Mindful Music Project
The Mindful Music Project seeks to address the needs of two distinct under-served populations through music:
- At Risk Kids at Youth Organizations
- Elderly Adults at Senior Centers
by teaching singing and creative songwriting.
Research has shown that music touches a part of the brain that no other activity is able to do. The goal for the elderly is to stimulate this area of the brain to enhance cognitive function and improve participants’ socialization. On the other end of the spectrum, under-served children will also benefit greatly from this interactive music program. Studies clearly indicate that musical training develops a section of the left side of the brain known to be involved in processing language and other learning skills.
Want to get involved and be a part of the Mindful Music Program? Contact me for for more information >
My Involvement
I am providing the Mindful Music Program to our community. I teach weekly classes on site for organizations that have agreed to promote the program and provide space to make learning fun. I emphasize singing, songwriting, rhythm and movement across many musical genres.
I have given voice lessons to children and adults and performed at festivals, churches and charitable events. I have sung professionally, written songs, and produced record albums. As part of a mentoring organization I have helped at-risk women build self-esteem and find worthwhile work in their communities.
Organizations through which I have done volunteer work include hospitals, senior centers, the Assistance League, and Working Wardrobes - facilitating the interaction of underprivileged people to find jobs. I have sung to people in hospice, and served as patient/nurse/family liaison in the brain surgery SICU at Mission Hospital. I feel privileged to have spent time with at-risk children at Orangewood, helping them to learn words, sing songs and dance.
Partner Organizations
I am currently providing this program as part of the Artist Outreach Project with a generous grant from: The Kenneth A. Picerne Foundation:
I am teaching Mindful Music at: Laguna Beach Senior Center, KidWorks, and Rio Community Based Services.
These organizations understand the value that singing and creative songwriting provide, and they are enthusiastically participating in this ongoing engagement. They concur that these workshops are supporting their strategy for mitigating many of the challenges their constituents face.
Both populations - child and adult - are positively impacted. Elderly or challenged adults often lose the motivation to participate in activities due to compromised brain function. Some have mental health challenges, onset dementia, or depression. Others have physical limitations. They are often isolated and lack social interaction.
Singing and songwriting has proven benefits to raise their vibration and enhance their mood.
An ongoing process of developing these skills - with others or alone - helps these people improve their quality of life and social skills.
For children and young adults, research has found that music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas.
Expert Opinions & Quotes
“I can’t talk to my grandmother who has Alzheimer’s. Instead of talking we sing. When I bounce my son on her knee and sing a folk song she taught me as a child, life is completely normal.”
“A music rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning.”
“We have now acquired the technology to see, in real time how music stimulates and activates networks in the brain. Music may improve specific functions such as speech and movement”
“We have some pretty good data that music instruction does reliably improve spatial-temporal skill in children over time. Musical experience strengthens the capacity to be verbally competent”