Album Reviews

Dear Margie,

Congratulations! Your CD set is a PAL Award winner! I awarded the whole set because I thought they were outstanding in each area you addressed--receptive language, expressive language, auditory discrimination and processing and just having fun singing! You managed to produce a great product for ALL kids with a sensitivity to children with special needs. – Sherry Artemenko MA, SLP-CCC

 The Film Advisory Board is pleased to announce the CD "Mixing it Up!" from Move! Sing! Play along and Learn Series has been honored with the Award on Excellent Tribute.

"Get your ears in gear" is the perfect description for the technique Music Therapy tunes uses in developing young people's audio and motor skills and for adults who require special training in these skills. "Mixing it Up!" CD shakes it all together into a powerful concoction that makes one leap for joy.

The music arrangements coupled with simple whimsical lyrics can provoke many interesting expressions that are unique to each child. This sense of understanding the simple directions of each tune can be the seed for creative development that Music Therapy Tunes offers.

“It integrates well with the general music curriculum, and works great with the inclusion kids.”

“My students ask for it every lesson!” “I keep it in my emergency substitute kit.” 

-- Carole Pearce, MS Music Ed.

“Children and parents alike will enjoy Miss Margie’s innovative songs, each one cleverly using a different style of pop music and each one ingeniously orchestrated. From the first note to the last, my kids sang and danced.”    -- Christine Bouton, Professional musician and mother of two

On the first listen my 5 and 9-year old and I were dancing up a storm”

Margie’s music encourages movement and verbal and nonverbal expression, with easy to understand directions (lyrics.) Other songs are very soothing and gentle incorporating types of language concepts necessary during the preschool years.”  -Debbie V. SLP Speech and Language Pathologist

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“My children love them. They keep playing it over and over. Even my two-year-old 

knows all the words.!”    -Patricia F. Teacher and mother of two

“Margie combines language with music to produce a valuable educational tool.”

-Jody Anne Koch M.A.CCC-SLP (Speech and Language Pathologist.)

It’s geared to the younger audience, but the music is innovative. The whole family can enjoy it.”

-Bob and Mary Ellen Lowery

“The lyrics are educational in that they challenge children’s comprehension skills. The instrumental tracks address the child’s need to be motivated through movement.”

-Scott Agnew, M.S. Ed., School Psychologist

“My kids play it in the car. They sing all the words and anticipate the movements.

They sing it at the dinner table.” -Rosemary W., O.T.R.

“The kids love it they actually say “Oh, I love that song. I want to do it again! The preschool teachers use it during their circle time. It’s been used throughout the whole interdisciplinary department. I’ve given it as a gift to two special needs kids. Their moms use it to carry over our developmental motor skills program that we started at school. It’s great for my professional work. It’s fun for me to listen to, too; I love it.” 

-Molly S., O.T.R. Occupational Therapist.

"Thanks Margie, Definitely spreading the word. I'm a teacher in a special school with children with complex needs. Really enjoy your music and can't wait to share it with the kids."

Regards M.

“Margie combines language with music to produce a valuable educational tool.”

-Jody Anne Koch M.A.CCC-SLP (Speech and Language Pathologist.)

“It’s geared to the younger audience, but the music is innovative. The whole family can enjoy it.”

-Bob and Mary Ellen Lowery

“The lyrics are educational in that they challenge children’s comprehension skills. The instrumental tracks address the child’s need to motivated to learn through movement.”

-Scott Agnew, M.S. Ed. 

School Psychologist

“My kids play it in the car. They sing all the words and anticipate the movements. They sing it at the dinner table.”  -Rosemary W., O.T.R.

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“I’ve been using your tapes for a number of purposes, such as motor planning, body awareness, cooperation, listening skills, and visual awareness, scanning and tracking. The kids love it they actrally say “Oh, I love that song. I want to do it again! The preschool teachers use it during their circle time. The physical therapist has been using the rap song to work on gross motor skills such as stamping and clapping. It’s been used throughout the whole interdisciplinary department. I’ve given it as a gift to two special needs kids. Their moms use it to carry over4 our developmental motor skills program that we started at school. It’s great for my professional work. It’s fun for me to listen to, too. I love it.” 

-Molly Mc Guire O.T.R. Occupational Therapist.

fun for me to listen to, too; I love it.” 

-Molly S., O.T.R. Occupational Therapist.

"Thanks Margie, Definitely spreading the word. I'm a teacher in a special school with children with complex needs. Really enjoy your music and can't wait to share it with the kids."

Regards M.

“They just want to listen to it constantly…in the car, in the house, in their headphones. 

They can’t get enough of it.”  -- Mary Ellen Lowery, MOT (mom of two)

“Margie’s lush voice is easy to listen to and her harmonies are fun for kids and adults to sing along with. I’ve got the Music in Me has great sounds and rhythms as do all of her songs whether they are rap, pop, jazz, folk, reggae, swing, or world music. [The title song] is ideal for incorporating “round” singing and rudimentary choreography where each group moves to a melody or harmony line....The sound is very good and the material is excellent.!

--Patricia P. Owner of SR Catalog, Distributor of fine dance and music products  

By Jim Cox

Midwest Book Review 

Music therapist and special educator Margaret La Bella presents Move! Sing! Play Along and Learn!, a set of five music CDs for children of all ages, meant to do more than just entertain. Drawing upon pop, jazz, folk, rap, swing, reggae and more styles from around the world, this series encourages children to participate, promoting their development through interaction. "Sing!" consists of action-packed songs with words and simple sentences that children can voice, promoting speech and auditory skills. "Play!" includes songs about movement, body percussion, and the use of simple rhythm instruments, encouraging children to develop their motor and rhythm skills. "Move!" features plenty of action-driven songs about following directions and learning simple physical and motion concepts. "Mixing It Up!" blends singing, movement, body percussion, and the use of simple rhythm instruments into a joyful, interactive whole. And "Sampler" collects two songs from each of the previous four albums into an eclectic medley. The entire series is a choice pick for elementary school libraries, parents, babysitters, and children's parties.