Experiences of and Practical Tips for Working in Multicultural Clinical Settings
October 15th 6:00 – 8 pm Central Time Presentation
Presenters: Carolyn Koebel, M.M., MT-BC, HPC, David Melbye, MT-BC, and Ginny Anderson Caldwell, M.M., MT-BC
Description: This powerhouse team is together Again!! Join Virginia Caldwell, Carolyn Koebel, and David Melbye for an evening conversation around Multicultural practices in music therapy. Through musical vignettes and clinical reflections, they will share personal accounts of meeting diverse client needs through deep listening and cultural humility. Bring a frame drum if you have one, as they will add a few get up and go musical skills during our time together…
Presenter Bios:
Carolyn Koebel, M.M., HPC, MT-BC has been passionate about percussion since childhood. She holds degrees of distinction in percussion and music therapy from Western Michigan University & Michigan State. Her studies, research and interests in indigenous percussion has taken her around the globe, studying traditional drum/dance/ceremony in Ghana, samba and Candomblé rituals in Brazil, historical taiko traditions in Japan, Sufi traditions, zhikr, and Turkish and Arabic drumming in Istanbul, Andean music of the Quechua, Garifuna/Garinagu traditions of Latin America, Hindu kirtan at temples in India, and mentorship with master drummers from a host of musical traditions. She has performed concert tours and teaching tours in China since 2012, and teaches guitar & world percussion at Western Michigan University, St.-Mary-of-the-Woods College, and Kalamazoo College. She presents workshops regionally and nationally for music therapists, and works in hospice music therapy, community music therapy settings, in at-risk youth programming, and wherever the drum is called into action. She is an active performer in diverse musical settings; visit carolynkoebel.com to learn more. She has released dozens of recordings with a host of collaborators, including “Honoring the Passage:Voices from Hospice Music Therapy” (featuring Ginny & David). View the catalogue at carolynkoebel.bandcamp.com.
Virginia Caldwell, M.M. MT-BC When words fail music speaks. -H.C. Andersen Virginia Caldwell MM MT-BC is a masters level board-certified music therapist. Virginia has spent most of her career working around the Mid-Michigan area. She graduated from Michigan State University and has worked as a music therapist for over 15 years. During her career, she has worked in the areas of; Behavioral Health, At Risk Youth, TBI Rehabilitation, and End of life care. The bulk of her work has been in end of life care using music to assist patients and families come to terms with death and dying as well as managing the feelings of grief and loss to follow. Virginia’s approach to hospice music therapy is very humanistic. She believes hospice work is not a job but a privilege. “Working in collaboration with the team to address; spiritual, emotional, social and physical well-being incorporating patients and families through various music interventions and through legacy creation is the highlight of my work-day.” Virginia has had the opportunity to present locally, nationally, and internationally on the benefits of music therapy in end of life care.
David Melbye has been a board-certified music therapist since 2000. He served hospice patients for many years and currently practices privately in Bellingham WA. His studies have included music history at St. Olaf College, music therapy at the University of Minnesota, and practical nursing at Red Wing Technical College. He also writes, records and plays publicly as a singer and multi-instrumentalist. His arrangements have appeared on two Todd Rundgren tribute CDs as well as many CDs produced by Carolyn Koebel. Click Here for David’s Solo CDs
David has presented at state, regional and national music therapy conferences on a variety of topics including hospice, guitar skills, the Q chord, the Reverie Harp and his work with multicultural clients and families.
Click Here for David’s website.
50% of the donations raised through this presentation will be donated to Crescent Cove “A home-away-from-home for kids with life-limiting conditions and their families, where each moment of life is embraced and celebrated.”
50% of the donations raised will be contributed to the Living Spirit Therapy Services Pay It Forward Campaign to fund grants for music therapy, early childhood music, and wellness programs for individuals from historically marginalized communities.

* please reference the name of the event in the “message” section *