“I'm going to make a beat,” Danielle Crawford said as children clamored into their seats at a Brooklyn homeless shelter.
“Imagine you live on another planet. Beats are made based on that.”
Bela Diaz, 6, and her five other children donned headphones in a room lined with computers and began choosing from hundreds of audio loops in the music software program GarageBand. As the diminutive producers danced and swayed in their seats, tiny clattery riffs leaked out of their headsets and filled the room.
What the children didn't know on a recent Monday afternoon was that Ms. Crawford, 27, was more than just a teacher. She is a music therapist who helps children cope with the stress of not having a permanent place to call home. Since 2015, therapists working at the Brooklyn Academy of Music have regularly visited a shelter for 158 families in the Brownsville neighborhood run by the nonprofit organization Kamba.
Toby Williams, director of the conservatory's music therapy program, which serves more than 2,000 people a year, said: “It's a great time for children and teens to talk about what they're going through, especially while they're going through it.'' It's not easy,” he said. “Music provides an opportunity for people to process trauma in a different way.”
The city has been offering free online therapy to teenagers since last year, and earlier this month Mayor Eric Adams announced that 16 mental health clinics for students would open in the coming months within schools in Brooklyn and the Bronx. .
Jocelyn Carter, administrator of the city's Department of Homeless Services, said the conservatory's music therapy program “really helps kids be kids.”
Bella and her brother Aiden took turns blending the rhythm track and three melodies in a minor key. Crawford and an intern therapist helped with the technical aspects. Then everyone took turns playing the beat on the speakers.
Two 10-year-olds, a girl and a boy, performed their songs. After a 30-second percussive procession, the drums died out and the organ swirled into the mix. They explained that their planet Muzi had a house with trees growing inside it and vents for fresh air. “This star also welcomes you warmly,” the girl wrote.
Bella and her four siblings have been living in the shelter since 2021. The beat she and Aiden created started out slow and dense, punctuated by the whoosh of a rocket ship. A minute later, it dissolved into gentle syncopated pulses as the instruments fell one by one on her. Everyone applauded.
Bella said their planet is called Bronx. “And we're heading there!” She was right. Recently, her parents found a landlord who would accept rent subsidy vouchers. The family moved into the apartment on April 20th.
Mr. Crawford had a question for Mr. Vera. “At first it seemed like there was a lot going on, but by the end it was very calm. Was there a reason for it?”
“Aiden and I were writing a song and we listened to it and it was the best song ever!” Bella said.
Bella's older brother, Joe Angel, 7, said the brothers' songs were “a little New York-ish” and reminded him of “Kittens and Flowers,” especially roses.
Bella gave a thumbs up. “My name is Bella Rose,” she said. “I'm going to name my planet 'Bronx Rose.'”
“Bella, I love it,” Crawford said.
After the session, Crawford shared his theory. The busy part of the song “I interpreted as everything that's going on with moving,” she said. The quiet part, she said, is that Bella has “settled into her place.”
Crawford said she has noticed something about the children over the past year and a half at the shelter. until they become adults. ”
The shelter has two music therapy groups, one for younger children and one for older children. A few years ago, a 12-year-old girl named PS on the show said, “I've been in and out of the house/I've always been alone/With just a little bit of support/We're here.'' He recorded a song in which he raps, “I had to.” Continue the trial. ”
At a recent session for teenagers, everyone went around the circle singing “Hello” and “How's it going?”
“I'm angry right now,” said the girl, whose hair was combed completely over her eyes.
“Why are you angry now?” Ms. Crawford asked.
“Because when I was in school, I was just thinking about myself, and then this guy kicked me out with his other friends because I didn't give him the answers to the test,” she said. said.
A few minutes later, everyone was playing a game of hot potato while playing drums. The girl with her hair in her eyes grinned and beat her drum and passed the drum to her neighbor.