Music Lessons

 by TPSMTS Team

The Dual Role of Music Therapist and Parent

Tamara shares her journey as a special needs parent…

Written by Tamara Leszner-Rovet

As a music therapist, I always knew I wanted to work with children.

During my education, my practicum supervisor saw immediately how my own energy, enthusiasm, and passion affected my paediatric clients and that I had a natural ability to connect with them. For my remaining placements, I worked with children in various school and clinical settings. I completed my internship at a therapeutic day school for children and adolescents with special needs, which inspired me to establish my private practice specializing in working with children and adolescents with neurological disorders and developmental delays.

 

When I got married, I knew I wanted to be a mom. I have always loved children and came from a big family, constantly caring for and truly enjoying my time (for the most part!) with my little brothers and cousins.

Never did I imagine that these two roles would collide.

Aside from being owner and director of TPSMTS, I am also a mom to a beautiful, energetic, and vivacious 5 1/2 year old boy who has special needs.

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 by TPSMTS Team

What Time Is It?! 🎶

Four songs to get you pumped for the summer…

What Time Is It?! SUMMERTIME!

Just kidding – it’s not exactly summertime just yet, but with the warm bouts of weather that we’ve gotten, I know that I am itching for summer to get started.

 

In the meantime, we do know that another important time of the year is coming…End-of-the-Year Party and Recitals! Can you believe that June is upon us again so quickly?

 

In preparation for our End-of-the-Year Party and Recitals and for summertime, I’ve put together two lists for us this month on the blog.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Five Simple Ways You Can Bring Music into Your Home

Music activities you can do right at home…

Written by Gabriella Serruya
 

There are so many ways we can expose our children (and ourselves) to music in our daily lives.

With younger kids, singing nursery rhymes is great. Believe us — our kids don’t judge the quality of our voices! They just want and need to sing with us! Sing everyday. Turn any song into something appropriate for any occasion.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Improving Attention Through Music Therapy

Why attention is so important in lessons and sessions

In both music therapy and music education, attention is at the forefront.

No music therapy goals could be attained if attention isn’t held. Similarly in music education, no musical elements would be learned without attention as the foundation. However small these moments of focus may be, without them, no progress would be made.

“Without attention, it would not be possible to think, learn, remember, communicate, or problem solve.”
(Thaut & Hoemberg, 257).

 

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 by TPSMTS Team

The Best Year Yet!

Start off your new year with a big bang!

Happy new year to all of our current families, students and clients, and all those reading!

We hope that your winter holidays were filled with time spent in good company and full of joy.

 

The new year has always felt like a funny spot in the (sort-of) middle of the school year. On the one hand, we celebrate the turn of a year, resolutions are (sometimes) made, and you find yourself scratching out “2017” and writing “2018” over top for about a month or two. Not to mention that once you get to high school, January sometimes means exam season!

 

At TPSMTS, we wanted to kick this year off with music! Specifically some from my own repertoire of songs that either I listen to, or are occasionally used in lessons/sessions with students/clients, or simply ones that may be great to help kick off the new year!

 

You’ll recognize some winter classics, some radio, maybe even a musical or movie or both? Have a listen with our YouTube playlist and Happy New Year!

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 by TPSMTS Team

Presuming Competence

Why we always presume competence at TPSMTS

Written by Tamara Leszner-Rovet

Back when I was a Music Therapy intern, I received some of the best advice that has heavily influenced and shaped me as Music Therapist, Music Teacher, mother, and human, defined my career path and private practice, and made TPSMTS what it is today.

This advice was to always presume competence.

This term was originally coined as “the least dangerous assumption” by Anne Donnellan in 1984. To presume competence is “to assume that a child has intellectual ability, provide opportunities to be exposed to learning, assume the child wants to learn and assert him or herself in the world” according to Douglas Biklen (an award winning educator known for his work of promoting quality education for individuals with intellectual disabilities). Biklen says “to not presume competence is to assume that some individuals cannot learn, develop, or participate in the world.”

In other words, one should never underestimate any individual based on how they may initially present or on their abilities.

At TPSMTS, presuming competence is one of our most important values.

We strongly believe that every individual has the ability to understand, learn, and has the right to access high quality Music Therapy and Music Education, whether that be through using Music Therapy to help achieve non-musical goals, or through music lessons to learn how to play an instrument and receive a musical education.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Using Popular Music to Encourage Practicing

Why popular music is so great to learn…

Written by Gabriella Serruya

With students of all ages, it helps to play songs we know! We get a lot of joy from playing a song that we recognize. Often, it’s easier to learn a familiar song because we can hear what it’s going to sound like when it’s finished much quicker!

For many students, it’s an opportunity to use both of our super powers. Using our eyes to read the notes, but also our ears to anticipate the next ones. We usually depend on one more than the other. Playing a song we know allows us to combine these 2 great skills. Most of us are stronger in one than the other and playing familiar songs can give us a chance to use all our skills together in a way that we can’t do when it’s an unfamiliar tune.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Getting Ready for September

Preparing for a new year in music lessons

We know, we know…it’s coming. September is coming. We know January marks the beginning of a new “year” but growing up, September seems to be an even bigger marking of a “new year.”

 

And with September comes the beginning of a new school year, the beginning of fall season, the beginning of pumpkin spiced everything…but most importantly, the beginning of another amazing year at TPSMTS – are you excited?!

 

So now that I have reminded you that September is inevitably coming upon us soon, here are a few tips for preparing for a great start to the year.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Summertime Songwriting Activity

Targeting goals in songwriting

Written by Tamara Leszner-Rovet

Summer lessons/sessions are now officially underway! Though I am finding there is definitely a more “relaxed” feel to all lessons/sessions, there is no question that all students/clients are working hard and are motivated to keep working post-recitals.

Summer is a time where I like to do a lot of summer-themed activities to help target therapeutic goals.

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 by TPSMTS Team

Tips for a Successful Piano Recital

Helping students prepare for a recital

Written by Gabriella Serruya

Here are a few things that can make a piano recital easier for students…

  • Practice your piece “a million” times and then play it a couple more for good luck! The more we’ve played our songs before getting to the recital, the easier it will be! When nerves start, we can count on our fingers to know just what to do – I sometimes think our fingers can think for themselves!

 

  • Make some opportunities for mock recitals. Family is always good for that – grandparents are particularly appreciative! Also, getting your stuffed animals set up as an audience can be helpful. They don’t clap very loudly, but they generally love a good concert! Pets work too! My piano teacher’s dog used to howl along with me when I was sounding extra great!

 

  • Bring your book to the recital, even if you have the song memorized! Just in case your fingers need a quick reminder of the notes before you walk up to play.

 

  • Remember that all the people there are students or family of students. We all want to each other to play well and are encouraging you no matter what happens.

 

  • It’s nice to get a little dressed up for the recital. Make it an occasion! Ball gowns and tuxedos are NOT needed, but something a little more fancy than every day is always lovely!

 

  • One of the biggest things to remember is that recitals can be FUN! A little nerve-wracking, but fun. Enjoy hearing other students playing music – maybe get inspired! You might hear a song that you want to learn. You might hear someone more advanced than you and think about when you’ll be playing like they did!

I’m always so proud of my students at recitals! They’ve worked hard to learn songs through the year and have a chance to show off!

 

 

Instead of an in-person End-of-the-Year Party & Recital in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, our students/clients recorded and shared music selections that they had studied and prepared. Please enjoy their performances below!

 

2020

 


 

2021

 


 

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