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Intern Team

Our team recently had the pleasure of doing a workshop on piano accompaniment techniques with JayJay Lim, a wonderful music therapist based in the San Diego area.

We started off with a simple warm up; playing V7 chords in a circle of fifths pattern. Using a metronome to keep us all in time, we played 2 measures of C7, 2 measure of F7, 2 mesaures of Bb7 and so on. If this workout is comfortable, the next step is to play through the circle of fifths playing V7 inversions. JayJay also suggested playing through this same exercise playing min7 chords. Again, if it’s easy, play inversions! Of course this warm up is good for your muscles, but doing it without sheet music is good for warming up that cognitive functioning too!

Next, we reviewed some important tips for effective accompaniment. If you’re leading a singing intervention in a group, it’s important to give your clients some kind of introduction so they get a feel for the key, the tempo, and when to join in. JayJay suggests introducing the song by playing the melody line of the last 4 measures of the song, then giving a strong cue with their starting pitch or with the first few notes of the melody.

JayJay encouraged us to practice a few easy folk songs, including Home on the Range and You Are My Sunshine, with the left hand playing a pattern or just a bass rhythm, and to only play chords in the right hand on the first beat of each measure.  

One of the most beneficial tips I took from the workshop; put two colored stickers an octave apart on the keyboard and only play right hand chords between those two stickers, including V7 chords. You can play on the stickers, but you can’t go past them! This forces you to get more comfortable with inversions so you’re not always playing everything in root position.

I’ve been incorporating these into my daily practice time and I have already seen a huge improvement! It’s easy to fall into the same playing patterns or accompaniment styles, especially if you’re not a pianist (like myself). Simple, functional practice techniques like these can go a long way in increasing your flexibility and familiarity on the keyboard. The less you have to think about which keys to play for which inverted chords, the better off you’ll be in not only accompaniment, but improvisation and performance as well.

 

Best of luck in your practice time!

 

Toby

 

Toby, intern at the Music Therapy Center of California, is pursuing her degree in Music Therapy with a concentration in Vocal Performance from Radford University. Toby’s primary instrument is voice, but she has been playing guitar and piano since her early teens. She also enjoys writing and recording original songs and playing with other musicians as well.

Toby first decided to study music therapy in 2007 when she was interning at Invisible Children, a San Diego based non-profit raising awareness and funds for ex-child soldiers in east Africa. While working with youth and other volunteers from around the United States, Toby learned about what it means to pursue your passions and started contemplating what it was she wanted pursue and if it could help others. After watching a short documentary about music therapy and rehabilitation overseas, she decided pursuing music therapy as a career was a way for her to both follow her love for music and to serve people in her community.

“I can’t imagine a life without music. Listening to and playing music has always been a way for me to express my thoughts and feelings and make connections with others. I love that music therapy is so multifaceted; the scientific research is fascinating, but it doesn’t get in the way of music being fun and engaging for groups and individuals. I love sharing special moments with people through music and I’m excited to be working in a field where I am able to bring positive change to their lives by creating music together!”

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markMark McKenna is currently a music therapy intern for The Music Therapy Center of California. He will receive his Bachelor of Music in music therapy from Arizona State University upon completion of his six-month internship.

Mark’s primary instrument is tuba, which he studied during his time at Arizona State. He has played in several ensembles, including wind band, marching band, orchestra, jazz band, chamber ensembles, and community ensembles. Throughout his years of course work, Mark has worked with a variety of different populations and age groups, including elderly adults with dementia, children with special needs, and adults with special needs.  Mark’s coursework has also led to him learning many different instruments such as guitar, piano, percussion, and voice, which he has been learning to adapt to therapeutic settings.

Mark’s Story

“For as long as I can remember, music has always been a constant, driving force in my life. My older brother and I were always listening to soundtracks from Disney movies, and other movies such as Ghost Busters and Blues Brothers. I first started learning the tuba when I joined the school band in sixth grade. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was fully enveloped in the world of music, and I knew that I wanted to make a living out of it. Initially, I wanted to be a music teacher. However, after discovering music therapy and doing a bit of research on the profession, I knew that it was what I wanted to do with my life, and I haven’t looked back since!”

CraigCraig Ruggels is currently a music therapy intern for The Music Therapy Center of California. He is pursuing his Maters degree in music therapy from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, after receiving his Bachelor’s degree in music from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington.

Craig’s primary instrument is anything percussion. Craig as a music therapy student has become proficient in guitar and piano, as well. He has worked with individual who have mental, physical and psychological disabilities and/or impairments.

Craig’s story

“Music has always had a special place in my life; it has been there in times of celebration and not so happy times. Being able to play music gives me great joy. When returning to college to pursue my degree in music at a later stage in life I found the life of a college student to be incredibly stressful. I found music therapy as a way to relieve my stress and to give me a new direction to follow as a career. I have never regretted that choice, working as a music therapy give me a sense of fulfillment knowing that I am helping to improve the lives of others.”