latin Tag

Spicing it up with Latin Rhythms at Music Therapy Ed

I recently released a CMTE course with one of the leading online resources for music therapists, Music Therapy Ed.  The course is called Beyond La Bamba: Latin Rhythms, and it was created to help music therapists develop skills to connect with clients and patients who have a preference for Latin music.

I was exposed to a lot of great Latin music while growing up in Mexico and while studying at Berklee College of Music. I have also been fortunate enough to work with a vast amount of clients and patients of Latin background while living in New York City for the past ten years, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to pass along some of the information I have acquired.

Beyond La Bamba: Latin Rhythms with Ariel Weissberger, MA, MT-BC from Kathryn Fulton on Vimeo.

Unlike an artist who expresses his own personal feelings, stories thoughts and points of view through his art, a music therapist focuses on the client’s own experience. Within a therapy session a music therapist is as unlikely to play a personal break-up song per se, as a psychoanalyst is to talk about his own mother. In other words, the music therapist’s music is about the clients, and its role is to facilitate music experiences by bringing out the music in them while working on musical and non-musical clinical goals. This puts us music therapists in a position where we are constantly learning new songs and styles of music in order to have as many tools as possible to do our job. It also speaks volumes about the amount of effort, care and dedication we put into our work.

Latin styles of music are an essential part of the music therapist’s toolbox not just because the Hispanic population is the largest minority in the US, but also because Latin music is extremely popular among non-Latin people. Furthermore,  Latin rhythms are quite present in a lot of music genres of today’s eclectic world.

Latin rhythms can be challenging but are also highly engaging. The mere task of working on them can positively impact the rhythmic sense and overall musicality of any musician. If you are a music therapist, music educator or musician looking to get started on Latin rhythms to spice up your music, I invite you to join the course by clicking below. Are you up for the challenge?

Afro-Cuban Music to Enhance the Moment

This past week, a very wise 93 year old patient told me: “stop and smell the flowers and feel the summer breeze because it goes quicker than you can imagine”.

As the summer approaches I encourage you to listen to warm music that will enhance the feeling of the season.   I have attached a video of the Afro Cuban All-Stars that may help you get in a festive summer mood. (more…)

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: (more…)

Great Latin Songs

There is a world beyond La Bamba, Cielito Lindo and Guantanamera. The Latin songbook is incredibly rich and beautiful. The following songs are only a few that will help you connect with Latin culture.

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