Read this post in Romanian.

Zsuzsi shares below how she intends to use her instruments and the benefits it will bring to the children in her care:

The new instruments that I requested are instruments that might be difficult to find here in Romania, but first of all, the instruments are easy to use, they give special auditory sensation, they can be used by several children at the same time. Music therapy activities are very creative and interesting. I can now introduce the sound and colours of more instruments in our musical activities. So these new sounds give us new auditory information, the possibility of new games to play.

It really excites me that some children who are more withdrawn, might open up a bit more with the help of the new instruments. The acoustic sticks give a special sound, giving children the possibility to hear the sounds, but also to better control their movements and have a more focused self-control.

The individual xylophone helps children be more attentive to each other, to listen to each other’s melody, but also to create a shared melody.

Cabasa, rattles, seed shaker, waterfall shaker give children the opportunity to play with the rhythm. We have children with quadriplegia and it is easy for them to hold the handle of the instrument and show us their inner melody.

I hope to use these instruments for the good of the souls of children with multiple disabilities, but also for the healthy ones, to offer them help to express themselves, to help them socialize, develop the ability to pay attention to each other, to wait their turn, to try to be empathetic with others.

My clients are two groups of pre-schoolers with multiple disabilities from the Special Needs High School in Sfântu Gheorghe, in total 16 children. I work with two groups, but also offer 1:1 sessions. I also use these instruments with approximately 8-14 mainstream children from Ghidfalau to help them feel good, but also to offer them an environment where children can be empathetic with each other, internalize rules, actively participate in sessions, increase their attention and listening skills.

For each group of children, even for those children I work with individually, it is very important to feel they are accepted unconditionally, that my attention is focused on each child, and they feel a connection with me but also with the other children.

These new instruments give a possibility to create a variety of tactile and auditory experiences. They produce sounds easily without children having to manipulate them too much.

These instruments give an opportunity for isolated, withdrawn children to express themselves, but also for hyperactive children to venture out, to calm down, for children with poor social skills to learn new rules, to be attentive to others, but also to enjoy when others are listening to them. For children with physical limitations, it gives a sense of success to hear the instrument, to be able to externalize the songs within them.

On behalf of each child, but also on behalf of myself, I want to thank you all for this gift of new instruments and also for the skills aquired during the Distance Learning Programme 2021 – all very important in my therapeutic work through music.

With much love
Zsuzsi

Apply to our Musical Instrument Fund:

Are you currently carrying out music sessions in Romania and would like a new set of musical instruments? Maybe your current instruments are worn out and broken, or maybe you just don’t have enough musical instruments?

Our Musical Instrument Fund provides care practitioners with the opportunity to replace broken instruments or improve on the resources they already have. For more information and to apply to the Fund, click here.