august 30 - september 5 | 2017
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circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
The magic of music By KYLIE WILSON
IN HARMONY:
Judy Burns plays guitar together with songwriting workshop co-facilitator, Cat Hazell-Johansen. PHOTOS: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
WITH
ALEX
MOVIE THE HITMAN’S
BODYGUARD
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
THE late Carrie Fisher has been quoted as saying, “take your broken heart, and make it into art”. It is a motto that certainly rings true for a songwriting workshop currently being run at Wangaratta’s Mind Recovery College. The workshops are developed by Wild at Heart Community Arts and run in partnership with Mind Recovery College. And for students like Wangaratta’s Judy Burns, who lives with anxiety and depression, such workshops have helped her tap into her feelings to write a bluesy number entitled Playing With Fire. Judy has been playing music on and off over the past three decades, and gets a real kick out of performing. “I love getting up in front of people to perform,” she said, enthusing that Love Potion Number Nine (made most famous by The Searchers) and So Sad by The Everley Brothers are among her favourite songs to perform. Learning to write songs has helped Judy express herself, and she said being in a workshop environment helped demystify what can be a daunting process. “I thought it was fabulous,” Judy said. “I love to write a good song.” Mind employee, volunteer, and songwriting workshop co-facilitator, Cat Hazell-Johansen, has been involved with the organisation for a number of years, and also runs their Monday Music Madness group. She said music was a powerful therapeutic tool and also helped give people a sense of community and self-expression. “I’m really just there to help people believe in themselves,” Cat said. “It’s amazing how people start to really flourish. “They start to reframe themselves based on their strengths, and are able to safely tell their stories in their own voice.” continued page |
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