- Hello everybody, I'm Satori Shakoor.
Welcome to Detroit, performs live from Mary Grove, where Detroit's talented artists take the stage and share insights into their performances.
The episode you are about to see is curated by our partner organization, FAR Therapeutic Arts and Recreation.
They brought us a few of their clients to perform their craft.
So come on, it's time for Detroit Performs: Live from Mary Grove.
- [Announcer] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, the Kresge Foundation, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
(upbeat music) - Hello everybody and welcome to Detroit, performs live from Mary Grove.
I'm honored to be sitting here with Pamela Ayres, president of FAR Therapeutic Arts and Recreation.
Hi, Pamela.
- Hi, thank you so much for having me.
- Oh, I'm excited to hear about your organization.
Now what is FAR Therapeutic Arts and Recreation?
- FAR is a very special place that's been around since 1951.
We provide creative arts therapy for any age and any diagnosis and that's very, that makes FAR very special because there's a lot of organizations out there that do music therapy or art therapy, but we provide all the creative arts disciplines for any age and any diagnosis.
So music therapy, art therapy, dance movement therapy and recreational therapy.
- [Satori] So can you describe one of your artists coming in and using one of the art forms as therapy?
- Yeah, absolutely.
So performance is not part of everybody's therapy plan.
It's only part of some of our individuals, a small portion actually, but for those that really want to be empowered by being on stage, it's a wonderful opportunity.
So like Leo or Asia or our Phat Beats Group that's gonna be performing today, they are so excited and I always say one of my favorite parts is watching the parents and the grandparents when the kids are performing on stage because a lot of times, they don't have the opportunity to see their individuals perform and FAR gives them that opportunity and it's just a special place.
- Can you say a little bit more about the individual artists and what they're bringing?
- Absolutely.
So we have Leo Palmer, and Leo's going to be performing with a long time supporter of FAR, Steve Acho, who's a local performer here in Detroit and he wrote a song called In My Shoes and the first time I heard it I said, "Leo needs to sing this song."
So now we joke around and we say it's Leo's song instead of Steve's song and then we have our Phat Beats Group, who, they're gonna be working with Mr. Patrick, who's their music therapist and it's a group of great guys who do percussion.
They name themselves Phat Beats and they've been around working together, some of the guys for over 10 years and again, that makes FAR really special because a lot of organizations you might age out, but at FAR, you always have a home and you're always welcome and then Asia.
Asia has been a FAR client for over 20 years.
Her mom, Addell, has served on Detroit public television's board of directors and she's a special young lady with a voice and I can't wait for everybody to hear her sing.
- And how do people find you?
- So we're in over 30 schools, in over 17 different school districts.
We have three locations.
We have our main footprint, which is out of the first Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and for those individuals who can't afford us, we never turn anybody away based off their ability to pay.
We always make sure that they have an opportunity to perform at FAR.
So we have our FAR Friends scholarship fund in the event that we do every October, actually October 19th this year, which is right around the corner and you'll see some of our same performers who are performing today on Detroit performs on the stage of the Sullivan Performing Arts Center and then we have another location out of Macomb County in St. Thomas Community Presbyterian Church and then through the Maxim Marjorie Fisher Foundation, they gift us a grant to be able to do music therapy free of charge to Wayne County residents out of the DSO.
- Thank you, Pamela.
- Thank you so much for the opportunity to allow our FAR friends to be here.
- So we're gonna be heading to the stage now to hear Leo and a song written by Steve Acho.
(subtle piano music) ♪ I've seen the sun rise and I've seen it fall ♪ ♪ I've been through dark times ♪ And I still see the beauty of it all ♪ ♪ I had the stars and planets all aligned ♪ ♪ Sometimes you win, sometimes you get taken for a ride ♪ ♪ But I won't apologize, no ♪ That would be my demise, I ♪ Stand here and recognize I've paid my dues ♪ ♪ I'm growing to be more comfortable in my shoes ♪ ♪ Live long enough to have some enemies ♪ ♪ But a jury of my peers would say that they love me ♪ ♪ I don't always seem to have the perfect words ♪ ♪ And if I say the wrong thing then I'm sure to be hurt but ♪ ♪ Even monkeys fall from trees ♪ You can't preach courage from your knees ♪ ♪ I'm standing in my ground even if I lose ♪ ♪ I'm growing to be more comfortable in my shoes ♪ ♪ Isn't it a shame how so many think the same ♪ ♪ My luck is down, the river's low ♪ ♪ I can't stay here, there's someplace else I've got to go ♪ ♪ To find me ♪ I shifted forward just to fall right back ♪ ♪ I learned to see abundance where others only see lack ♪ ♪ You play that win or lose when summer slide in ♪ ♪ There are ways to play the game so that everyone's invited ♪ ♪ But I follow what the wiser say ♪ ♪ I can't please them all anyway ♪ ♪ I co-create the destiny I choose ♪ ♪ I'm growing to be more comfortable ♪ ♪ Growing to be more comfortable ♪ ♪ I'm growing to be more comfortable in my shoes ♪ (subtle piano music) - We are back from that beautiful performance by Leo with Steve Acho and I'm sitting here with Steve now.
Hi.
- Hi, thanks for having me.
- So how did you find your way to FAR?
- I found my way through my friend Pam who was running the organization several years ago.
She asked me to perform and I got to find out what they do and it's really my, I've gotten to see, like witness firsthand over the last 10, 12 years or so, some of the transformations and you know, imagine a child who's nonverbal or has extreme social anxiety, can't be in public and they're in this art therapy program and then they're in front of hundreds of people performing or singing.
There isn't a dry eye in the room, right, when that happens and so it's just like, it's transformative and Leo's a really good example of that.
I think that him being part of the community is deeper than just seeing his accomplishments and his talent, but I've gotten to see him grow just from being part of this community into this incredible, intelligent, confident man that I'm so proud of and you know, seeing that kind of transformation firsthand is something that makes it easy to believe in the mission.
- And what did he perform with you today?
- Today, so I wrote, this is an original song that I wrote last year and released it called In My Shoes and it's about getting to an age or a stage in your life where you recognize your imperfections and your insecurity, but you're comfortable with who you are as a person and that, I believe Leo thought I wrote that song for FAR, for the charity or him, I don't know which, but we now, even though it's called In My Shoes and that's where you'll find it, we all affectionately refer to it as Leo's song now.
So it resonated with him and I'm happy that it did.
- So in working with FAR, obviously you're inspired.
So how does it help or change you in some way to work with the organization and the kids and the clients?
- I think in the time that I've worked with them, because I've been in the audience, right?
I've been a witness to these transformations and I know how powerful that is.
So now when I write or I perform, even if I'm performing a song that I didn't write, I'm looking to do it in a way where I'm thinking, I want to make people feel like I felt, I want to instill that in other people.
I think more about when I start, like what is the emotion that I want to evoke?
And I've been so inspired by the transformation that some of the clients have made that it's like I want to help make that transformation in other people and connect.
- Thank you Steve for that wonderful conversation.
- Thank you.
- And now we're headed back to the stage to see a great performance by Asia Anderson.
♪ You're broken down and tired ♪ Of living life on a merry go round ♪ ♪ And you can't find a fighter ♪ But I see it in you, so we gonna walk it out ♪ ♪ And move mountains ♪ We gotta walk it out ♪ And move mountains ♪ And we'll rise up ♪ Rise like the day ♪ We'll rise up ♪ Rise unafraid ♪ I'll rise up ♪ And I'll do it a thousand times again ♪ ♪ And we'll rise up ♪ High like the waves ♪ We'll rise up ♪ In spite of the ache ♪ We'll rise up ♪ And we'll do it a thousand times again ♪ ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ When the silence is un-wired ♪ And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe ♪ ♪ And I know you feel like dying ♪ ♪ But I promise you, we'll take the world to it's feet ♪ ♪ And move mountains ♪ Bring it to his feet ♪ And move mountains ♪ And we'll rise up ♪ Rise like the day ♪ We'll rise up ♪ Rise un-afraid ♪ I'll rise up ♪ And I'll do it a thousand times again ♪ ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ All we need, all we need is hope ♪ ♪ Thankful that we have each other ♪ ♪ Thankful that we have each other ♪ ♪ And we will rise ♪ We will rise ♪ We will rise up ♪ We will rise ♪ I'll rise up ♪ Rise like the day ♪ I'll rise up ♪ In spite of the ache ♪ I will rise a thousand times again ♪ ♪ I will rise up ♪ High like the waves ♪ I'll rise up ♪ In spite of the ache ♪ I'll rise up ♪ And I'll do it a thousand times again ♪ ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you ♪ For you (subtle piano music) - We are back from the stage from that beautiful performance by Asia Anderson and it's my honor to be sitting here with Asia's mom, Addell.
Hi Addell.
- Hi.
How are you?
- [Satori] Very good, thank you.
So how long have you been part of FAR?
- So Asia actually started going to FAR I think she was four years old and she's 28 now, so almost 25 years.
We noticed that when she was first diagnosed on the autism spectrum that, you know like a lot of kids on the spectrum, she kept to herself, she wasn't at all outgoing but what FAR did was really open up worlds of possibilities for her.
Made her much more outgoing, much more open to other people.
- [Satori] So what was the name of the song that Asia sang today?
- Asia sang Rise Up.
It's a actually a song that she sung several times before in different venues, but she really enjoys that song.
- [Satori] I know you're a proud mama, but can you just tell us about all the chill bumps you got out there watching your daughter perform?
- As many times as I've seen her perform, it always thrills.
It's always a thrill.
I just really, you know, am in awe, first of all with her talent and that when she gets on the stage, she really lights up.
She takes in the atmosphere and you can feel it, you know, it comes across to you so you know, it's always a joy.
- [Satori] So you said that Asia's been with FAR since she's four.
- Yes.
- And now she's 28.
- 28.
- So that's a, that's a long stretch of growth.
- Yeah.
- How has she grown?
- FAR has really impacted her growth and you know, and as she has grown up, you know, to become an adult she's much better, you know, for having gone through FAR and I, and if I could add one other thing and that is how caring not only the therapist but also the staff is.
After all this time, everybody knows her name and they really spend, you know, the time and really help her out as a human being and so we definitely, you know, my husband and I definitely appreciate what FAR brings and after all this time, you really feel like part of a family.
Not that you're going to a program, but you're actually being with people you love.
- Thank you so much, Addell.
- Oh, it was my pleasure.
- And we're headed to the stage to see Phat Beats.
(subtle piano music) (subtle piano music) (subtle piano music) (subtle piano music) (subtle piano music) ♪ Stop you're crying, it will be all right ♪ ♪ Just take my hand, hold it tight ♪ ♪ I will protect you from all around you ♪ ♪ I will be here, don't you cry ♪ ♪ For one so small, you seem so strong ♪ ♪ My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm ♪ ♪ This bond between us can't be broken ♪ ♪ I will be here, don't you cry ♪ ♪ Cause you'll be in my heart ♪ Yes, you'll be in my heart ♪ From this day on, now and forever more ♪ ♪ You'll be in my heart ♪ No matter what they say ♪ You'll be here in my heart, always ♪ ♪ Why can't they understand love the way we feel ♪ ♪ They just don't trust what they can explain ♪ ♪ I know we're different but deep inside us ♪ ♪ We're not different at all ♪ And you'll my heart ♪ Yes, you'll be in my heart ♪ From this day on, now and forever more ♪ ♪ Don't listen to them 'cause what do they know ♪ ♪ We need each other, have to hold ♪ ♪ They see in time ♪ I know ♪ When destiny calls, you must be strong ♪ ♪ You got down there being with you ♪ ♪ You have to hold on ♪ They'll see in time ♪ I know ♪ 'Cause, 'cause you'll be my heart ♪ ♪ Yes, you'll be in my heart ♪ From this day on, now and forever more.
♪ ♪ Oh, oh you'll be in my heart ♪ No matter what they say ♪ You'll be here in my heart ♪ Always ♪ Always.
(upbeat drumming) - [Man] Yeah, there we go.
(applause) - We are back from the stage from seeing Phat Beats and I'm here with music therapist, Patrick Heber.
Hi Patrick - Hi Satori, how are you?
- Very good.
So what is a music therapist?
- A music therapist is a person who uses music in basically any way they're able to, to help accomplish either individual or group goals or objectives for either a person on an autism spectrum or cognitively impaired, but you also see music therapists in hospitals or you know, working in a number of different settings and populations throughout the country.
- So you love what you do?
- [Patrick] Yes, sometimes I, you know, you go in and like the group I see Phat Beats, it's at five o'clock on Thursday, so that's like late in the week, like I'll be honest, usually pretty tired from schools.
Like, so I go in like, and I'm thinking, okay, I have to like gear up and provide a ton of energy for them and be at my best and all this and most of the time, they're the ones providing me the energy and they're the ones that that lift me up and you know, if I can just do my, my small part, I'm just like along for the ride and one of the group and then it really feels, it's really magical to be, to experience that.
I'm really fortunate and blessed.
- [Satori] What was the selection that we heard?
- The selection I chose for today was You'll Be In My Heart.
It's by Phil Collins from, often Heard from the movie Tarzan and I just love that song.
Not only musically, I think it's just a beautiful musical piece, but the lyrics and the sentiment is just, I think it really captures just a beautiful emotion of any relationship, of somebody just caring for another person.
- [Satori] And how do the clients, how do they respond to music therapy and why is music therapy important?
- I think the clients, if you have a good session, you know, which is obviously the goal, everybody leaves and feels better, either better about themselves and better about the experience they just had and hopefully, they feel more confident.
When used effectively, music therapy really provides a great service to kids in of all ages as far as, not only working on their, a specific goal, whether it's, you know their coordination or a cognitive skill or a musical skill, but just having that, that connection with the therapist and giving them that, that confidence to be the best version of themselves and be proud of who they are.
I think that's really important and that's, I'd say the main thing that music therapy provides.
- Thank you, Patrick for being here.
- Thank you for having me.
- And thank you for watching Detroit Performs Live from Mary Grove and we'll see you next time.
- [Narrator] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, the Kresge Foundation, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
(upbeat music)