Canceled Class Notifications
When the weather outside is frightful…
Class cancellations due to weather will be posted on the Jen Murphy Fitness Facebook page, and/or a text will be sent. I will be discontinuing emails for closings. So if you’re not on Facebook, please sign up to receive the texts messages.
All the cool kids are doing it and it takes less than 30 seconds.
How do you set it up on your phone?
Go to your Message/Text function on your phone, in the “To” box put 424-543-7978. In the “Message” box put @018fd. You will receive a text message asking for your name, respond and that’s it. You’re on the list! Now you will receive at text message whenever classes are canceled. Please note: I will not use this for anything other than class cancellations.
Holiday Class Schedule
Only 10 days till Christmas! We say this every year but WOW it came quickly. In order for all of us to enjoy our Holiday and our family The Studio will be closed December 25, 26 and January 1. There will be morning classes only on December 24 and 31. Otherwise the classes will run as scheduled!
Drum Circle at Jen Murphy Fitness
A drum circle, or rhythm circle, is a group of people creating and sharing a rhythmical and a musical experience. The instruments used are usually percussion instruments including; Drums, metal, wood, shakers and Boomwhackers. The circle format is used to optimize listening and communicating. In a circle everyone is an equal participant with no person in the circle any more or less important. The sustained repetition of the pulse results in a rhythmic phenomenon called rhythmic entrainment. Entrainment uplifts the self physically, mentally and emotionally. There is a calming effect on the body and an energizing effect on the spirit.
According to Mickey Hart: “The Drum Circle is a huge jam session. The ultimate goal is not precise rhythmic articulation or perfection of patterned structure, but the ability to entrain and reach the state of a group mind. It is built on cooperation in the groove, but with little reference to any classic styles. So this is a work in constant progress, a phenomenon of the new rhythm culture emerging here in the West.”
In the words of Arthur Hull: “The Community Drum Circle is a fun entry-level learning experience that is accessible to anyone who wants to participate. Drum Circle participants express themselves collectively by using a chorus of tuned drums, percussion, and vocals to create a musical song together while having a great time.
Community Drum Circles Offered at Jen Murphy Fitness have a 5$ weekly entrance fee, paid at the time of entrance, and circles are filled on a first come first serve weekly basis.
Community Drum Circle is offered on Saturday morning at 10 am. Ceara Crandall is the leader/instructor.
Meet Ceara Crandall
Ceara Crandall has trained and performed in a variety of styles of music both in the United States and Europe. Ceara holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a Piano minor from West Chester University, cum laude. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College with distinction. Ceara completed additional studies toward a DMA in Vocal Pedagogy from Shenandoah University, where the majority of her training focused on teaching Popular Music and Belt, and she is CCM trained in the LoVetri Method. Ceara is in the midst of completing her Masters of Music Therapy from Shenandoah University and is interning as a Music Therapist at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. During her tenure at Shenandoah she learned to facilitate drum circles, and work with music in a variety of therapeutic means.
Ceara’s current training includes work with “Music Together,” a musical activity that includes ages 0-6 and parents or guardians. Music Together is a variety of musical activities to promote stimulation and bonding for babies, toddlers and their caregivers.
Her clinical work includes Music and Meditation to Promote Wellness with Cancer Patients at Beth Israel; work with Veterans experiencing a variety of effects from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Hospital in Martinsburg, WV; work with the ground breaking group Essential Pieces for Parents and Children living with Autism. Her additional therapeutic work includes a setting with Geriatric patients suffering from Dementia. Her proposed dissertation topic, “From Song to Speech Facilitating Language in Patients with Non-Verbal Autism Spectrum Disorder” has impacted her clients in notable ways.
As a vocalist Ceara has performed in Bethesda Summer Music Festival, Bethesda, MD, with AMICI opera in Philadelphia, Capital Opera Harrisburg, Canta in Italia in Florence Itay, and with the New York Philharmonic in Avery Fisher Hall, NYC. Ceara’s Opera work includes “I Lomardi,” “La Traviata,” “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Cosi Fan Tutte,” “Don Giovanni,” and “La Boheme.” She remains in demand as a soloist and clinician for voice.
As a teacher, Ceara taught K-12 public and charter school music, including AP Music Theory, Choir, and General/Kindermusik Music Classes. As a private teacher of both voice and piano, Ceara worked for Raritan Valley Community College, Raritan Music Center, and ran her own private studio. She currently works for Lissemore Studios in New York City. Her work and training in Somatic Voicework and voice disorders has led her to be able to work with a variety of voices, from serious career oriented singers to people looking to improve their singing and speaking voices.
Ceara offers voice lessons, piano lessons and a variety of therapeutic music services on both a group and individual level.
See you at The Studio!
Jen