You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart. -John Ford
There is something about hearing a powerful public speaker. One who can transform your position or understanding of a situation, event or topic with what they have to say. The best speakers have left a lasting impression on me. I remember the rooms I was in, the the tone of the speaker’s voice, and the way that my entire body and brain was captivated by their words, and the way in which they spoke them.
As a college student, I attended the 9th World Congress of Music Therapy Conference in 1999 and had the privilege of hearing Lorin Hollander speak. Mr. Hollander was a child prodigy who has gone on to be one of the most recognized piano performers in the world. His lecture, which he beautifully interlaced with piano music, absolutely changed my trajectory and affirmed my decision to be a music therapist. I was so moved by his presentation that I came back and transcribed the entire lecture to share it with the classmates in my music education program.
In 2012, when Brene Brown was still awaiting publication of her second book, Daring Greatly, I had the opportunity to hear her speak at the Massachusetts Conference for Women. Hearing her words and seeing her powerful and vulnerable stage presence absolutely convinced me of the transformative power of seeing a speaker and having your entire world turned upside down!
There is something about the power of public speaking that has always captivated me, and as my career has unfolded, I have been humbled to speak on many stages. I love weaving music into my presentations the way that Lorin Hollander did so brilliantly. I try to get people to share in making music to bring a group together and to prepare them for learning and growing.
I always try to remember the potential that comes from public speaking, not just for sharing ideas, but for opening minds to new ways of thinking and changing lives. Our mission is clear, Making Music – Transforming Lives, and whether we are doing it from a chair in a music therapy session, or from a stage at a conference or event, the potential for music, words and presence still thrill me.
-Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC
Learn more about where our therapists have spoken, or how to contact us to speak at an event.
-photos used with permission