January 2025
Hello –
Happy New Year! As we welcome 2025, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your support throughout 2024. It was a remarkable year at NMTS, filled with growth and connection through music.
This year, we are excited to continue our mission of creating lasting change in the lives of individuals of all abilities. We are developing new programs, expanding existing programs, and continuing to move forward with our outdoor renovations, providing a beautiful space for our participants and their families.
I invite you to join us in this journey—whether through volunteering, attending events, or spreading the word about our programs. Together, we can build a vibrant community where every voice is heard. Thank you for being part of the NMTS family. Here’s to a joyful and peaceful 2025!
Manal Toppozada, Executive Director and Founder
Music as Motivation in the New Year
Happy New Year! A new year can bring many ways to create or maintain our goals. Research shows that music that we enjoy can motivate us and exercise our skills that help us focus, remember, and plan. You can use music for almost any goal you have. It can be a goal to learn something new (like learning an instrument), or a goal to exercise your memory (using or writing a song to help you remember your grocery list). It can be used to express yourself through singing or listening to a song that makes you feel validated, or it can be used to motivate you to complete a task like cleaning or exercising. Music can be an awesome thing to use to stay motivated in the new year. 10/10 would recommend.
- Sam White, MT-BC, LPMT
Giving Tuesday
Great news from our “Giving Tuesday” campaign!
Thanks to you, we not only MET our goal, we SURPASSED it! So there’s really only one thing left to say . . .
Out and About
December was a short month, but we still had plenty of fun!
We welcomed hosted the annual NMTS Holiday Party in the Jerry Smith Auditorium. In addition to performances from Local Vocals and The Note-Ables, participants and their families enjoyed holiday treats and a visit from Santa! Speaking of Local Vocals, they had a very busy month, spreading holiday cheer at Reno-Tahoe International Airport and appearing on KOLO, Channel 8’s “Morning Break” program.
Volunteer Opportunity!
Do you enjoy decorating for holidays and parties? NMTS is starting a decoration committee to help make the building festive throughout the year!
For example, the Fun Friday event in January is an 80's Dance Party, and we have a supporter event coming up with a New Orleans theme. Then there's ALL the holidays!
If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to Wendy at wendy@nmtsreno.org or 775.324.5521.
We’re hoping to have our first meeting SOON, so please reach out soon if you are interested!
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
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10:00 - 11:00 am at NMTS
Come join your fellow music lovers in an informal jam session! All levels are welcome. Feel free to bring your own instruments or borrow one of ours. Open to all ages and ability levels!
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Every Monday | 5:00 - 6:00 pm at NMTS
Learn circle, line, contra, and square dancing from a live caller in our new Country Dance class, every Monday, starting January 6th.
Classes are $50 / month (sliding scale available).
Call 775.324.5531 to register or for more information.
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10:15 - 11:00 am
The Food bank of Northern Nevada brings its “Produce on Wheels” program to the east parking lot of NMTS from 10:15 - 11:00 am on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
If you’re age 60 or older, come by and get some free produce! You must be a Nevada resident, have a valid ID, and be willing to complete a brief Intake Form and Survey.
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4:30 - 5:30 pm at NMTS
Led by Yoga Your Way LLC founder, Nichole Schembre. Enjoy a meditative experience that bathes you in sound waves produced by instruments such as crystal singing bowls, percussion, and chimes.
FREE - Ages 12+
Comfy dress code. Blankets and mat encouraged.
Space is limited! Please RSVP here: https://bit.ly/49EkvKX
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NMTS is always looking for people who enjoy spending time giving back to their community. If you are interested in learning more about our programs and volunteer opportunities, please register for our next Volunteer Orientation (12-1pm on the 4th Friday of each month) by contacting cony@nmtsreno.org or calling 775.324.5521.
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Join NMTS and the Reno Drum Tribe Community Circle for a Drum Circle from 4pm - 7pm in the Jerry Smith Auditorium. This event is free with a $5 suggested donation to help cover costs!
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Grab your muscle shirts and parachute pants and dance the night away as we celebrate the 80’s at our first Fun Friday Night event of the year!
Event ends at 6:45 pm. Pick up is no later than 7 pm. This is an all ages event and individuals under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Event is free with a suggested $5 donation to NMTS.
Staff Playlist January 2025
We asked the staff for their musical “Guilty Pleasures” - songs that you turn up when you’re alone, but turn down when others are around.
Sam - Toto - “Africa”
One of my guilty pleasures is “Africa” by TOTO. It reminds me of when I was in college and an a capella group used to do it every year. I completely fell in love with it.
Elizabeth - Chappel Roan - “Guilty Pleasure”
I feel neither guilt nor shame for my music preferences. However, once I like an album I will listen to that one album over and over and over again. For the past month, it’s been Chappel Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” My favorite song on the album is Naked in Manhattan, but for the sake of this newsletter, I will choose Roan’s song, Guilty Pleasure.
Cony - KAROL G, Nicki Manaj - “Tusa”
Heartbroken ladies get very hot and out on the town!
Sharon - Harry Nilsson - “Coconut”
Guilty pleasure is a tough one.....here is a song that I loved as a small child and so has stayed in my brain forever - really kind of an unlikely song for a classically trained musician to like, but thought it was THE BEST in the car with my mom.
Nate - Natalie Imbruglia - “Torn”
Wendy - Ke$ha - “We R Who We R”
Embarrassingly, I know every word. But every time I hear it, I just wanna DANCE!!!!
Jon - ABBA - “Take a Chance on Me”
In the late 80’s and early 90’s I had a high-profile position at one of the leading hard rock radio stations in the country. Image was everything. But I also had a secret - in addition to loving grunge, rock, and hair-metal artists . . . I really enjoyed listening to ABBA.
Obviously, I kept that hidden from my peers and from the audience.
However, one night I had the chance to see the top European ABBA tribute band perform at a small club in Seattle. I went in, stood at the back in the dark, and at one point glanced to my right, only to find Krist Novocelic, the bass player from Nirvana, standing about ten feet away from me.
We looked at each other, nodded, and chuckled. If you know, you know.
Manal’s Song - Jimmy Eat World - “The Middle”
I have no shame about any of the music I listen to, but this is a song I will listen to over and over if I’m in the right mood, which tends to annoy those around me who don’t share my joy at belting out the lyrics at the top of my lungs.
Looking Back at 2024
Here's a quick look back at some of our favorite people and moments from the last twelve months.
Thank you for being part of our journey, and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Remember, NMTS will be closed on Monday, January 20th in observance of Dr. Martin Luther king, Jr. day
December Thank Yous
Thank you to our December donors:
Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation, Americana Arts Foundation, Lindsay Anderson, Lisa Angius, Guy and Mary Archer, Rosalind Bedell, Kendra Bertschy, Dodie Bryant, Mary Bryant, Ruth Buffa, Delores Clewe, Sara Danta, Denise Davis, Frankie Sue Delpapa, Theresa Desautels, Susan Duncan, Tiffany Dunseath, Robert Duste, Judith Ethridge, Scott Faulkner and Andrea Lenz, Genevieve Firestone, Wendy and John Firestone, Jeff Foster, Debbie and Richard Ganchan, Carolyn Gifford, Don Goldmann, Kathi Harris, Michael D. Hillman, Michael and Stephanie Hix, Nancy Hoffman, Katie Grace Foundation, Suzanne Klena, Holly Kozan, Cynthia Lake Personal Trust, Peter Lenz, Leonette Foundation, Shelby Lively, Cynthia Lu, Brad Lund and Trudy Miller, Joe Macaluso and Chris Middleton, Melanie Mahan, Francine Mannix, Jeanette Martin, Stephen Martin, Mary Ann McCauley, Patti Meals, Ashley Melendez, Derek Miller, LuAnn Miller, Judith Louise Monson, Jeanine Mooers, Donna and Scott Munson, Nancy Oesterle, Kimberly Philips, Jeanne Pomi, Ruth Pratt, Pat and Bonnie Ragains, Bill Roach, Rotary Club of Sparks, Donna Ruiz, Becky Saltenberger, Meri Shadley, Ann Silver, Jeannie Steinman, Dave Stockman, Joanne Stockman, Judy Sturmer, William Sutman, Dena Sweigart, Jennifer Tibben, Darren Tjong, Amr Toppozada, Geilan Toppozada, Gay Warner, Jack K. White, Donald Williams, Dave & Connie Wilson, Bradlyn Wissert, David Wolfe, Christine Worthington, Sandra Young, Elizabeth Zbinden
The NMTS monthly Music Makers giving crew:
Susan Boner, Dodie Bryant, Michelle Burke, Jody Call, Skyler Dillon, Leslie Doukas, Tiffany Dunseath, Cheryl Eckert, MaryLee Fulkerson, CeCelia Gable, Heather Gage, Rachel Gattuso, Mary Jo Gieseke, Karen Golonka, Carrie Harding, Beverly Hennen, Sharon Hickox and Jennie Tibbens, Daniel Hickox-Young, Jonathan Hickox-Young, Andy Hughes, Dina Hunsberger, Sandy Jacob and Mel Minarik, Ana Johnson, Nadia Khan, Lucille Knight, Michael Lahnala, Brad Lund and Trudy Miller, Deanna Lyons, Pam Macy, Lynda Mahorter, Olga Mesina, LuAnn Miller, Mary Miller, Sophie Moeller, Pauline Mooers, Lee Moran, Meghan Ochs, Lisa A. Rizzoli, Pam Miller Russell, Cindy Sabatini, Jake and Rachel Steinman, Jeannie Steinman, Judith Stewart, Julie Sulahria, Sarah and Nate Toney, Ken and Doreen Vogel, Lori and Don Welsh, Gina Wertz, Jonathan Wilson, Sandra Young, Tim Young and Jodie Barker
Thank you volunteers:
Kendra Bertschy, Jeff Bloyd, Char Choate, Jacob Davis, Cheryl Eckert, Mark Geeson, Christine Hanzlik-Wilcox, Mike Hix, Michael Lahnala, Tony Martin, Mary Ann McCauley, Greg McNie, Dr. Olga Mesina, Sophia Montgomery, Sydney Peralta, Whitney Pomi, Pat Ragains, Patti Rodriguez, Veruka Saiki, Rebecca Shipley, Jake Steinman, Dave Stockman, Lindsey Tromerhauser, Ken Vogel