NER-AMTA15 Conference Update

Several staff members recently attended the 2015 conference hosted by the New England Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Here is an update on the event from CTMTS co-director, Emily Bevelaqua.

As Music Therapists from the New England Region, we are always spoiled with beautiful locations for our regional conferences. This year was no different at Whitefield, New Hampshire’s Historical Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa in the heart of the White Mountains. It was a wonderful week of networking, learning, and fun.

The conference unofficially started on Thursday, April 16th with some fantastic CMTEs followed by the Opening Banquet and a Song Circle led by Caryl Beth Thomas. Friday’s concurrent sessions offered a wide variety of topics from song writing with dementia patients, to the legislative efforts that occurred in the passage of the music therapy registry bill in Rhode Island, to Multicultural Music Therapy in Early Intervention.  (You can find the full conference program here.)

During Friday’s business lunch two of Connecticut Music Therapy Services’ team members were honored with awards! Cassandra Mulcahy, MMT, MT-BC was given the Presidential Service Award and Linda Bosse, MT-BC was given the Lifetime Service Award. We are so lucky to have you working with us Cassandra & Linda! Friday night offered fun and inspiring events for conference attendees including “Take a Drum Ride/A Rock and Roll, Interactive Drumming Hoot” facilitated by Bob Bloom, and our Annual CABARET featuring performances by NER members and dance music by “My Band” led by Kimberly Khare.

Saturday morning started bright and early with a Networking Breakfast, followed by concurrent sessions. I was lucky enough to have been asked by AMTA to present alongside local New Hampshire Music Practitioners; Emily Mills, M. Ed., CMP; Cliff Conti, CMP, and De Luna, CMP.  Our presentation which was also given at other regional conferences was called “Learning to Harmonize: Opportunities for Music Therapists and Therapeutic Musicians to Collaborate.”  The presentation was well attended and very well received, educating board certified music therapists about what it means to be a certified music practitioner and starting a conversation about how we can work together.

I left this conference feeling energized and I am excited to incorporate everything I learned into my work.

Emily Bevelaqua

Co-Director & Clinical Coordinator