music is what feelings sound like

“During music, things happen.  During music, life happens.” – Jo Anne Tait, MTA

Have you ever wished you could just lie in bed all day and listen to music? Can one single song change your entire mood, for better or worse? Do you think it’s possible to be cured with music alone?

In the recent years, general therapy has sky rocketed amongst patients as a means of alternative medicine. More and more doctors are prescribing therapy sessions before medicine, in hopes of helping the patient cure themselves before resorting to invasive treatments. In consequence, there are more and more students choosing the field of psychology as a major once they reach university. In New York City alone, there are almost 5,000 therapists with practicing degrees. And although most people would believe that therapy can only cure a patient with psychological issues, it has been proven that in conjunction with medicine, therapy can increase survival rates amongst patients with life threatening diseases such as autism and cancer.

With the increase in popularity, therapy has also branched out into many different categories. While the most well-known type of therapy would be the ‘psycho-analytic therapy,’ there are plenty of other specializations that are less well-known. One of these would be the “Expressive Therapy” which includes art therapy, dance therapy, and music therapy. These types of therapy focus on the creative expression and the tapping of the imagination. Through this a person can examine the body, feelings, emotions and his or her thought process with the assistance of the arts.

While the arts might be just a hobby to some of us, for other it takes on much more meaning. Dancing or playing an instrument can become a soothing experience instead of something one does on their free time. In this case, it becomes a much more important part of someone’s routine. Therapists have taken this idea and turned it into an international study and a new form of treatment. In collaboration with ‘talk-therapy’, therapists are now incorporating music and other forms of art into their sessions.

Music therapy uses the multi-facets of music – physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual- to enable the patient to relate and express their feelings, as well as maintain mental health. This type of therapy can help patients in various aspects of their lives (ex. cognitive functioning, motor skills, emotional and affective development, behavior and social skills) by using activities such as singing, songwriting, listening to and interpreting music, and dancing. The use of music therapy has been used with a wide spectrum of patients of all ethnicities and age, including patients with: AIDS, Autism, Cancer, depression, emotional trauma, hearing and speech impairments, mental and physical disabilities, as well as victims of abuse.

Although it has only become more known in the last decade, music therapy has been around since the 18^th century, and evidence points to times where it was used in ancient civilizations in China and Greece as well. In the 17^th century Robert Burton wrote in his work, The Anatomy of Melancholy, that “music and dance were critical in treating mental illness, especially melancholia.” While the impact of music has stayed relatively the same since the beginning, it’s uses have changed drastically in the last few decades. The United States began to develop music therapy after the World Wars as means to treat soldiers with traumatic war injuries. The ability to focus on the music enabled the soldiers to better deal with their pain and be distracted from their surroundings. Since then, numerous musical institutes have been founded, the first one being in 1950. A group of musical therapists began working with various patients notable among them were Fran Herman in Toronto, Ontario, Norma Sharpe in St. Thomas, Ontario, and Thérèse Pageau in Montreal, Québec. This eventually led to the birth of the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT ). . In 1998, NAMT joined forces with another music therapy organization to become what is now known as the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).

While this type of therapy becomes more and more popular, so does the demand for education. In order to become a musical therapist, a student must attain an undergraduate, masters or doctoral degree in music therapy. In the last few years, therapists will also need to earn the credential, MT-BC, Music Therapist-Board Certified, granted by The Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) by passing the national board certification examination. In addition, it is necessary to be skilled in guitar, piano, voice, music theory, music history, reading music and improvisation.

When practicing music therapy, the goal is to use the music as a means to improve or maintain quality of life as well as encourage positive changes in the patient’s life. Each program is different based on a patient’s needs and goals that need to be attained. The sessions can be done one-on-one or in a group, such as in a hospital, rehabilitation centre, schools, nursing homes, halfway houses and correctional facilities.

Musical therapy has been test on various types of patients with various types of disorders. In patients with schizophrenia, music therapy added to their standard care had a better improvement rate than those without. In patients with depression, music therapy increased emotional stability due to the ability to relate to music and the personal connection made with lyrics.  In patients with autism, they have the opportunity to experience non-threatening outside stimulation, as they don’t engage in direct human contact. In most cases, music therapy enables the patient to develop social skills and independent thinking and self-expression. Besides illnesses, music can also affect a persons behavior and socialization. In children, music can help with developmental skills as well as increase their self-esteem.

In various parts of the world, music therapy is also used outside of the conventional methods. Ragas work in music therapy because certain “sound waves, depending on the way they are listened to or pronounced, are identified for having an impact in the way the neurological (brain and nerve) system work in the human body.  In the United Kingdom in 2009, Dr. Michael J. Crawford his team were researching the usefulness of improvisational music in helping patients with agitation and also those with dementia. In Africa, music is used to distract people from pain during rituals of circumcision, bone setting and bloodletting. While in the Western world, music is usually referred to for entertainment purposes, African cultures use music for retelling stories and sending messages.

While music continues to have significant impact on patients, it is surely on the rise to becoming one of the most sought-out treaments. Along with alternative medicines, musical therapy can provide us with a non-invasive way to heal ourselves and regain emotional control over our bodies. While it may not cure a disease, it will surely put a patient in a better state of mind to battle their illnesses.  Music is very much a part of our lives.  It is a powerful force that opens our minds and awakens our senses to human experiences.

“We’ve done a lot of research on music because music touches on almost all of the most complex mental functions that we are capable of.  [Music] is incredibly complicated but we seem to be wired to do this.  If you don’t have music you won’t die, but you won’t be happy.”

– Dr. Robert Zatorre, Neuro-scientist, Professor,
Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University

So the next time your mom comes in to tell you to turn down the volume, remind her you might be doing yourself a lot more good than she thinks.

the concert

For those of us who feel like music is our drug, concerts can be considered our ultimate fix. It is one thing to overplay a song on our iPods, and it is another to stand in front of our favorite artist and hear it being played live. There is no feeling more exhilarating than the anticipation for the show to finally start. To be able to sing along with the band as loud as you can. To hear the defeaning sounds of thousands of fans cheering and screaming in excitement. There are certain things that define the concert experience: Waiting in line to get in with your friends. Physically holding the ticket to the show. Seeing the frontman for the first time on stage, and not believing that you are really standing in the same room as them. Watching as the guitarist close his eyes and loses himself in the solo. Confusing your heartbeat with the tap of the drummer’s snare. That moment when the singer turns his mic towards the audience and has you sing the rest of your favorite song.  And that final moment they take their last bow and you can’t help but wondering if the whole thing was a dream.

Every concert is similar and yet different at the same time. What makes them special is not necessarily who you’re seeing or who you’re with. Sometimes it’s the venue and atmosphere, the lighting and your surroundings that enhances your experience and makes it memorable. You’ll never be able to understand or appreciate the true meaning of a concert until you experience it for yourself. For those who haven’t yet been so lucky, here’s a slideshow depicting “the concert” in photo, and how the smallest details can make a world of a difference.

The Concert

big slice.

On April 1st, my best friend and I lined up once again, in the pouring rain, outside of Club Soda. This time it was to see Montreal’s own “Jonas & The Massive Attraction.” After squeezing our way to the front and surrounding ourselves with mid-life crisis women who were searching for their lost youth, the show started with opening band “The Trews.” The band gave an energetic show and set the tone for the rest of the night. After making a few funny faces to the crowd and singing hit song “Hold Me In Your Arms” the band bowed and exited stage right.

About 15 minutes later, “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli came on the overhead system with the volume raised loud enough for the whole audience to hear. In unison, the crowd began to sign along and sway back and forth, almost being distracted from the band coming on the scene. The band began with powerful “Addiction” and were accompanied by the counter harmonious screams and cheers from all the women in the audience. Frontman Jonas began to laugh and tease the crowd, making sure his shirt rode up just enough to give us a peek underneath. He continued throughout the night to play with the crowd and use his sexy swagger at every opportunity.

The band played all the hits off their new album “Big Slice,” exciting the crowd with the song “What Type O’Ride Are You?” and taking it down with “Exit Wound” and “Haley.” These men have clearly had their shares of ups and downs in relationships. The show finished with a powerful cover of Phil Collin’s “In the Air Tonight” before waving and walking off. Only minutes later, Jonas walked back on staged and jumped into the crowd, to perform his famous rendition of Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen,” dancing and singing with the fans all around him. Two songs later and he stated “Je t’aime Montreal!” before taking the final bow and running back stage.

While the concert itself would be enough to make a fan be on cloud 9, the band regrouped at the front of the venue for a meet and greet, signing autographs and taking pictures with their fans. Amongst those fans were my best friend and I who waited around and were lucky enough to meet the band before security decided time was up.

Although they may have not yet achieved world recognition for their music, at least I could say I’ve seen them live and check off one more concert to my ever growing list.

“Sell your confessions for some hardcore rock and roll”

 

black.

Very rarely, a song comes along that makes me stop dead in my tracks and just want to close my eyes and hang on to every word the singer says. Pearl Jam, however, merits this reaction from me for the song “Black.” The song tells a sad story about a tainted relationship with a woman who’s now gone. We don’t notice the instruments of the song as much as we do Eddie Veder’s heart-wrenching vocals, starting slow and picking up for a powerful last verse. The song was never released thanks to Veder’s wishes: “Fragile songs get crushed by the business. I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t think the band wants to be part of it.” There isn’t much that can be said that could justify this song, so you’ll just have to listen for yourself…

“I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life,
I know you’ll be a sun in somebody else’s sky, but why
Why, why can’t it be, can’t it be mine?”

live for what you love.

Everyone goes through a phase in their childhood when they want to be a rock star. Whether it be making guitars out of tissue boxes and elastics or singing songs into our EchoMic, we’ve all somehow tried to imagine what it would be like to be on stage in front of thousands of people who are there for one reason: to see us.

Live @ Plaza Theatre

Although most of us outgrow this phase and move on to more tangible and mainstream professions, David Rades (born David Radeschi) never gave up on attaining a “rock star” status. At the age of 26, David has already achieved respectable recognition in the music industry. His victories have rarely come easy, but have given him the determination and undying tenacity to see his dream come true.

In true rocker fashion, David takes a seat across from me in the far-corner booth, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. Running his fingers through his jet black hair, he laughs, “I hope you brought a pen and paper…or a really good memory.” After some charming small talk, David puts on his serious regard, as he always does when it comes to talking about his career. “Where do I start?” he says, recalling the day music changed his life forever. It all started the first time he heard “Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams, an anthem for all the adolescents finding love and music. He was 11 years old at the time when the song sparked his infatuation with Bryan Adams and the guitar in general. “I must have rented ‘Bryan Adams Live’ over 50 times.” he admits.

When David asked for his own guitar, his mother said no, as would any mother of three boys. The last thing they needed was something that intentionally made noise. This led David to find alternate means to owning a guitar. At the age of 13, he had saved up enough money doing odd jobs to buy his first guitar: a Cort Electric. It was black and white, resembling the one Bryan Adams used in his concert. This would be the beginning of David’s life and career in music.

From then on, David took lessons as well as taught himself various techniques and methods of playing. At the age of 17, he began as a guitarist for a local band called “Mainstream” and began to co-write songs with the band. At 18, having discovered his voice, he made his solo debut at the Pompeii Festival as “David Rades.” He was the first ever to perform on the stage that now permanently stands in the park. The following year he performed a 45 minute set on St. Laurent Boulevard for over 7000 people. At this point in his career, he was performing and recording with a band he met at a local bar, as well as working with Joe Segreti of the publishing company “Segpop.” During these years in which he matured as an artist, David earned the tools and connections essential for taking the next step in his music career.

Live @ Plaza Theatre

Similar to bands like “Goo Goo Dolls” and “Bon Jovi,” who’s journeys to the top were filled with obstacles and hardships, David’s story is no different. In addition to their lyrical styles and melodies, David finds inspiration in the stories of struggling artists making a name for themselves despite the odds against them. At the age of 9 years old, David was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. Tourette’s is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. “Growing up was rough,” David recalls. “but maybe if I didn’t have this I wouldn’t be as strong and persistent.” It goes without saying that while most people would use this as an excuse not to excel in their daily lives, David uses it as an incentive to try harder. To this day there is no cure for Tourette’s Syndrome, however the moment David picks up a guitar and starts to sing, his tics vanish. “My cure is music,” he says.

In 2005, tragedy struck when David suffered a vocal chord injury that left him completely speechless and out of action for almost 3 years. He suffered a rare case of stomach acid in his sleep that irritated his esophagus and trachea, and caused blisters and swelling in his vocal chords. This led him to spend a month barely speaking or eating. The doctors told him he would be lucky if he ever spoke again.  During this time, David’s girlfriend of 4 years also decided to call it quits.  He decided to put away all his guitars and pack away his musical career, not knowing if he would ever be able to return.

It was only in 2008, after vigorous rounds ofspeech therapy and vocal training,that David returned to music. His experience and heartbreak were source of inspiration and what drove him back into writing and composing music. He felt like he was given a second chance, and planned to use it to it’s full potential. “No one can tell me when I’m done. Only God can.” he said. During this time, David turned to the Bible in search of meaning and strength, and described it almost as a fairy tale; the possibilities were endless.

Calling Broadway

The combination of all these new found inspirations led David to write “Right From Wrong,” a song depicting the obstacles one encounters when in a relationship. He describes the songwriting process as his “natural state of mind.” He uses situations that surround him to write lyrics that are easily relatable to his audience. Along with the composing of new songs, David also formed a new band called “Calling Broadway” with friends Mike Segreto and Daniel D’Urbano. Together they played acoustic sets across Italy and began recording their new material.

At the end of 2009, they submitted “Right From Wrong” to the Canadian Radio Star Songwriting Competition for Virgin Radio. Out of 5000 songs submitted, theirs was chosen as the Regional Winners for the province of Quebec. They continued on to play at the Toronto Music Festival and had the opportunity to meet many big names in the industry. Throughout the remainder of the year, they headlined 4 sold out shows at different venues including the Plaza Theatre of Montreal and were the first-ever rock band to perform at 737 Nightclub.

The end of the summer took them back to the Pompeii Festival, where it all began for David. “I never gave up through all the obstacles. It was a success to come back; it felt like coming home,” he says. All of their hard work and success was proven when they were contacted by Pete Bennett, the world’s top celebrity promoter. Keeping in contact with Bennett and all his former collaborators, David continues to work on future plans and music.

Live @ Pompeii Feast

What’s his favorite part? “Just the energy of being on stage, and all the cheers and screams from the audience,” David says, laughing. Evidently, his mother became accustomed to the noise and unconditionally supports David, as well as his father who has become such a strong believer in his dream. With undying support from his family and friends, it’s clear that David is surrounded by plenty of positive energy. The key to his success is not his handsome looks or even his memorable song lyrics. It is undeniably his strong will and his passion to succeed. The obstacles and complications he has faced are certainly enough to break a person, however David managed to turn them into positive lessons and move forward with his life. “It’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up,” he quotes. When asking David where he sees himself in 5 years, he grins and replies: “Accepting a Grammy… and still being me.”

Contact David:

dvrades@hotmail.com

DAVID RADES

love’s the only rule.

On February 18th and 19th, Bon Jovi performed two sold out shows at the Bell Centre. Yes, I realize that they are WAYYYY before my time, and Jon Bon Jovi is my father’s age. Regardless, I attended both shows.One with my best friend, one with my father and brother. Both nights were filled with the classics, with special additions of songs we almost forgot about. The band gave an energetic and powerful performance, and had every girl shrieking in delight at Jon’s smile and butt-shaking. Whether we like the cowboys from New Jersey or not, we’ve gotta give them respect for their ability to have  such an effect on such a large number of people even after 30 years. They’ve still got it going on.

“I’ve seen a million faces, and i’ve rocked them all”

-wanted dead or alive

something for the rest of us.

On February 16th, my best friend and I, along with half of her relatives, lined up in front of the Olympia Theatre on Ste. Catherine. What could possibly possess us to stand around outside in -15 degree weather you ask? The answer is simple. The Goo Goo Dolls.

Now, you may be thinking – wait, they’re still around? And yet, the Olympia was quickly filled to max capacity with people of all ages there to see the band that’s been around since 1986 – way before I was even thought of. Thanks to our fantastic timing and waiting skills, we managed to get to the front of the stage, with nothing but a railing separating us from Johnny Rzeznik himself.

Johnny Rzeznik - by Karina Gangi

After an opening performance by Steven Page, former frontman for the Barenaked Ladies, the Goo Goo Dolls took the stage. After giving a smile that made every girl in the theatre swoon, Rzeznik began singing their opening number “Sweetest Lie” off their new album “Something for the Rest of Us.” After lots of jumping up around and lots of deafening screams, mostly coming from myself, the band jumped directly into the classics like “Big Machine” and “Slide”. Rzeznick wasn’t shy to interact with the crowd, smiling and pointing to all the girls standing in the front row who thought he was singing only to them.

Rzeznik then stepped back and let the spotlight shine on the original singer of the group, Robby Takac, with his songs “Smash” and “Tucked Away”. Atfer showing off his guitar skills and letting us have a little bit more fun with “Stay With You”, Rzeznik got serious while he introduced “Name” as “The song that changed his life forever.”

A few songs later and the band finally pulled out the big gun: Iris. It was a chilling experience to hear every member of the audience sing in perfect unison with Rzeznik, this song being the band’s biggest hit. The emotion of the song grew and grew as the band pulled into the instrumental part of the song, and Rzeznik finally finished the song by repeating the first verse, waving to the crowd and saying goodnight.

In true Montreal fashion, the crowd began their cheering and singing of “Ole Ole Ole” until the band finally came back out and Rzeznik joined in with the chanting. They started out with “Notbroken” and finally finished the show with the exciting and upbeat “Broadway” before waving to the crowd and getting off stage for the night.

There were no exciting light shows, no outrageous costume or stage dancers. This was an honest and simple rock concert. Just a bunch of guys getting together with their instruments, sharing their hopes, dreams, and heartbreaks with the hundreds of fans standing before them who took in every word, every move. Although you may want the flashing lights, concerts like these are what restore our faith and make us believe that this is what music is really all about.

don’t it make you sad to know that life
is more than who we are?

“name” – goo goo dolls

thief.

In the day of Justin Bieber and Rihanna, there are very few songs that have been released in the last few years that could honestly be classified as “emotional” or “meaningful”.

I was recently scanning through Montreal’s radio stations, none of which are ever actually playing any music. I stopped on 99.9 The Buzz when I heard a song playing instead of a commercial for some nightclub or other. I was instantly taken back a few years when I realized that they were playing “Thief” by Our Lady Peace.

Our Lady Peace, having started out in 1994, have quite a large repertoire of music as well as greatest hits. Although some may argue me on this, “Thief” is hands down the saddest and most heart-wrenching song the Toronto-based band has come out with. The song was written about a young girl from Kitchener with a cancerous tumor in her brain named Mina Kim. The “thief” mentioned in the song refers to the tumor.

The delicate way the singer, Raine Maida, handles the verses is undeniable proof of his talent and tugs at the listener’s heartstrings. The emotion is Maida’s voice during the last chorus along with Taggart’s drum work are sure to evoke emotion and maybe even a few tears in their listeners. A child’s lullaby playing at the end leaves us with a haunting finish and caps everything off perfectly.

In a society where the word “cancer” is thrown around just as easily as the word “blackberry” and illness has become almost common, it is refreshing to hear a song addressing the devastation and honesty that lies behind it all. Though the song is heavy and intense at times, Maida successfully provides us with a sense of hope that isn’t too far away.

I can’t see that thief that lives inside of your head,
but I can be some courage by the side of your bed….

first.

congratulations. you’ve found my blog.

here you will be able to find the kind of music and songs that lead me to laugh, cry, and be inspired.

enjoy your stay,

k.