Annapolis Music Therapy

Goal-oriented and relationship-based music therapy services across the lifespan.

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10 Singable Books by Black Authors

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Written by Zoe Levine, MT-BC & Kerry Devlin, MMT, MT-BC

Singable books are a staple in many music therapists’ toolkits, but upon inspection of our collections we realized that even the books we owned featuring BIPOC characters were primarily written by white people. There are so many incredible singable books written by Black authors with lived experience, and these books should be prioritized in therapeutic spaces and on our personal bookshelves.

While this blog post seeks to focus on Black authors, we acknowledge that identities are intersectional and not always apparent. These authors may claim the identities of biracial, multiracial, or another racial identity entirely.

The 10 books below were identified as “singable” based on rhyming text or having a predictable rhythmic pattern. They also have limited text compared to some extended rhyming books that may be more challenging to set to music. Some are based on songs with existing melodies, but many could be paired with melodies from other songs or original, music therapist-created melodies. If you’re looking for more non-singable books to supplement your library, check out this list of children’s books by Black authors. We also encourage you to consider additional curated booklists for children, such as those created by Ashay By the Bay and Embrace Race. 

If you purchase a book, please prioritize Black owned bookstores. There are so many, but if you cannot find what you need there, we encourage you to use a local bookstore. Many are currently donating a portion of their profits to Black led organizations. If you absolutely cannot find what you need at an independent retailer, use AmazonSmile instead of Amazon and set your supported organization to non-profits such as the NAACP or Minnesota Freedom Fund. 

The books below are listed in alphabetical order. This is not a ranking of books, as they are all equally important. It is also important for us to note that this is in no way an all-encompassing list; we hope you’ll let us know what books we’ve missed, and plan to continue creating singable booklists in the near future. 

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X Kendi

This book is still in preorder, but we do know it rhymes! From the author of How to Be an Antiracist comes Antiracist Baby, a board book outlining 9 steps to begin dismantling racism. The book is illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky, a prolific political artist and POC.

 

 

Brown boy, Brown boy, What Can you Be? By Ameshia Arthur 

This book follows a young boy as he explores all the exciting career options available to him. Words like “horticulturalist” mean this may be better suited for slightly older clients/students, but the bright illustrations and predictable refrain make it attractive to learners of all ages. (Please select the non-profit of your choice if purchasing through Amazon Smile.)

 

Brown Boy Joy by Thomishia Booker, LCSW, EdDCP

The Hey, Carter! Book Series is full of books based on Tomishia Booker’s own son. With her Masters in Social Work and Doctorate in Education Counseling Psychology and a background in Early Childhood Mental Health, Tomishia brings a wealth of experience to this sweet rhyming book about the beauty of being a brown boy.

 

Every Little Thing by Cedella Marley & Bob Marley, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

This is one of our most used books in school based music therapy. There are so many opportunities to address “wh” questions, and it follows the pattern of Bob Marley’s original song (with lyrics changed in the verses), so you don’t have to come up with a melody. Cedella Marley’s adaptation of “One Love” is also a must have. 

 

I Believe I Can by Grace Byers, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Written by the author of “I Am Enough”, this book provides a series of positive affirmations for children and their parents. “My presence matters in this world. My life is worthy; there’s a plan. I know I can do anything.” 

 

 

Lullaby (For a Black Mother) by Langston Hughes, Illustrated by Sean Qualls

While this book does not rhyme, its poetic nature and natural reading rhythm lend themselves to singing and snuggling.

 

 

 

Nighttime Symphony by Timbaland and Christopher Myers

In this collaboration by musician and producer Timbaland and artist Christopher Myers, a rhyming bedtime story describes the sounds of a storm that slowly help a little one fall asleep. We suggest pairing this story with ambient instruments, like a rainstick or thunder tube, to use as a cool down experience. 

 

 

This Little Light of Mine by Public Domain & E.B. Lewis

This book pairs text from a well-known spiritual with beautiful illustrations of a Black boy and his family. We envision using this story as a conversation starter for children to celebrate their unique personhood and what “makes them shine”. A musical arrangement of the song is also included for easy playing.

 

 

Welcome to The Party by Gabrielle Union, Illustrated by Ashley Evans

This story is all about celebrating a new baby as they encounter the world for the first time. Meeting friends and family, eating, playing, taking a bath, snuggling, and dancing are just a few of the excitements this new baby experiences! Specific words are highlighted on each page, which lends itself nicely for use with early readers and students working on vocabulary, rhyming, and “wh” questions.

 

Whose Knees Are These? By Jabari Asim

This book is excellent for little ones learning body parts and body love. Bounce, pat, and find your right and left knees while singing along in a family-centered session or music class. 

 

 

AMT’s AntiRacism Commitment

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We urge you to take a moment to read Annapolis Music Therapy’s AntiRacism Commitment, which was developed collectively by the members of our team.
 
In the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Annapolis Music Therapy Services affirms that our Black clients’, Black therapists’, and Black community members’ lives matter. Their trauma matters. These murders are the result of systematic violence by police perpetuated by a culture of racism and white supremacy prevalent in the United States.
 
While we strive to create inclusive therapy spaces, we as therapists are not separate and immune to the systems that have historically subjugated Black bodies, especially disabled Black bodies. Our team is now made up of Black, brown, disabled, LGBTQ+, and white therapists and students, which are identities that both intersect and differ from those of our clients. We know that we are limited by our perspective, but commit to listening to the voices of folx whose perspectives, identities, and lived experiences diverge from ours.
 
AMT acknowledges the history of generational racial wealth disparities stemming from slavery and colonialism that is preserved by racist hiring practices and lack of social supports. We will begin combatting this through the restructuring of our existing programs, which currently cater to affluent families with daytime flexibility and funds to support their engagement in therapeutic and leisure activities.
 
AMT will be taking clear action steps in response, which will immediately include, but are not limited to:
 
1. Providing our employees and students with access and exposure to educational resources in order to foster a lifelong commitment to antiracist learning and the dismantling of racist power structures
 
2. Exploring a sliding pay scale or flexible payment schedule for our programs, music therapy sessions, and music lessons
 
3. Expanding free programming to include events offered in the evening and weekend hours
 
4. Featuring the work of Black therapists, musicians, and authors on our website, social media pages, and in therapeutic spaces

New Program in Annapolis: Musical Autist Troupe!

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We’re so incredibly excited to connect our AMT families with Musical Autist Troupe: a NEW, exciting program hosted by our non-profit partner, The Musical Autist!

Led by a Board Certified Music Therapist, this inclusive group of school-aged children with and without disabilities will have the opportunity to build relationships while working toward performance opportunities. Previous music skills are a benefit, though not required. Mentor Musicians, ranging from high school/college interns to local performing artists, volunteer their time and musical expertise to help the Troupe rehearse and sound amazing!

Each week, time is spent together doing Song Shares, which can be either recorded (Spotify, YouTube, etc) or a piece that is performed live for the group. Participants and volunteers will explore and rehearse several songs that will be performed in spring events that are facilitated by The Musical Autist nonprofit, including Open Mic Nights in the Maryland Hall Cafe, Empowerment Jam Sessions, and TMA’s spring 2019 Sensory Friendly Concert at Peabody Conservatory!

Click here for low-cost registration & additional information about Musical Autist Troupe.

Check out Troupe’s recent performance:

Hear what group members LOVE about Troupe:

Learn more and register here!

#MTadvocacy Month: What’s Your Advocacy Song?

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January is Music Therapy Social Media Advocacy Month, and this year we are selecting and sharing songs that could serve as an advocacy song for our profession. Before choosing my song, I wanted to consider the American Music Therapy Association’s definition of an advocate. In their words, “a successful advocate is someone with passion and commitment to an idea, who tells a convincing story expressing their beliefs and passion.” With this in mind, I selected the song “Sing” originally by My Chemical Romance as my advocacy song of choice.

I believe the song showcases a passion for singing out in any circumstance, despite any adversity that may stand in the way. Music therapists similarly need to speak out to anyone who will listen to further inform the world about our profession. While music therapy has been an established, credentialed profession for many decades, many people still have not heard of music therapy or the many benefits it can provide. Through advocacy efforts, music therapists can continue to educate their communities and increase accessibility to music therapy services.

The chorus of the song mentions singing for all (the boys, the girls, the Deaf, the blind, to name a few). As music therapists, we should “sing” for, and more importantly, sing with, those who may have difficulty standing up for themselves. We advocate not only for our profession, but for the rights of our clients. Another stand-out section of the song comes in the second verse, where the band sings, “You’ve got to make the choice if the music drowns you out. And raise your voice every single time they try and shut your mouth.” Music therapists have to carry on with our advocacy efforts even when other professions, legislation, or members of the community may try to silence our words. Music therapists must persevere to continually speak up for the importance and validity of our profession.

I think “Sing” encapsulates this overall sentiment of standing up for your beliefs quite well. “Sing” was also covered on the hit show Glee, which provides a pop-style arrangement that further popularized the song. My Chemical Romance gives the song an alternative rock feel, and the intensity of the emotion behind the lyrics really shines through. I encourage you to listen to the full song from the link below!

Yours,

Valerie Kamen, Senior Intern

Snow Day Song Round-Up

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Here in Maryland, we’ve had our first snow of the year, but are still waiting for a real snow day! What’s better than snuggling up inside with your loved ones after a day of making snowman and throwing snowballs? This week, AMT is sharing the soundtrack for your next snow day.

Snow Day (Toby Lightman)

Winter Wonderland/Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Pentatonix ft. Tori Kelly)

Marshmallow World (Dean Martin)

Winter (Vivaldi)

The Snow is Dancing (Debussy)

Polar Bear (Justin Roberts)

Have any songs to add to our snow day round-up? Let us know and we’ll add them to our list!

MT Intern introduction and #mtadvocacy

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Hello Everyone! My name is Janice Prodoehl and I am a Music Therapy graduate student from Immaculata University. Aside from my graduate studies and internship, I also teach private voice and piano lessons. I am so excited to be on this new and exciting journey in the field of Music Therapy and am so grateful to CJ for agreeing to take me on as an intern! I know it is a big commitment on her part, so again…Thank You, CJ!

Since I have started interning at Annapolis Music Therapy, my experience has already been so fulfilling; I am confident that this positive momentum will continue. Additionally, I cannot believe the incredible amount of knowledge I have gained through taking CJ’s online CMTE course. I am enjoying it thoroughly and highly recommend it if you are 1) A Neurodiversity Advocate, and 2) in need of fulfilling 10 CMTE credits. As a “newby” to the Neurodiversity Movement, I can honestly say that this course has already begun to transform my life! The articles are so informative and powerful and provide a great deal of insight and background into what Neurodiversity means and what the Neurodiversity Movement is all about. The readings have inspired me to want to take a more proactive role in taking part in contributing to this movement.

So….relative to CJ’s most recent post about #mtadvocacy, I would say that I fall under the “Directors” Category.

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I enjoy piecing things together to get a beautiful result, trying to make each and every step worthwhile and effective to achieve Success! This is not to say that I certainly would not take myself out of either the Connector or Reflector roles, as I think that all three of these need to be present and commingle to achieve whatever it is we are trying to accomplish!

I am thrilled to be a part of the AMT Team, as well as to be informed and included on aspects of The Musical Autist….yet another incredible contribution CJ has provided for the community! The concept of Sensory Friendly Concerts is genius! I am eager, excited, and full of ideas to help with these causes as well as to help move Music Therapy in a forward direction, all while gaining music therapy experience in the field with CJ, her employees, and her clients!

I look forward to getting to know the Annapolis Music Therapy Community over these next several months!

Why the Name Change?

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Hello everyone!

I want to briefly share with you the reason behind our recent name change, from “Shiloh Center Music Therapy Services, LLC” to “Annapolis Music Therapy Services.”

I originally opened my music therapy practice in August of 2013 (after 15+ years in music education, but first year officially working as a credentialed music therapist). My business plan was to: run my practice as a single entity and in relation to other projects and vision of my husband and I, surrounding our small urban farm, self-sustainable living, respite care, and animal/horticulture therapies (not board certified fields, but valuable in a holistic approach in therapy nonetheless).

In April and May of 2014 I hired my first two employees. Both Kerry and Molly were recent music therapy graduates who were ready and eager to find work, and with my connections in the community, the opportunity to hire them and find work for them was just too good to pass up.  In June I started thinking about my music therapy practice differently, in a way that was more statewide and accessible to potential clients across a variety of settings, in order to seek more contracts for my faithful employees.

Then a couple weeks ago, when torrential flash flood storms ripped through the Chesapeake Bay region, my music therapy studio was flooded and I had no choice but to look for other location options. In the face of such discouragement and setback for my business, and with an iron-will, I decided THIS was to be the time for the name change to Annapolis Music Therapy!

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Truth is, our LLC will remain “Shiloh Center” and our farm name will remain “Shiloh Center Urban Farms.” There will certainly still be lots of music happening here, perhaps even some music therapy services in the future, through “field days” and other outdoor opportunities for natural learning. But I am thrilled to announce that our new, main location will soon be in Annapolis! More details coming soon on that. But for now I just want to give a huge thankful shoutout to Church on the Rock in Millersville (directly across the street from Ruth Parker Eason School), for welcoming me and my clients to use some space for our music therapy sessions on a weekly basis until I finish figuring out the next, new exciting steps for my practice.

I also want to thank Ben Osterhaus of Brand Army for our new logo. Ben is also the logo mastermind behind Musical Autist and OCMT, a couple other organizations I’m involved with. I was very fortunate to connect with him through our mutual friend Mike Ricucci, at Terra Rising.

Thanks so much for your time and interest in the work we are doing in the state of Maryland, through the innovative, evidence-based, cutting edge field of music therapy.
CJ