‘Beat Teams,’ the instrument donation program created by Terra Rising Films’ founder Michael Ricucci, will supply instruments for the Berklee College Music Therapy Service Trip to Panama which departs August 23, 2014.
After learning about the instruments Terra Rising was able to collect for a service trip to Haiti this past July, Emma Byrd, a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, reached out to the film company to assist her efforts in helping to build music therapy programs in Panama. Emma will lead a team of six Berklee music therapy undergraduates, in conjunction with the Danilo Perez Foundation, to community centers in Colon, Panama, as well as Hospitál del Niño, to support the growth of music therapy in Panama through seminars, symposiums, and workshops utilizizing music and culture native to Panama.
”’This trip is all about supporting community growth and wellness through music- something Panamanians already know how to do, but something which we, as music therapists, get to give a clinical context for,” said team leader Emma Byrd.
“Panamanian culture is saturated in music, and the community there is already host to an emerging music therapy scene. It is such a privilege to be part of the effort to share our abundant resources with the people of Panama,” added an enthusastic Byrd.
This will be the second service trip to Panama for this group of music therapy students from Berklee College of Music.
“The work these students are a part of is important and we are humbled to play a role in their efforts to expand the knowledge of the power of music to heal. They are showing all of us the type of difference that we can all make through our own individual effort,” said Beat Teams founder Michael Ricucci.
“We hope these students start a trend where we can continue to send instruments to different countries with music therapists and students capable of building music programs in harmony with the local community. Terra Rising is also planning a world tour in the near future where we will expand on these relationships and provide even more assistance in the development of music programs worldwide,” added Ricucci.
Since the summer of 2013, Beat Teams has been able to provide over 100 instruments to music therapy programs throughout the US as well as locations in Panama and Haiti. Through live concerts and the generous contributions from people all over the country, Beat Teams continues to help community music programs grow, both domestically and internationally
To learn more about the Berklee College Music Therapy Service Trip please visit: http://www.facebook.com/panamapartdos or http://www.gofundme.com/8hnavs
