Your destination is a choice within yourself
from My Last Serenade by Killswitch Engage
A career culmination for both of us - this little trip to Brooklyn.
We packed our bags, picked up our rental car, and serenaded down the winding roads of New York State to Brooklyn. The last time we were in Brooklyn, we met up with one of my good childhood friends AND a good college friend. The four of us traipsed around Brooklyn on a foggy, rainy, overcast afternoon. We were accompanied by umbrella, subway train, and our tired but expected feet underfoot. The day brought us to a stationery store, cafe with the best crème brûlée cake-type pastry, and over to the river right by the old Domino’s Factory where my grandfather had worked some 30-40 years ago. It was a sweet coalescence of friendship, family history, and misty-adventure.
Our last time in Brooklyn with my sweet hometown friend, Stephanie, and college friend, Hoa.
This trip, however, was more a professional venture, and unfortunately, we were guided into Brooklyn with traffic and heat. It was about 95℉, and the sun was unforgiving. Somehow, we found a handy parallel parking spot within 20 minutes of our arrival, just about 20 feet from our destination: The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM).
This was the coolest garden path down to the front door!
If you know anything about music therapy in New York City, you might know the place! They are the biggest provider of music therapy and serve people across all five boroughs. They have a wide reach and a mighty strong team. At the helm is Toby Williams, one of the sweetest people you may ever meet. Toby was in the middle of a busy day - I’m sure she has no other kind of day with the work they’re doing there - but she snuck out to meetup with us in the beautiful old building that is the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. (Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture with Toby - next time!)
Walking up the creaking stairs and peering into music therapy sessions, you know those walls have stories to share. I’m so glad we got to see the space, because very soon the music therapy department is moving! The new and upcoming Music Therapy Institute was seeded with a generous $2 million gift from Alexis and Billy Joel’s The Joel Foundation (yes, that Billy Joel!).
Walking through Brooklyn with NYSAMT Treasurer and music therapist, Sophie; Greg; and BKCM music therapist and NYSAMT’s first speaker, Lloyd.
This visit came together because of colleagues meeting for the New York State Association for Music Therapy (NYSAMT) launch up in Rochester, New York. We connected with BKCM looking for a speaker for our official state association launch, and we were grateful to have Lloyd Miller! He put together an inspiring continuing education workshop for local music therapists and then invited us to visit BKCM anytime we were down there. Thanks, Lloyd!
In front of the new music therapy building!
Our visit wouldn’t be complete without bagels, checking out their new space - just a quick walk a couple blocks away - and a moment for the beautiful Prospect Park (right across from their new space).
When I really think about it, this may be a pinnacle of my career. I met with the director of the biggest music therapy provider in NYC, and we chatted about the New York State Association for Music Therapy (something I had worked to create over the last 6 or so years) and the necessity of bringing us colleagues altogether. Above and beyond that moment, I was able to meet NYSAMT’s treasurer in person and she had a minute to connect with BKCM (she works right down the road, so it was perfect for them!). It felt like a small thing, but I know that looking back, this will be a memory to measure my career against in moments of uncertainty. I will reflect upon the dedication myself and our small executive board put in to create a professional association that will have lasting effects on the profession of music therapy and this state.
The next part of our trip was a battle through traffic to get to our hotel and find parking for the Paramount (and a big step for Greg’s music career).
It was kind of a miracle we found parking as quickly as we did for the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, because this time, it took over an hour! Thankfully, the stars (and our phone apps) aligned to get us into a parking garage one block in between the concert venue and our hotel.
I think I should let Greg share this next bit, but let’s just say - he got to see one of his favorite bands perform live, get the ultimate VIP experience, and meet a musician he looks up to and respects. Not to mention, this musician will be featured on one of Greg’s songs coming up!
Hey, Greg here; I’m here to tell you all about the punishing 95-degree, 95% humidity day that almost made us too heat-sick to go to the venue. We Liquid-IV’d up and cooled down enough to shuffle down the block to the Killswitch show at the Brooklyn Paramount.
When I was kid, I never felt like I fit in. I had a lot of feelings, a lot of darker emotional moments, and few words to describe how my inner world worked. I’m grateful that I always had music to give me a place to belong. One of the bands who welcomed me, and many other kids like me, into their recordings was (and remains) the best melodic metalcore band of all time—the mighty Killswitch Engage.
Not many bands are able to combine shockingly heavy riffs and brutal screams with anthemic and beautiful melodies in such a satisfying soundscape. As someone who appreciates a strong melody with a dark backdrop, I fell in love with them at first listen at age 14. If you’re craving something sweet and spicy that hits just right, Killswitch Engage is the hot honey you’ve dreamt about for your chicken wings.
EXCITED!!!
Several months ago, Killswitch’s lead vocalist, Jesse Leach, put out a message to fellow musical artists on Instagram. He invited us to share our music with him for a chance to collaborate. I wanted to take the chance because Jesse has been, not just a musical hero of mine, but someone who helped me battle and survive depression from my teen years on. I am happy to tell you that today, at age 37, I’m getting to write and record a song for Jesse and me and the millions of people who have felt just like us.
I’d like to let you in on a secret. “Don’t meet your heroes” isn’t always a good policy because I’m happy to have met mine. Jesse is down-to-earth, kind, and he truly cares about music. He values each song and wants to give it his personal best every time. When we met in Brooklyn, he hugged me and thanked me for my patience. That was after he gifted us a VIP experience at one of the coolest venues we’d ever visited!
Killswitch got out there and still created that very special live experience so familiar to us fans. This was the fifth time I saw them live and it was just as surreal as the first. A Killswitch crowd is one big family - singing, screaming, surfing and soaring over each other, and feeling full of energy. You get an emotional release you didn’t know you needed. It’s hard to put into words, so I’ll point you to listen to any of Killswitch Engage’s albums wherever you listen to music.
Walking down the hallway for the VIP meet & greet.
The power of live music will never die. I think everyone deserves a night like this. Looking around, I was reminded that I’m not alone. I saw all different kinds of people from various generations and cultural backgrounds. What I saw in front of me was, simply, the human spirit. There’s nothing more powerful than this type of experience with other people. Where else would you get that? Is there anything else that gives you this feeling?
I’m grateful live music provides an inclusive atmosphere for anyone - no matter who you are or what you’re going through. That’s exactly why we created this brand, after-all. Music connects us. Music is the sound of expression. Music can help.
We had two exceptionally profound moments on this trip, and the common factor was music. Sometimes, making the choice to follow what’s within you is beyond difficult. The moment you start embracing what your intuition is telling you, you start a journey only you can have. Music not only brought us together, it defined (and defines) our careers. This letter from music reminds you to listen to what’s calling from the inside and follow it. We’re so grateful we did just that.
