Community Highlights: Meet Izzey Donovan of Music Izz Groovy – Music Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Izzey Donovan. 

Hi Izzey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Music Izz Groovy – Music Services is the beginning of an amazing adventure for me; not just as a Board-Certified Music Therapist, not just as a violinist, violist, or private instructor, but as a woman who has strived for many years to have her own business. My name is Isabella (Izzey) Donovan, and I am the founder of Music Izz Groovy (MIG). Music has always been my constant stream of happiness all throughout my life, and from a young age, I knew that I was meant to make a difference in my community through this passion. 

My life as a musician began in fifth grade, in my elementary school’s orchestra program. From the day we rented my first violin, my family and I were enamored by the hold that music had on me; I always wanted to practice and learn new songs. One of my favorite things to do (then and now!) was to learn songs by ear that my friends and family loved. By sixth grade, I was playing the entire Black Parade album by My Chemical Romance without music. Fast-forward to high school, and I knew that merely performing wasn’t enough – I was destined to become a Music Therapist. I knew that only playing violin wouldn’t cut it, so I began learning the guitar, piano, viola, and cello my senior year. I was awarded the National High School Orchestra Award in 2013 for my dedication to music. 

I earned my Bachelor’s of Music in Music Therapy from Cleveland State University in 2017. My studies in viola, guitar, and piano continued, and voice lessons began. On top of these musical endeavors, becoming a Music Therapist also requires training in anatomy, statistics, and research methods, and specialized training in special education, behavioral health, end-of-life care, and working with individuals of varying backgrounds and abilities. After completing coursework at CSU, I completed a full-time internship at New Avenues to Independence, where I worked with children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Finally, I earned my Board-Certification as a Music Therapist in 2019! I held full-time positions at a local nonprofit as well as a family-owned music store before starting Music Izz Groovy. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in the arts – specifically creative arts therapies – has certainly had its obstacles. As a profession that is fairly new, Music Therapy is something that I constantly advocate for. Music therapy is a profession supported by a Code of Ethics, a clearly defined Scope of Practice, and a Code of Professional Practice. Rigorous assessments determine whether a client should receive music therapy. 

Much of my work has been community-based and involves me traveling to many locations throughout the week. A common misconception of what I do as a therapist is that I “sing at people and make them happy.” I’m frequently greeted by classroom teachers with something along the lines of, “Hey, the music’s here!” completely neglecting to acknowledge my persona and myself. All this being said, advocacy is one of my favorite parts of my career! I love telling people all of the wonderful things that I do during a session – here’s a great example: 

What you might see is kids having a blast with the parachute as music plays; what I see as a Music Therapist is that as well, but also opportunities for following one and two-step directions, impulse control, teamwork, color identification, relationship building, gross motor development and building upper-body strength, consciousness of self, and more! 

Another challenge in my career and as a female business owner has been advocating for the “value” of my services – not just as a Music Therapist but as a performer and an educator. I’ve been told that my work should be charity, that the “exposure is enough” when playing music for a wedding, and that I’m lucky to be married because I “can’t possibly” make enough money to support myself by doing what I do. Having a business is something that takes so much time, patience, perseverance, confidence, and so does being a Music Therapist. So does being a performer, so does being an educator, so does being -human-! 

Though I am just at the beginning of this endeavor, I couldn’t be more grateful to be at this point in owning a business. I will always advocate for not just what I do but also for the people I do this for; the kids that look forward to music day every week, the adults that get to release some of their tension from their day-to-day in a drum circle, the elderly folks that I visit in memory-care and their loved ones that get a glimpse of their person being happy and “themselves” again. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Music Izz Groovy – Music Services. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Music Izz Groovy (MIG) aims to provide quality and accessible music services to individuals of all backgrounds, all walks of life, and all abilities. MIG believes that music and kindness go hand-in-hand; no matter if we are providing live music for your special event, music in your classroom or library, or teaching you one-on-one, there will always be kindness in our work. My passion for assisting clients and students with developing their love for music grows each day – and helping them to also achieve things beyond musical goals is an even greater joy. 

MIG is pleased to offer the following services to the Northeast Ohio region: 

Early Childhood Music Programs: 

Evidence-based practice is at the forefront of what Music Izz Groovy aims to provide, but who says that it can’t be fun? We utilize all elements of music, rhythm, melody, dynamics, and more to help support the development of the children we work with – academic, behavioral, communicative, social, and cognitive skills are just the beginning. We are pleased to have experience working with public libraries, recreation centers, public and parochial preschools and elementary schools, churches, birthday parties, dance studios, early childhood PTA groups – the list goes on. We would love to bring music to your programming! 

Private Lessons 

Music Izz Groovy offers private, one-on-one lessons to students of all ages and abilities on the following instruments – violin, viola, guitar, and ukulele. Private lessons are specially designed for each student individually, highlighting their strengths, establishing their musical goals, and teaching with kindness at the forefront. With background and years of experience having a teaching studio, Music Izz Groovy is the perfect fit for musicians at any point in their musical journey. 

Music Therapy 

Music Therapy is the evidence-based use of music to achieve non-musical goals. Music Therapy services span across many avenues, including but not limited to adapted music lessons for individuals of all abilities, music appreciation and songwriting groups, individual music therapy sessions, music and memory groups in memory care communities, neurologic music therapy with stroke patients, music for end-of-life care, and more. Wondering if you or someone you love could benefit from Music Therapy? Please email Izzey at izzey@musicizzgroovy.com with questions. 

Special Event Music 

Music Izz Groovy offers professional music services for weddings, church services and events, funerals/end-of-life celebrations, community arts events, private parties, and corporate events, recording sessions, fundraisers, and more. Collaborating with other professional musicians in our community, Music Izz Groovy looks forward to the chance to bring the joy of live music to any and every type of event in the greater-Cleveland area – and beyond! 

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I frequently use apps in my Music Therapy practice, and one of the coolest ones that I use with children is called “Bloom” and it was created by musician Brian Eno. It is available for Apple devices. To quote its description on the app store, “Part instrument, part composition and part artwork, Bloom’s innovative controls allow anyone to create elaborate patterns and unique melodies by simply tapping the screen.” This app gives me the chance to introduce kids to the world of creating their own music with the impulse control of using only one finger! It’s a great tool to use when getting ready to wrap up an energetic session, it can be used to help children decompress before nap time, and it encourages children to patiently wait their turn and follow one and two-step directions. A real game-changer! And the music ALWAYS sounds fantastic! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.musicizzgroovy.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/musicizzgroovy
• Facebook: facebook.com/musicizzgroovy