I first met the Vawters while leading a drum circle for the Freehold Special Scouts troop 454, where they earned the music merit badge.

The gig had resulted from a referral I had received from a woman I met at a different special needs drumming event that her child attends. So it was a nice little connection.

I met the father, Jamie Vawter and we talked about having me at his home to do private lessons and drumming for his family, which included his elderly mother, a delightful woman I might add, and his son Zach, who is 20 years old with low-verbal Autism.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkJuly 12, 2019Comment

Becca/Kelton: Family Support Story #7

When it comes to building trusting and loving interactions with clients over the years, there is an openness that develops, a sense of safety that one can be themselves free of judgement or condemnation. I enjoyed this level of comfort with Becca, and one day when she came into her class she went quiet and kinda smirked as she said “Can I tell you something?”.. to which I of course said, “Sure, whats up?”, and that’s when she revealed her truth to me.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkJuly 5, 2019Comment

The McDaniels: Family Support Story #6

One of the families I worked with very early on were the McDaniels. I taught DJ, the eldest son.

I first met him, and the family when I worked at Rising Star Music in Spotswood, New Jersey when I was a relatively new music teacher. I was probably about twenty years old, and so I was still able to age-relate easily to younger teens, since I wasn’t that far ahead of them life-wise. DJ was one of my guitar students, and when I eventually left the studio, he wanted to continue on with me privately, and so we worked together for several years to come. I might have been teaching him until he graduated high school, but I don’t remember that part exactly. Even after we stopped doing lessons, I would often see him and hang out, often at the gym, or at the mall.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkJune 28, 2019Comment

The Harrys- Family Support Story #5

I started working with Paul and Mike Harry around 2017, and I started them off with a father-son lesson format, something we have maintained the whole time since. They both started together, and have grown as a duo of players ever since.

Musings, Family SupportJimmy ClarkJune 21, 2019Comment

The Pepes/Clarkes- Family Support Story #4

When I think of large, tight-knit families, the Pepes and the Clarkes come right to mind for me. I taught six members of this family over the last ten years. I have basically taught all the kids, with the exception of one sister.

With the Pepes, I taught three out of four of the sons, Pat, Joe, and Gerard, and their father Jerry. They all dabbled with guitar, bass, piano, singing, some song-writing, and a whole lot of music theory. I taught them long enough to see them through middle school to college, and even a bit beyond.

Musings, Family SupportJimmy ClarkJune 14, 2019 Comment

The Melameds- Family Support Story #3

Over the years, I have been very close with the Melameds, a family I started working with in 2009 or so. I was Mike and Ethan’s first music teacher, and during our time working together I taught the boys guitar, bass, drums, piano, songwriting, theory, and about being a working musician. I had the guys take part in the various music talent showcases I hosted with my band Amber Blues, and they became friendly with other students, notably Matt and Paul Rose from Blog #1. In fact they are still friendly now, almost a decade later!!

The boys parents’ Ron and Cheryl were and are still so incredibly supportive of their ambitions, and pulled out all the stops to see that they were able to learn and develop with all the resources they could possibly need.

There is almost too much that can be said about how supportive this family is not only of their kids, but also of me, my endeavors, and others in the tribe. They come to the shows, buy the merch, offer opportunities for prosperity, and are some of the most accommodating folks you’ll ever meet.

Music Education, Musings, Family SupportJimmy ClarkJune 7, 2019Comment

The Old Woman- Family Support Story #2

Story #2: The Old Woman

Many years ago, I couldn’t even begin to guess when, but I got a call from an elderly gentleman who inquired about lessons for his eighty-five year old wife who had always wanted to play music but surprisingly never had. So this was a special type of lesson, and my first of its kind at that time.

In total I think I met with her maybe five times before she called it quits, which is still incredible. I recall those lessons being unique in the challenges that were presented. He would set us up in the living room.It seemed like a nice little break for him, as I got the impression that with her somewhat rocky state of health was a lot for him. So I was able to provide her some entertainment and exploration, while providing him a bit of a bubble to relax in for a while. In this aspect, the sessions seemed to be beneficial to all.

Musings, Family SupportJimmy ClarkMay 31, 2019Comment

The Roses: Family Support Story #1

Working with families is one of the elements at the core of what I do as a music teacher, musician, and healer. In over my 20+ years of working in my business, I have encountered so many different family dynamics, and have been able to customize my services to best serve each one in ways that are of great mutual benefit. Not all of my clients are family based, but often they are. I provide services to families with special needs, with elderly and infant members, parent and child joint sessions, and I’ve even been able to provide support in times of death, medical urgency, birth, divorce, and of course, joy. This blog series will explore some of the various experiences that I have been privileged to have a role in regarding family dynamics.

Story #1: The Roses

In 2009, I started working with a family called the Roses. I was teaching two brothers, Paul and Matt. They were both fairly young, with Paul being a teenager, and Matt, a pre-teen…

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkMay 24, 2019 Comment

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