Making The Music Connection

A16 Wednesday, August

1, 2012, Tri-City News

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Top left, music therapist Cristine Bostrom leads the adult Glee choir in song at Mewsic Moves in Maillardville. Above, Chase and Manuel belt out You Are My Sunshine, with caregivers watching from behind them. Below, Roxanne and Manuel have fun while Rebecca sways to the beat with a musical instrument in hand.

Making the music connection By Jan s Warren Warren HE TRI TRI-- ITY NEW  NEW 

r om om e r e e ct ct r c p a no no n t e c or or n er er of the room, Cristine Bostrom Bostrom starts t e c ass w t a s e r e s o s t re t c e s before launching into vocal warm-ups. From there, she leads the four adults and their caregivers in a round of song over the next hour, hour, beginning with You Are My Sunshine and The Muppet  Song. A Kelly Clarkson tune soon follows. Some read from their song sheets; others sway to the beat, or gesture. It’s all good fun for the Glee choir but, most importantly,, it’s he lping the four developmentally portantly sa e a u t s w t t e r menta , p ys ca an an emot em ot on ona a unct unct on ng ng.. Registered clinical counsellor John Mews, the executive director of Mewsic Moves, a private private practice in Maillardville, said music therapy is especially beneficial for people with special needs as it aids with their language cognition — a point reinforced by Coquitlam’s Shelley Balachanoff, who has seen her 28-year-old autistic son, Chase, blossom since starting lessons. “He is very inspired by music,” she said. “He has been absorbing different types of music, too. He ears the radio in the car and he can follow along w t t e wo r s ecause e remem e rs rs t e yr yr cs rom ro m t e so song ng s ee eets ts n t e c as ass. s. No Now w, e oo s at t e ne news wspa pape per r an re reco cogn gn ze zes s t os ose e wor s. “It’s ust been phenomenal,” she said. ews’ Glee choir is also unique as it’s one of th e few programs available to adults with developmental disabilities (most activities are streamlined to people under 18). As well, the adult Glee choir is endorsed by Community Living BC and was featured in its April newsletter, he itizen. ews said the first adult Glee choir, which started in the spring, wrapped up in May with

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five participants recording a CD with eight tracks. “T ey p c e t e songs t ey wante to s ng an a of them had good messages. It was very very personal an eaut u , ” e sa . And this fall, Mews plans to expand his music therapy programs by offering Glee Club for chilren, Korean choir, drumming for teens, early todler intervention with music, and music for parents of children with special special needs. Speaking of the latter program, Mews said, “Not only will it give the parents a short break during week, but it will tea ch them how to play.... play.... Music is u n t ng . It ’s ’s o n n g. g. My go a s t o ma e a m e s feel empowered.” e ws ws ’ mu s c a a c g ro ro un un st ar ar te te a t t e a ge ge of three at church. Over Over the years, his mother —  a singer — encouraged him to study music; he wanted to practice medicine. uring his third year of his bachelor’s degree,

ma oring in piano, at Memorial Memorial University University in New o un un an , a pro e ss ssor a s e Mews e wo u carry on with his master’s in music. “I sa sa , ‘No ‘No wa way y. I’m I’m go ng to app app y or me school,’” the Vancouver resident remembered telling her. “I didn’t want to perfor m.” he suggest ed music therapy, a stream she had wanted to pursue. Mews looked around and found Capilano University had a bachelor of music therapy degree. He completed that program and, in 2004, he opened a private practice in Port Moody. Now, Mews has 40 clients ranging in age from t ree to 35 , w t un ng n pa rt rt rom t e prov nc a government and the Autism Funding Unit of BC. “Mus “M us c t er erap apy y s a e ne ne.. It ca can n o so mu muc c ,” he said. “There’s a lot of research about music and the brain in terms of motivation, stimulation and communication, and wI think we’re we’re ust on the cusp of learning how much it has to offer.

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Violet Vi olet Patrich Patrich is choked with SFU. T e Dr. ares Best secondary graduate was acce p te nto t e Burnaby school’s contemporary arts program but didn’t ave t e ma r s t o get into the institution itself. “It really sucked,” the 18 ye a r o sa plainly, with her ea own. “T ey were like, ‘We want you but you ave to get into F fi firs rst. t.’” ’” Patrich took the news in stride and instead signed up for psychology and wo me me n’ n’s st st u e s courses this fall at Doug Do ug as Co eg ege e n New Westminster, where she lives. “You know, it’s okay, because it’s mportant or me to focus on content as well for my art. It all ties in togett er. ge And Patrich oes spend a lot of  time thinking —  and dreaming —  a ou outt er cr cra a t an ow it provokes t oug t. Earlier this year, she entered three photographs into Emerging Talent V, an annua l festival at Coquitlam’s E v e r g r e e n see

PATRICH

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