SurroundSounds

As a child, music was and remains a vital part of each day for Nancy Zilker. When asked, there was no hesitation, no illusions, she wanted to be a music teacher. To that end, in and out of school, lessons and performances on various instruments began. The University at Buffalo was the location of an Undergraduate degree in Music Education. Upon graduation, Ms. Zilker began teaching in private schools, while also taking on a church music director position. As a substitute teacher, she was assigned several classes containing special education students and discovered a particular interest in providing music instruction tailored to their unique abilities and needs. An older family member recommended the pursuit of a Music Therapy degree in addition to a Master of Music Education, which began a completely new and fulfilling aspiration. Ms. Zilker attended SUNY Fredonia for graduate studies, while taking additional course work at Canisius and Buffalo State Colleges. After an internship at the West Seneca Developmental Center and receipt of the CBMT credential; she began a career as a Music Therapist and never looked back. Ms. Zilker took a position as a part-time MT at a skilled nursing facility, followed by a position within a school program for children and young adults with Autism. In 1997, she was hired to provide Music Therapy to students with disabilities in the Buffalo Public Schools and continues her work there. She has also engaged in private practice music therapy in various capacities as well as continuing as a church music director. Upon retirement from the Buffalo Public Schools, she would like to continue to share her love of music with individuals with special needs part-time and plans to maintain her MT-BC designation.

It's World Music Therapy Day!  In honor of today, Jenna and Hannah discuss education, certification, and accreditation in the field of music therapy! Learn More: https://www.musictherapy.org/ https://www.cbmt.org/ https://www.aplacetobeva.org/

Kathleen Howland, MT-BC, PhD has worked with a variety of clinical populations using music to enhance speech, language, cognition and movement in habilitation and rehabilitation settings.  She has also developed protocols to reduce stress and anxiety for general wellness, surgical preparation, oncology treatments and child birthing.  Howland's doctoral studies in music and cognition have informed and supported her interest in bridging the communities of science and art in order to identify best practices. In addition to her training in music therapy, Howland is also a Speech Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP). This certification has advanced the theoretical and clinical foundations from which she works and problem solves.  She seeks to find entry points to abilities nested in disability and be innovative to engineer skill advancement for improved function and quality of life.  Howland currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory in music therapy, music education and liberal arts, providing her the opportunity to bring clinical work into the classroom and academic resources to clinical work.  She lectures locally and internationally about the neurological foundations for music perception and performance and the power of music as a therapeutic intervention.

Suzanne Oliver is the Founder and Executive Director of Neurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona/NMTSA, a nonprofit organization that has provided clinical music therapy services to the Phoenix community for over 40 years. She also founded a school for nonspeaking students with autism, approved through the Arizona Department of Education, in 2007. Suzanne is a Board Certified Music Therapist who received her NMT training in 1999, and additionally has completed five fellowships since that time. Suzanne assisted in developing the Academy for Neurologic Music Therapy and co-authored the Medical Coding and Records Manual: Neurologic Music Therapy. Her passion is to educate the community on current research regarding the impact of rhythm on the brain and how this knowledge can positively impact the treatment of individuals with neurologic differences and improve their everyday life. She has mentored countless private practice MTs and NMTs over the years, and is grateful to partner with others to assist them in discovering their own passion and treatment focus.

Toby Williams is the director of the music therapy program at The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, which provides music therapy to nearly two thousand children, teens and adults in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan through outreach and onsite programs. In 2005, Toby started a music therapy program at Reach for the Stars Learning Center and continues her clinical work and intern training working with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders there. An accomplished jazz vocalist, Toby spent many years singing in clubs, recording and doing educational outreach on jazz singing through Carnegie Hall. A graduate of NYU and of Diane Austin’s certificate training in Vocal Psychotherapy, Toby uses voice as a primary instrument to promote growth, development and healing. Toby has offered workshops on how to use the voice and body to promote emotional and physical healing at such institutions as The Kessler Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center; New York University; Voices of September 11th and My Time, Inc. Through partnerships with Friends Health Connection, Citicorp and Carnegie Hall, Toby developed music therapy programs at New York Presbyterian Hospital on the cardio-thoracic unit and at the Herbert Irving Cancer Center’s Infusion unit. At NYU, Toby is an adjunct professor teaching Introduction to Music Therapy and Clinical Vocal Improvisation.

Joe Thompson is a Neurologic Music Therapy-Fellow currently living in Seven Hills, NSW. After earning his Masters in Creative Music Therapy at Western Sydney and working at a Penrith-based music therapy organization for several years, he decided to travel for international work opportunities to gain further skills. He now specializes in the use of NMT for cognitive-motor connectivity in Autistic populations. On top of his work as a clinician Joe hosts and produces the podcast Baselines In Music Therapy and is a guest lecturer at Western Sydney University. He has previously served as Chair of the Australian Music Therapy Association NSW branch. Outside of work, Joe lives with his even-more-skilled-and-clever music therapist wife, and his Minecraft-loving, lightsaber-weilding, Pokemon-genius neurodivergent stepson.

Megan Brunner is a board-certified music therapist, working with children with disabilities, inner city female teens and adults. Megan has supervised undergraduate students in their older adult and adult clinical placements as part of her graduate assistantship. She takes pride in seeing her students grow into well-rounded student music therapists in preparation for future internships and job opportunities. Megan is an advocate for accessible and affordable music therapy services for underrepresented and marginalized persons in the city of Buffalo and strives to make a difference in her community. Utilizing a multi-modal and humanistic approach, Megan makes connections through music to provide a safe space for individuals to thrive.

Katurah Christenbury is a board-certified music therapist and Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery. Senior lecturer of music therapy at Appalachian State University, she maintains a clinical practice providing Bonny Method of GIM sessions and supervising advanced trainees in GIM. Additionally, she is completing advanced training in the Austin Vocal Psychotherapy Method. She holds the Master of Music Therapy degree from Appalachian State University and has published in Music Therapy Perspectives and the Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery

Vanessa Moran MT-BC, NMT-F (she/they) graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in music therapy after completing her internship at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital with MedRhythms. Vanessa recently completed her Neurologic Music Therapy® fellowship in August 2023. Vanessa has always been interested in Music Cognition, and pursued her certification in Neurologic Music Therapy® because it stands at the corner of her two passions; neuroscience and music. Vanessa is the in-patient clinician at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, NY. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking, eating good food, and traveling.

Calvin is a board-certified music therapist from Singapore, working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and multiple disabilities. He is on a journey to advocate for how music can play a role in improving healthcare, quality of life, well-being, and society. Calvin's passion and interests lie at the intersection of music and the arts, Augmentative & Alternative Communication, and User Experience Design.

Alejandra Arevalo, MT-BC

Daniel Tague has experience as a teacher, clinician, blogger and researcher in the field of music therapy.  Tague has quickly emerged as a rising authority within the music therapy field, working within a variety of settings including hospitals, school districts and rehabilitation units. He developed a pilot improvisational drumming curriculum for music therapy and music education students, and researched the effect of music therapy and art therapy on mood in patients with mental health needs. As part of his work with the World Federation of Music therapy, he co-authored the first worldwide survey study on music therapy clinical practice around the world. His current research projects include investigating music-based mindfulness for people with substance abuse and older adults with dementia. Another focus is his work with a team of researchers using music therapy to assist with pain and anxiety management after heart surgery. Tague taught music therapy and directed the program at Shenandoah University in Virginia from 2012 to 2017. In 2017, he was re-elected to serve a three-year term as the chair of the clinical practice commission for the World Federation of Music Therapy. Tague was able to present preliminary results from the worldwide survey on clinical practice at the 15th World Congress of Music Therapy in Tsukuba, Japan in July 2017. He has led two study abroad trips to international conferences in Austria and Japan for music therapy students and hopes to lead another trip to South Africa for the 16th World Congress of Music Therapy. Tague holds degrees from The Florida State University (Ph.D. in Music Therapy) and The University of Kansas (Master of Music Education with honors in Music Therapy).

Jess Malfa, MT-BC has been working as a music therapist and clinical supervisor for the past 4 years. She started her career working with older adults at The Bristal Senior Living in Long Island, New York. She currently works at Matheny Medical and Educational Center in Peapack, New Jersey. She works with teens and adults with medically complex developmental conditions.   

Kevin is the Director of Music Therapy Education, and medical music therapist at A Place To Be – a nonprofit music therapy organization providing accessible community-oriented music therapy to folks from marginalized groups, or who have mental and physical health needs in Northern Virginia. At Inova, Kevin works in the inpatient and outpatient oncology unit, and the inpatient behavioral units. He has specialized training in Neurologic Music Therapy, and has had experience in hospice, pediatric and neuro-rehabilitative settings as well. Beyond his clinical work, Kevin trains future music therapists through managing the internship program. During his time as a music therapist, Kevin had served in various roles in the organization, including as the Clinical Director of A Place To Be . He was the principal keyboardist for a mental health awareness production titled “A Will To Survive” that showed at the Kennedy Center in 2017. Prior to his time at A Place To Be, Kevin received his undergraduate and graduate degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He completed his internship at Massachusetts General Hospital – a Harvard Training hospital; and created a music therapy program for a women’s shelter (Rosie’s Place), serving at-risk women in the Greater Boston Area. He is interested in continuing to make change through anti-oppressive, culturally-responsive, anti-ableist, and trauma informed lenses in his work.  

Leanna Moore (she/her) is an NMT fellow and the Clinical Training Director at Neurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona. Leanna holds a BM and MA in music therapy from Appalachian State University and Colorado State University, and has been practicing as an MT-BC, NMT for 7 years. Her clinical experiences mainly are centered in private practice, in 1:1 and group settings with a diverse client population range. As Clinical Training Director, Leanna is responsible for the music therapy interns acquiring their hours through NMTSA, as they partner with typical American 6-month internships and 6-8 week Canadian internships. 

Hannah is a music therapist who enjoys working with a variety of populations. They studied music therapy at SUNY Fredonia (B.S. 2023) and completed their internship at Dayton Children's Hospital in Ohio, providing services to Hematology and Oncology, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Hannah passed their board-certification exam in 2023, and began working in school districts and private homes. Currently, Hannah works for CNY Music Therapy in school districts with preschool, elementary, and high school students. In addition to their music therapy work, Hannah is training to become a "Singing Soulutions" leader! This program, supported by CNY Music Therapy, focuses on singing for health with specific populations.

Gregory Rupp has worked as a music therapist and a supervisor for the past 5 years. After becoming board certified, he started his professional career working with older adults in western New York at Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. After, he worked with children and young adults at Expressive Journeys LLC in the capital region of New York. Gregory currently works for The Children's Hospital at St. Joseph's in Paterson, NJ. At St. Joseph's, Gregory sees patients in the NICU, PICU, pediatric unit, and the pediatric hematology and oncology clinic. Gregory authored and presented a Grand Rounds for the Children's Hospital at St. Joseph's in June of 2023. He was also a co-presenter of an ethics CMTE at several AMTA and MAR-AMTA conferences.

Jasmine Edwards (she/her) is a doctoral fellow within the Steinhardt Music Education program with a focus in music therapy at New York University. Jasmine holds a BM and MA in music therapy from Florida State University and NYU, respectively. Her clinical experiences include private practice, outpatient, school-based, and medical pediatric settings, and she is trained in NICU-MT, First Sounds: RBL, and Austin Vocal Psychotherapy. Jasmine has a vested interest in elevating dialogues about cultural humility within music therapy education and clinical practice. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the music therapy departments at Howard University, New York University, Montclair State University, Nazareth College, and Duquesne University. Jasmine identifies as a Black woman.

Hannah Foxman is a Board-Certified Music Therapist with 6 years of experience working in pediatric music therapy at Boston Children’s Hospital. Hannah has worked with a variety of diverse patient populations in the medical setting such as; oncology hematology, bone marrow transplant, neurology, general medicine, surgical, and psychiatric care. Most recently, Hannah has primarily provided music therapy services in the medical/surgical intensive care unit focusing on regulatory care, pain reduction, family bonding, coping support, quality of life, and bereavement care.

Adenike Webb, PhD, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist with 21 years of experience. Her clinical work has been primarily in behavioral/ mental health settings. She received her undergraduate training in music therapy at Radford University and completed her Masters and PhD in music therapy at Temple University. Her personal and clinical experiences as an Afro-Caribbean woman and immigrant in the United States sparked her research interests in developing cultural awareness and sensitivity in music therapy practice and education.   Dr. Webb is a member of the music therapy faculty and the clinical education coordinator for the Creative Arts Therapies department of Drexel University. She is a founding member of the Black Music Therapy Network, Inc., and has served on their steering committee. She is a co-host of the podcast Black Creative Healing, which focuses on radical conversations, mindful collaborations, and wholistic visioning centering Black communities. She recently served as guest co-editor of a special issue focused on social justice in the journal Music Therapy Perspectives.

Gabriela S. Asch-Ortiz, MS, LCAT, MT-BC (she, her, ella), is a Latina Board-Certified Music Therapist and New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist in New York City. Gabriela is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Music Therapy at Temple University. Her clinical background and personal journey have influenced her cultural-relational perspective on music therapy practice and pedagogy. Rooted in her lived experiences, Gabriela is firmly committed to promoting advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within music therapy and healthcare. Her advocacy involves dismantling oppressive structures to foster a more inclusive healthcare environment for stakeholders.  Beyond her clinical contributions, Gabriela has co-authored peer-reviewed articles on music therapy in healthcare settings, including a chapter in Portraits of Everyday Practice. She also serves on the editorial board for Music Therapy Perspectives. Gabriela's doctoral research focuses on broadening understandings of therapeutic relationships experienced by Latine individuals and their music therapists in healthcare contexts. She employs autoethnography, weaving her personal experience with the study's cultural, social, and political dimensions to provide a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics. Gabriela also presents widely on topics encompassing relational music therapy, ecological perspectives, cultural reflexivity, and anti-oppressive practices. 

You can dance if you want to. Full quality download: http://flark.bandcamp.com/track/r3m0dul470r