Melinda's Music

12/14/2025

Happy Chanukah to those who celebrate!

Peter, Paul and Mary perform "Light One Candle" live at their 25th anniversary concert in 1986. Now, two and a half decades later, in celebration of the 50th...

12/05/2025

Today marked the finale of our monthly Best Brain Health through Music & Movement group in Greenwood Lake, but the rhythm of connection and growth will continue. We're excited to announce that new workshops are taking shape in nearby Warwick, New York for 2026 - stay tuned for updates! A heartfelt thank you to all who participated in Greenwood Lake, where members discovered the transformative power of socializing, playful expression, and rekindling a family legacy of music, ultimately enriching their lives. It's been a privilege to share my passion and witness its positive impact on others.

12/03/2025

Yes! I wish more Physical Therapists would integrate this protocol into their practice. Has anyone out there experienced this within a PT session?

Moving to musical rhythm significantly improves gait and other motor functions compared to self-paced movement in neurorehabilitation.

Using brain network science, a recent collaborative study between researchers at the University of Toronto Music and Health Research Collaboratory (MaHRC) and Wake Forest University sheds new light on why this occurs:

✨ Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)® optimizes how neurons talk to each other and harnesses them into a more closely connected and well synchronized brain network in the Basal Ganglia, a critical region for rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease. Stable, tightly coupled, and efficient neural connections are necessary engines to improve timing, consistency, and spatial control of movement. This evidence of strong plasticity in connectivity in neural networks is key in understanding why music/rhythm based Neurologic Music Therapy® interventions are powerful neuromodulatory tools.

You can read the full paper here:
Lavigne S, Burdette J, Bahrami M, Laurien P, Lyday R, Thaut MH. 2025. Altered
basal ganglia networks topology associated with auditory-motor
synchronization. Brain & Behavior, doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70695
Available at: nmtacademy.co/research-publications/

Additional studies:
Pranjic M, Braun Janzen T, Vuksic N, Thaut MH. 2024. From sound to
movement: Mapping neural mechanisms of auditory-motor entrainment
and synchronization. Brain Sciences, doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14111063
Koshimori Y, Thaut MH. 2023. Rhythmic auditory stimulation as potential
neuromodulator for Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson and Related Disorders,
doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105459

11/28/2025

On Friday, December 5, 2025 I will be facilitating my final monthly Best Brain Health through Music & Movement group at the Greenwood Lake( NY) Senior Center. It has been an honor and pleasure to share my vision of how to exercise and strengthen our brains in a fun, playful and research-based way.
I hope to see you then. With gratitude to Colleen Reilly, the Village of Greenwood Lake, and my new friends and neighbors who have joined us in this important hour for aging Seniors.

11/25/2025

A Heartwarming Happy Thanksgiving story about Music, Connection and forever love.

11/22/2025

Yesterday was the beginning of bringing my Memory Cafe Music Social back into reality. 18 Participants enjoying Music, dance, laughter and connection. So grateful to all who participated in making this happen. As an additional surprise, one of our Sponsors, Jfs Orange gifted all participants this lovely bamboo pie cutter. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all of you!

11/20/2025

I’ll never forget, early in my career, a gentleman leaning in his walker to stand and walk, heard dance music, tossed his walker to the side and perfectly waltzed his partner around the room. When the music stopped, he needed the walker immediately.

Moving to musical rhythm significantly improves gait and other motor functions compared to self-paced movement in neurorehabilitation.

Using brain network science, a recent collaborative study between researchers at the University of Toronto Music and Health Research Collaboratory (MaHRC) and Wake Forest University sheds new light on why this occurs:

✨ Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)® optimizes how neurons talk to each other and harnesses them into a more closely connected and well synchronized brain network in the Basal Ganglia, a critical region for rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease. Stable, tightly coupled, and efficient neural connections are necessary engines to improve timing, consistency, and spatial control of movement. This evidence of strong plasticity in connectivity in neural networks is key in understanding why music/rhythm based Neurologic Music Therapy® interventions are powerful neuromodulatory tools.

You can read the full paper here:
Lavigne S, Burdette J, Bahrami M, Laurien P, Lyday R, Thaut MH. 2025. Altered
basal ganglia networks topology associated with auditory-motor
synchronization. Brain & Behavior, doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70695
Available at: nmtacademy.co/research-publications/

Additional studies:
Pranjic M, Braun Janzen T, Vuksic N, Thaut MH. 2024. From sound to
movement: Mapping neural mechanisms of auditory-motor entrainment
and synchronization. Brain Sciences, doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14111063
Koshimori Y, Thaut MH. 2023. Rhythmic auditory stimulation as potential
neuromodulator for Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson and Related Disorders,
doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105459

11/17/2025

Great info during the journey of living with Dementia.

11/14/2025

As a Music Therapist, I always look for instruments that can be a positive and easily accessible experience for my clients. Although this instrument is a prototype, I see so much potential here.

11/09/2025

I’ll be presenting my experiential group about Best Brain Health through Music & Dance with the acronym of SPECS as our guide at the Albert Wisner Public Library in Warwick , NY. The group filled up quickly but there IS a waiting list-Please don’t hesitate to get on that list. I’ve already heard of people being called from that list!