Written by Genesis Barbosa-Padilla, Music Therapy Intern During my internship, I have been immersed in the day-to-day life of a music therapist. Beyond facilitating sessions, continuing my education, and expanding my clinical knowledge, I am responsible for spearheading an individual special project. From the start, the expectation was set that I would lead a special project—one entirely conceived, planned, and facilitated by me. There were no strict guidelines other than that the project be music therapy-based; it needed to stem from my personal passions and vision for the field. What insight could I offer? Where are the needs that I am passionate about filling? These questions were daunting. The challenge wasn’t just the planning and implementation, but identifying a subject where I could provide meaningful support. While brainstorming ideas, I was inspired by the fact that I have always wanted to conduct a choir. While working in ABA therapy, long before I had begun my music therapy journey, I had dreams of one day conducting a choir focused on supporting children on the spectrum. Once I began attending my university to study music therapy, one of my first practicum experiences was assisting in a choir for pre-teens with developmental disabilities. This experience really highlighted every reason why I would want to one day create my own project around this concept. We spent an entire semester working on a set of songs chosen by the teens in our choir, and the semester ended with a performance of all the pieces sung and played by the group. Every teen participated in whatever way they were able; many sang lyrics, while our non-verbal members played percussion and melodic instruments. For the performance, all of the teens’ families and friends were able to come and see how much hard work they had put into the show. People with disabilities and their families do not always have access to finding inclusive spaces or activities. Yes, there are options, but many factors can affect their ability to participate, such as finances, support needs, and location. However, what we find when people with disabilities are provided an opportunity to participate is that, for many of them, all they needed was the chance to showcase their ability. Music itself is an all-inclusive part of life; it is a connector for many, and it can be experienced in a variety of ways. Music performance is not, and should never be, accessible only to a select group of individuals. Performance is for everyone and can be enjoyed and executed by all. And there it was! My passion, my avenue, and the beginning of my project: a choir.   Now I needed to find my group of people. Who could benefit from this concept? I started with the idea of younger kids, ages five to eight, as that is a group I have had a lot of experience with throughout my life. However, around halfway through my internship, I was provided the opportunity to work with a group of young adults with varying disabilities. This group was close to my age, and it was a population I had little experience with. In my time with them, I was able to see their enjoyment and passion for music. In this group, these young adults would share music, sing, and dance together; while observing and leading their group, I realized that if others could see them, they would understand why music is important for them. In doing research on this group, I also found that many young adults with disabilities struggle with a loss of services, finances, and access to therapies, such as music therapy, due to being in a transition period from the education system into adulthood. There was my need! To bring this concept together, I wanted to create a name for this choir that encompassed the inclusivity, creativity, and beauty that can come with bringing a group of individuals together to create music. I began to think of colors and being able to see beauty through different lenses, and I thought of a kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscopes create different images and colors, and they are forever moving and changing as you look at them. There is something beautiful and unique about every kaleidoscope you look through. That tied it all together: the Kaleidoscope Choir would showcase the fact that music is an inclusive aspect of life that can be shared and enjoyed by all individuals. It is a choir that showcases the talents and abilities of a group of young adults while also providing them a space to meet their goals and have opportunities for socialization and collaboration with their peers.

Founded in 1987, MusicWorx Inc. is a music therapy and wellness agency whose mission is to create, cultivate, and celebrate experiences of unlimited growth and potential. The company executive office and wellness center are located in Scripps Ranch, Northern San Diego County, California.

MusicWorx is both an AMTA-compliant provider of music therapy services and a CBMT-approved provider of continuing education for music therapists.

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