Benefit show: THANK YOU!

The back of my i-pod is inscribed with "Music Makers, Dreamers of Dreams" to remind me of Arthur O'Shaughnessy's "Ode", which is a reminder of what I, and many others, are on this earth for.  Music has always been the most important part of my life and since high school I've had this dream of being a music therapist and giving the gift of music to people who can use it for healing- physically, emotionally, spiritually.  I truly think everything in my life so far has led up to this, and I want to see it happen... in Maine.  This state means a lot to me too so I am so happy to be back here.  I see a real benefit that will come from having creative arts therapies in Maine, and there are already some happening here.  But not much music therapy... so let's get it going!  

The benefit concert Saturday night raised over $700.  Our goal is this collection of REMO Health Rhythms drums: http://www.westmusic.com/1002402-group-drumming/p1050-drumming-collections/p1050d-health-rhythms/remo-healthrhythms-pp-wmdc-hr-drumming-collection.htm

Expensive, I know!  But these instruments are washable, so you can bring them into hospitals; durable, so if a kid throws one across the room it won't break; and they sound GREAT!   A lot of people at the show asked me what the money was going to, and there you have it.  Obviously I can't buy the whole collection but I'm aiming to get at least some of the hand drums, and what we raised will help a lot.  I told my Music Therapy group on Friday about the benefit, and the drums, and they are SO excited.  So of course I am too! 

We had some great press- see below, the Press Herald chose us for a featured event in the GO section (thank you Press Herald!!!!) 

And Bull Moose sold tickets in advance

And Who Fish did a ticket giveaway (thanks Mom!) 

Katie Martell designed the beautiful poster, after me changing what to put on it way too many times- she's very patient and such a talented designer.  

Stephanie Hayward & Nathan Davis took some GORGEOUS photos which you can see here: http://onesmallsky.smugmug.com/Music/Music-Heals-Event/16176556_q8Msk#1214824887_wVabY

My cousin Ben Douglass and my aunt Kathy Richardson made some amazing food including bacon wrapped scallops, chicken and sundried tomato quesadillas, veggie platters, guacamole and shrimp crustinis, and chocolate covered strawberries with cheescake filling.  HUNGRY yet?  My mom Sharon Beever made whoopie pies for all the musicians- YUM!

We also did a raffle- Bull Moose and the Big Easy kindly donated gift cards, Sly-Chi raffled a t-shirt and two of their CDs, and I raffled the book Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks- which, if you haven't read it yet, is a wonderful read.

As for music WELL; what a GREAT night for music!!  Roy Davis and Bernie Nye started it off as the Coloradas and serenaded us with wonderful original tunes.  The Tricky Britchesgot a lot of folks dancing with upbeat bluegrass (and Amazing vocal harmonies!).  The Open Hand Orchestra marched through the streets of the Old Port and then came in and slammed us with groovy New Orleans beats (and an awesome sousaphone!!) and thenSly-Chi blasted the place with funk.

After the show, this wonderful writeup was published on Dispatch Magazine: http://dispatchmag.com/music-heals-benefit-defined-fun-the-dispatch-mag-publisher-says-wtf/

I can't even describe how much it means to me to have this much support.  Thanks to everyone who was involved in the night and everyone who came to the show or showed their support in other ways; my dreams are getting closer to reality.  In the work I've done just in the past few years, I've seen the very obvious power of Music Therapy.  I know that we can change lives for the better, and I'm excited to see it happen.  We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.  <3