“Thank you for the music.”
That’s an ideal theme for the upcoming 30th Annual Maya’s Music Therapy Fund, an annual spring music festival set to be held on Sunday, March 24, at the Richmond Recreation Complex, 3230 Macdonald Ave.
Youth and adults with developmental disabilities will perform at this fun festival from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The public is welcome, and tickets can be purchased at the door ($5 for people with disabilities, $10 adults, $5 children). Food and beverages will be available for sale.
For over 30 years, the Maya’s Music Therapy Fund has helped people with disabilities experience the life-enriching benefits of music therapy. The nonprofit was named in honor of Maya Cooper, a nonverbal girl with severe disabilities who was able to use music to communicate with the world around her. After she died in 1988, her parents, Dr. Michael Cooper and Dr. Joanna Cooper, established the Fund.
Collaborating with agencies in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, Maya’s Music Therapy Fund combines the power of music with the dedication and skills of board-certified music therapist Titia Martin-Nagel. Martin-Nagel works with people with developmental disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, brain injury, hearing and vision impairment, ADHD, and Rett syndrome toward specific, individualized treatment goals.
“These can include improved communication skills, decreased inappropriate behavior, enhanced academic and motor skills, increased attention span, strengthened social and leisure skills, pain management, and stress reduction,” the organization said. “Our mission is to empower people with developmental disabilities to increase their autonomy, build community, and expand artistic expression through music therapy, while improving their physical, social, and cognitive skills.”
For more information visit www.mayasmusic.org,
