A Very Special Visit: Japanese High School Students at OCMS

Hi friends,

Today, I’d like to share about a very special day at the studio this year.

In September, we had a group of high school students from Japan come visit us. Their program reached out to see if we could share about music therapy. The students were learning about different healthcare fields, and a few of them were even interested in studying music therapy. Because we believe that music can bring us together, no matter our language or way of communication, I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to share about music therapy and the work we are doing in Orange County.

They visited us near the end of their California trip. I shared a little about music therapy and what we do here at OCMS. Then we wrote a song together about their time in California. We took “California Gurls” by Katy Perry and turned it into “California Trip.” We worked through translations and two different languages, and we made it work! Great job to the students for speaking English with us. Hearing what stood out to them on their trip was so sweet, and it was fun to see their ideas turn into music in just a few minutes. That’s what I love about songwriting. Everyone gets to be part of it.

And then they surprised us! They came so prepared. They shared popular songs from Japan, played the Sakura song on flutes, and told us about traditional instruments. We loved every minute and felt honored that the students took the time to prepare their presentation and even travel with their instruments for us. Our team also answered the students’ questions, which were thoughtful. We enjoyed taking the time to share about music therapy and the work we do.

They were so kind. They gifted us a kokeshi clapper. Kokeshi are traditional Japanese wooden dolls, and this one is also a little instrument. When you twist the handle back and forth, the two wooden balls swing and tap the doll’s head to make a fun “click clack” sound, kind of like a metronome keeping the beat. It is hand painted and so cute, and it now has a special spot in the studio.

They also brought us delicious Japanese treats, and one of the students shared matcha from their village. Here’s the part that got me: they saved those treats for us their whole time in California. That was a few weeks. If it were me, those treats wouldn’t have made it one week!

Days like this remind me why I love what we do. Music really is a language everyone understands. We came together as strangers and left feeling like friends.

Thank you so much to our visitors for sharing your music, your culture, and your kindness with us. You are welcome back anytime.

See you in the studio,
Lety and the OCMS team