Shenandoah Conservatory Celebrates 2022 World Music Therapy Day

Students and faculty came together for a week of events to celebrate World Music Therapy Day on Tuesday, March 1. This celebration included alumni events hosted by the student organization Shenandoah University Music Therapy Association (SUMTA) with recent graduates talking about their early professional experiences in medical, school and private practice settings; students hosting Instagram takeovers; and faculty performing in a culminating concert on Friday, March 4.

“It was such a wonderful experience to learn from working music therapists who were Shenandoah grads and the lessons that us students took away were invaluable,” said SUMTA President Jamie Shegogue ’24 (Bachelor of Music Therapy).

The faculty concert was an opportunity for music therapy faculty to share their music with more than 60 attending students. Assistant Provost for Inclusion, Diversity & Equity and Associate Professor of Music Therapy Hakeem Leonard, Ph.D., MT-BC, performed alongside vocalist Kalysta Bryant ’23 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) and guitarist Josh Leach ’24 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) during the concert.

“It was wonderful to experience the joy felt in the room when our faculty shared their performances and humanness with us,” continued Shegogue.

“A huge shout out to SUMTA President Jamie Shegogue and our student leaders for all their work coordinating the week of events,” said Director of Music Therapy Studies, Coordinator of Graduate Music Therapy and Associate Professor of Music Therapy Tony Meadows, Ph.D., MT-BC.

Photo: Jamie Shegogue ’24 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) (third from left) with music therapy faculty Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Musicianship (Guitar) Thomas Creek ’20, D.M.A.; Adjunct Instructor of Music Therapy Leigh Jenks ’02, ’11, M.M.T., MT-BC; Assistant Provost for Inclusion, Diversity & Equity and Associate Professor of Music Therapy Hakeem Leonard, Ph.D., MT-BC; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Allison Terrell ’14, ’18, M.M.T., MT-BC; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Musicianship Fredrica Dooley-Brown ’11, ’19, M.M.T., MT-B; Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Bronwen Landless ’04, ’13, Ph.D., MT-BC; and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Musicianship Miho Sato ’02, ’10, M.M.T., MT-BC, at the faculty concert.