AMTA Annual Conference Breaks Attendance Records-Highlights!

AMTA Annual Conference Breaks Attendance Records

Highlights:

Over 1700 music therapy professionals and students, exhibitors, and guests, attended the 2017 AMTA Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. AMTA Spokesperson and renowned Soprano, Renée Fleming greeted attendees via an inspiring video message in which she lauded the efforts of Board Certified Music Therapists, "Your inspiring work as board certified music therapists is of the utmost importance in healthcare and education. Your work inspires hope, something we all need right now.  Thank you for what you do—day in and day out."

Other conference highlights included:

• Local Ferguson, Missouri, musician, Brian Owens, wowing opening session attendees while performing with his band The Deacons of Soul.
• The documentary film, “Music Got Me Here,” which was featured at the conference with an overwhelming response.  The film follows the work of music therapist Tom Sweitzer with Forrest Allen who was seriously injured in a snow board accident and for whom music therapy was his path to finding his voice.  Forrest's mom, Dr. Rae Stone, passed along a message of hope and gratitude for the work of music therapists and explained that allowing Forrest to be filmed related to her commitment to increasing awareness about music therapy as an efficacious and effective treatment when others failed. 
• Lifetime Achievement Awards presented to Linda Bosse and Dr. Deforia Lane.
• Arthur Flagler Fultz Research Grant awarded to Dr. Ken Aigen.
• Congratulations to all 2017 Award Winners!  Click here for the full list:  https://www.musictherapy.org/members/awards/
• American Music Therapy Students celebrating its 40th anniversary.
• Anne Parker sharing an enriching and inspiring message about “Mindfulness” in the Carol Bitcon lecture.
• AMTA President, Jennifer Geiger, gave an exciting State of Association address and the President of the St. Louis Chapter of the NAACP, Aldophus Pruitt, welcomed attendees.
• More than 200 Concurrent Sessions, 27 CMTE Courses, and 15 additional special trainings were available for music therapy education.
• The Acapella group, One Too Many, closed this year’s conference in a crowd-pleasing performance.

Thanks to everyone who made this conference a success!  See you in Dallas, Texas November 15-18, for the 2018 annual conference! 

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