Music is Universal
I recently had the opportunity to work with some amazing people at Laguardia International High School. I was invited by art therapist Alicia Ballestas to give a workshop for students who immigrated from Latin American countries.
It was greatly inspiring to hear what these bright young minds had to say.
These are some of the main points we discussed:
1. Music is universal.
We talked about how we can use music to connect to both our country of origin and our country of living. There are rhythms and chord structures that are used in both American and Latin American styles of music. The more we are able to identify these elements and understand them, the more we can connect with the style of music and its culture. At the same time, playing and listening to sounds of home can enhance our sense of belonging and strengthen our sense of self.
2. Music is expressive.
Participants learned how different chords and rhythms can suggest different types of emotions. Examples of different uses of music to express particular emotions in movies, social gatherings and songwriting were illustrated. We also got to play a few classics from the Latin American songbook using typical percussion instruments. Parts of the songs were stretched in order to provide participants with the opportunity to take solos and have their own individual voices heard.
3. Music is resourceful.
The more we develop our listening skills and understand how we react to different types of music, the more we can use it to our advantage. Certain music may help us reach optimal states of mind appropriate for studying, presenting an exam, speaking publicly or playing a basketball game. Just like marching music can help troops organize, or lullabies help babies fall asleep, there is also music that can help us motivate, focus, increase productivity, and reduce stress. It is important to pay attention to our reactions and listen carefully.
I want to thank Alicia Ballestas, Blanca Loria and the Laguardia International High School for caring for their students and recognizing the positive impact that music can have on their lives.
arielweissberger
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The International High School at LaGuardia Community College and I appreciate the time you spent with us…. Good energy and an opportunity for the students to learn about music therapy , as well discover the creative arts from a different perspective. Since you presented your session, a larger group of students have been attending the groups.
Alicia Ballestas
I am very happy to hear that Alicia! They are a very inspiring group of people! Thank you for your hospitality and keep up the amazing work you do with them!
You should upload videos from each project!
Absolutely Ale! We will do our best to upload videos whenever possible! Thank you for your feedback and support!