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Download School Goals Sample Song List and Goals Song Lyrics and Questions

Hello, my name is Alyssa Yeager, and I am a music therapist who has worked with children in camp, school, home, and hospital settings for over 20 years. I have designed a traveling performance program to make music therapy and music creation more accessible to children in a variety of settings.

The goal of this program, entitled 'Normal is Boring', is to engage children in expressing their own stories and feelings through music. The performance is interactive and all children are encouraged to be creative, to try something new, and to feel safe in expressing themselves. I am happy to work with you individually as I have done with other schools to help this program meet additional goals you may have for your students, ranging from creative writing to social interaction. Please see the sample song list with goals and supplemental materials for examples of how the program can be utilized beyond the performance.

A typical performance includes an hour of interactive music with the audience, featuring traditional and popular children's music as well as original songs from the CD, 'Normal is Boring'. Song samples may be found here. Children will engage with the performers (guitarist/vocalist and percussionist) through talking, singing, movement, and writing new lyrics to some of the songs as they go. There is no strict limit on the size of the audience. Programs in the past have ranged from 10 to 250 children. Generally students from K-4 are the most receptive to the performance, although the program can be customized for pre-school up to about 6th grade. Older children with special needs are also appropriate to participate.Teachers and caretakers are encouraged and welcome to be part of the experience.

Past performances have been well received by students, staff, and caregivers. Many of the students have even sent drawings and thank you notes to express their appreciation. For most participants, the best part is the freedom to be creative without the fear of making mistakes.

The Normal is Boring program is happy to travel and customize a program for your needs. Please feel free to contact me for more information.