapy (Ages 7-12)

Join us for fun and engaging music activities including group instrument play and singing new and familiar songs. This music therapy group is for verbal children to learn and practice social skills through shared musical experiences. Group members will developing awareness skills and engage with peers in a supportive musical environment. Parent participation is required – This is not a drop off program. Groups will be led by a Board Certified Music Therapist from Roman Music Therapy Services.

Teen Music Therapy (Ages 13-18)

Want to jam with your friends and make some new ones? In this program, group members will write and record original songs for a CD. This group is open to all teens with advanced verbal skills to develop peer relationships though shared musical songwriting experiences. Due to safety ratios, parents must stay for the groups but will not be participants. Groups will be l ed by a Board Certified Music Therapist from Roman Music Therapy Services.

Guitar 101 for Teens (ages 13-18)

Do you want to learn how to play the guitar? Teens will learn functional guitar skills in a supportive group environment. The focus of this program will be learning chords and songs to support success and continued interest in learning an instrument. Due to safety ratios, parents must stay for the groups but will not be participants. Groups will be led by a Board Certified Music Therapist from Roman Music Therapy Services.

So on that note, here are My Top Reasons Why I Love Making Music with Children.

Music is Music – Simple Enough
There is nothing like sharing in the simplicity of music making with a child. As a newborn, music is a profound experience that causes the baby to stop and look around, waiting and watching. As children age, they become more and more aware of the environment and still attend to music as if it is a huge presence in the room. I learn a lot from their experience of music.

Progress is obvious – And so much fun to observe!
When you see children, young and old, master a musical task in a song, the progress is crystal clear! I enjoy working in groups of 6-7 weeks because at the end of a session, the progress from beginning to end is absolutely magnificent! We can all sit around and say, “Do you remember when we first started this group?”

The same is true with a child at home. With repetition, you see great growth! Every time a song is shared, children soak it in. With even more repetition, they are able to make the music their own. And it is really is fun to see.

Music making with children is joyful!
When you can see the anticipation of a musical phrase in a baby’s eyes, smile, and body movements, it is shear joy! And as the baby grows, (which happens much too quickly) the joyful responses become joyfully contagious! It’s hard to not laugh with a 3 year old when playing the drum, or a 7 year old delighted to be strumming to the blues on the guitar!

Bonding through music is natural
There is a closeness in making music with your child that goes beyond a song. It is our common understanding that songs and lullabies create intimate shared moments for babies and caregivers. With repetition, those shared musical moments create meaningful bonds.

The same can be said for music making with older children. Think about all of the stress and conflict in our parental relationships with our children. From putting on shoes in the morning, to clearing the dinner table, to brushing teeth. There are plenty of events that take us away from bonding with our kids. Making music on a regular basis with your children returns some of he playful bonding to our relationships that we all need.

Why do you love making music with your children? Do you have other ideas? What’s the best part for you? Post your answers below.

Tuesday Afterschool Music Therapy Program

Music Therapy group for children ages 3-8
Social Skills Music Therapy for children ages 7-12
Teen Music Therapy for teens 13-18 years old
Guitar 101 for Teens

Music Therapy afterschool groups will be offered on Tuesday afternoons in the Recreation Center in Sudbury. Check back soon for the latest registration information!

Melrose Public Library

69 West Emerson St., Melrose, MA
Thursday, August 19th at 6:00pm

Come early with your picnic blanket and dinner. Enjoy your meal and then let’s make some music together! We’ll be singing our old favorites from Rockin’ Babies and Boppin’ Toddlers, plus some familiar music for school age kids who have participated in music therapy groups before. It is sure to be a good time! Grown ups and kids should come “Ready to Rock!”

If there’s rain in the forecast, the show goes on! In the event of rain this program will be held at the First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster Street, Melrose. Concert at 6pm. (Please eat your dinner at home.)

This concert is for ALL children of ALL ages and ALL abilities!

Roman Music Therapy Services offers a unique team of music therapists. Their enthusiasm, smiles, positive energy, musical abilities and creativity, combined with wonderful ways to connect with individuals and small groups of children, result in impressive responses and reactions from the clientele for which they provide services. They adapt each session to the needs of the children with deliberate consideration to the specific skill levels of their students. Their enthusiasm is contagious and the children love to participate. Music therapy with this wonderful team is one of the highlights of the week. Gay T., Special Education Teacher

Testimonials from Our Clients

Music Therapy definitely appears to help Sam in more ways than I can count. Allen B., Parent

The music intervention she provides is a unique and very valuable part of our school day. Linda S., School Director

He has learned so much and his language has improved since he began music therapy. His teachers have also commented on this. Judy D., Parent

Her love of children and delight in sharing a musical experience is contagious; all participating are invigorated and stimulated. Betty S., Children’s Librarian

Sprouting Melodies

The class gives my son confidence and stronger language. The benefit for my son makes it well worth the cost.

I have done both Kindermusik and Music Together. Hands down, the content and overall experience at Sprouting Melodies was much better than either of these others.

I have found that since exposing Sarah to music it has become a tool that I use when introducing her to new environments to help her get more comfortable. For example, when we visited her great-grandmother in a nursing home we only went every other month or so. She was always very clinging and nervous at first, but when I started singing the Sprouting Melodies songs, she warmed right up!

I have just found that music is a fun way that she likes to communicate and it has an emotional connection for her.

Sprouting Melodies was the very best music class we’ve ever participated in. We were never less than impressed!

EMARC Afterschool Groups

Language has definitely improved and he is quicker to respond and try to imitate.

The benefits from facilitated socialization and the structure of the program really reinforces pro-social skills.

It is great to see her involved in an activity she loves so much.

I cannot say enough about this program. It was like it was made for my son individually. Yet all of the other students are benefitting as well. I’m so glad we’ve tried it because it is something I know we will continue.

We just LOVE music therapy!

The therapist is amazing. She is very talented and we truly enjoyed the program.

Party/Group Entertainment

Meredith came to perform for the kids at one of our local mom’s group events. She was able to engage all of the children, who varied in age from 2-15. She succeeded in having all the kids, regardless of age, participate in the fun by providing interesting instruments and making the musical experience into a game. The younger kids liked dancing, and the older kids loved to try all the instruments. Even the adults got involved. It was great! All the moms who were there raved about the fun their kids had at the event. Thanks Meredith for making my turn at hosting mom’s group turn out to be a huge success!
Noreen D., Melrose, MA

Almost all children respond to music. Music is an open-sesame, and if you can use it carefully and appropriately, you can reach into that child’s potential for development.  -Clive Robbins

Roman Music Therapy Services has a private music therapy center for individual and group music therapy sessions conveniently located at 423 Main St. in Melrose, Massachusetts.

This intimate and private setting has been created with the therapeutic process in mind and is equipped with guitars, a keyboard, drums, tambourines, and various other hand percussion instruments.

There are currently openings for weekday and Saturday sessions. Please call Meredith R. Pizzi, MT-BC to schedule an individual music therapy assessment.

The Music Therapy Center creates a space in which the client can freely explore a musical relationship with the music therapist and be supported in their growth by the music therapist and the music. There is also space for a parent to sit and observe during the sessions if desired. As a private pay service, goals and objectives are agreed upon by the parent, music therapist and the child, if possible. Goals may be related to areas addressed in school or other areas which the parent feels are not being adequately addressed.

Read more about music therapy for children and our services in the following pages and articles.

• Music Therapy Services for School Age Children
• Music Therapy as an IEP Related Service
• Afterschool Music Therapy Programs

To find out more about how music therapy may benefit you or your child, contact Meredith R. Pizzi, MT-BC at 781-665-0700 or submit an inquiry through our website.

Roman Music Therapy Services is excited to have worked on a project with Ablevision of Malden to create a television segment about music therapy. As their website says:

Ablevision is a show produced entirely by people with disabilities. We are a group of video producers dedicated to educating and promoting awareness of the disabled community.

We are really excited to share the work of Roman Music Therapy Services with this great organization and the 44 communities in Massachusetts that receive their television program.

Ablevision was recorded in Roman Music Therapy Services’ first studio located in Malden, as well as on site at Charlestown High School during a class music therapy session and at the Melrose Public Library in March. Thank you to all of those who participated and were interviewed for this special music therapy feature.

The taping was completed in April of 2009 and the show aired in late summer of 2009. To learn more about this great organization, check out their website at www.ablevision.org. They also have a youtube channel at www.youtube.com/ablevision. Please check it out!

Music for young children, like music in general, is a unique experience that is unlike anything else. For young children with no language there is still music. For the young child with limited movement, there is still music. For a child who cannot see or touch objects in the environment, there is still music. Even for children with hearing loss, there can still be music.”   -Elizabeth Schwartz, LCAT, MT-BC

Sprouting Melodies

Sprouting Melodies early childhood music program was designed to offer all children the unique experience of being part of the music. In our groups together, the children spend quality time with their caregivers, the music therapist and the other young children in the class exploring instruments, songs, and movement. It is a full experience of relationships, bonding, and nurturing as the babies and toddlers bounce with joy to the music on their parent’s lap, smile as they shake maracas, and laugh as they move to the music throughout the room.

Sprouting Melodies provides a positive and supportive developmental experience for children of all abilities. For those children who are meeting all of their developmental milestones, they are able to jump into the music, to explore their world and their relationships with others and each week stretch and grow into their music. Children who are receiving Early Intervention services benefit from participation and are able to address their developmental skills in a fun and natural environment. Children with delays who do not qualify for Early Intervention services are able to get the support they need in a therapeutic, but playful environment.

Learn more about our Sprouting Melodies Program.

We were recently invited to a birthday party for our child’s friends. It was the first birthday party we’d been to in a while and I struggled with what to get the birthday children (Twins!) for gifts.  It’s always around this time of year when I become completely overwhelmed by how much “stuff” our kids have.  Our house seems full of games with missing pieces, books with missing pages, and untouched stuffed animals.  And then we start to think about holiday gift giving and to be honest, I just can’t even think of where to begin.

Well, for the twins, I figured it out! Why not share with them our family’s favorite music?   Let’s share the music that our kids are always requesting.  A gift of music: great for car rides, background music for cleaning the living room, and dance parties on a rainy day! The CD’s we’ve been given as gifts have always been treasured and it was fun for all of us to be able to pass on our favorite tunes.

Thinking ahead to this holiday season, I have a few ideas for to share “The Gift of Music” with your loved ones.
You may want to:

• search out some great new CD’s
• ask your friends for recommendations
• expand your recorded music collection
• bless your loved ones with high quality music instruments that will provide many special moments of music making.

Live Music & Tickets

Another wonderful way to present music as a gift, is to give the experience of live music to your children or family friends.  Look up opportunities to hear live music in the Boston area and purchase tickets in advance for a favorite performer or look up stage productions that are coming to town.  (BostonChildrensMusic.com is a great place to start your search.)

Maybe it’s getting tickets to see the Boston Children’s Chorus performing in their Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert in January. Or maybe your older children would love the chance to see a Broadway Show in Boston.  Strega Nona will be shown in January and The Lion King comes to Boston in February.

And did you know that children of any age can attend the Boston Pops Holiday Matinees?  So how about $27.00 tickets to a matinee on the 26th or 27th of December?  This a great way to restore your family’s energy after a busy holiday! With tickets in hand for a special musical performance, you are sure to recharge your batteries and theirs by attending a concert together and continuing to build memories. The holidays can be anti-climactic, so this will give you something wonderful to look forward to. This is a much better investment than game pieces that will be scattered on the living room floor!

Gifts That Keep on Giving

Giving the gift of a music class is a great way to reserve a weekly music time together. Sprouting Melodies and Afterschool Music Therapy groups are a great way to do just that. As extended family members ask for suggestions for gifts, tell them that you would love to take your child to a music class and that can be their gift to your child.  It’s a great way to share the gift of music.

Priceless Gifts

If scheduled classes don’t work for your family, there is yet another option to consider.  How about giving your child their own special gift certificate for a scheduled weekly time with you?  Include a specific day and time to make it easy to follow through.  For example, “Every Monday at 10am. We have a date!  We will make music together with lots of Rockin’ Singing and Dancing right here in our Living Room.”  Put it on your calendar and make a commitment to stick to it!

Whatever it is, think outside of the box when coming up with your gift list this year and make sure you get some new music and music making on there to carry you into 2010 and beyond!

And as always, enjoy the music!  It is always a great gift to share!

Parents are so powerful and influential.

Parents of all ages with children of all ages and all abilities can do incredible things! Last month I shared information about Kate’s Voice, a grant program that was founded by parent, Laura Rutherford.

This month, I want to share two more resources that were also started by a parent!

Amber Bobnar became a parent in 2005. At the time, she was working professionally for a small web publishing company. Over time, her son Ivan’s special needs became more obvious and she made the decision to quit her job to devote her time to her son and his care. As any parent does, Amber began learning more and more from books, therapists, and her work as a mom. As she cared for her son Ivan, she realized that there were very few sites out there that focused on the challenges of raising babies who are blind and have multiple disabilities. And like other great parents, she didn’t stop there. She knew that using her web experience she could share all of her information with others, and in 2006, she founded WonderBaby.org.

She started WonderBaby.org as a way to share with others what she learned about playing with and teaching a blind, disabled baby.

Her goal was to create a database of articles written by parents of blind children. There are over 100 articles by parent who share real life advice and real life experiences. There are no doctors or therapists on this website!

If you have an idea or article, images and video to share, please let her know! She’ll post your article along with a picture of you and your child.

As Ivan grew, so did his interests. Music, and especially hearing live performances, became a powerful experience that he and his mom enjoyed. As she gathered more information about the local music scene, she decided it was important to share that information online so she was inspired to create BostonChildrensMusic. Boston Children’s Music is another great parenting resource that you can harvest and reap the rewards.  On this website, you’ll find upcoming music events for children in the Boston area, CD Reviews, interviews with children’s musicians and a section called Music 101 with articles about how music can affect children’s development.  You can even read an article I wrote about the importance of repetition when making music with young children.  Read the article here.

These two great community sites were created because of the ideas of one parent. You can make a difference in the life of your child, children and perhaps in the lives of others!

Be inspired.

Parents do make a difference!
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