HARTFORD RANCH PRODUCTIONS Copyright 2014 For booking or media inquiries,please email: info@matthewgriswold.net View Press Kit |
For thousands of years prior to it becoming an industrialized form of commerce,
music stood as something far greater than just a source of entertainment. It was a
form of communication... to each other, future generations, and often to a higher
power. It was used as a way to brigade men and give them a cry while they
stepped onto a battle field, or even as a way to express an undying love for
someone and only be shared with one's soul mate, but one of the greatest things
it may have ever been used for was to help mankind heal in ways traditional
medicine could not.
In 2005-2006, Matthew Griswold fought as a US Army Soldier (2 Brigade Combat
Team of the 1st Armored Division based in Baumholder Germany) in the Battle of
Ramadi aka "The Ambar Awakening Project" (Al Ambar Province Iraq) which
stood as the most violent campaign of the entire Iraq War. Matthew had a number
of unique experiences that took him to being a personal bodyguard for former
President George Bush in Kuwait, training US forces on advanced weapons and
tactics, providing a high profile reconnaissance mission for an entire Brigade
Combat Team, and then being part of an Army Task Force that fought in Ramadi
Iraq along with 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Naval Special Warfare units, and
Navy SEAL Team 3. Matthew took part and carried out a number of missions
while in Ramadi, but it was a very specific day above all that stood out the most.
"The Day It Rained"!(Also a song title which is performed as the climax of the
presentation)... Matthew's tightly knit unit, whom of which lived and trained
together for over 2 years while home in Germany, took on an extremely
unfortunate event where a car bomb took half of the platoon as casualties and
forever changed the lives of everyone involved (22 persons). This happened to
take place on the only day it rained while they were in Ramadi which is were the
metaphorical acknowledgment of it being "the day it rained" came from.
"The Day It Rained" was just the beginning of a recovery story in which
Matthew now shares with the public and explaining the important role music
played as the primary form of therapy. In his 1-2 hour long presentation he
explains what, why and how certain songs have been their own form of exposure
and cognitive therapy. He also shares examples of these circumstances and
makes an effort to bring the audience to an understanding they may not have had
before.
Matthew has had the privilege and pleasure of sharing his story with thousands
of fellow veterans, family members of servicemen and women, state and federal
politicians, local and national press and he even gave his presentation to top
medical and therapy professionals at the Great Lakes Music Therapy Convention,
and then was invited to present at the American Music Therapy Convention in
Atlanta GA in 2011 where he hosted one of the highest attended presentations of
the entire convention. Matthew has presented regularly at VA Medical Centers
and to Veterans Organizations around the country. He also gave a short
presentation and performance at the Macphail Center for Music in Minneapolis
MN in 2012 to the entire Music Therapy Department (faculty, staff and clients)
which opened the door for an added program within the institution, which was
specially designed to offer musical outlets to veterans.
Intertwined with his presentation are memorable musical performances, light
hearted jokes, detailed stories, intensely personal testimonies, as well as an open
forum for discussions and questions. No matter who's is in attendance during his
presentation, no one will leave with out a new feeling of what it can be like to be a
soldier/veteran in todays world and especially while dealing with recovery and
transition from foreign conflicts. He also brings a new light in the understanding
of how important music can be even away from it being a novelty form of
entertainment. Music can be so much more and he's made it a personal mission to
prove that to as many as possible....
"Music can be the things we cannot say, the medicine we can't find at a
pharmacy, and it can help us live the life we always knew we could live when we
give it the chance." - Matthew J. Grisowld (Singer, Songwriter, OIF Veteran)
Call 651-235-9104 or email info@matthewgriswold.net for more information on
how to book Matthew to speak at your event or venue.
NOTE: Matthew is not a licensed Music Therapist and is only using his insights
as a musician, professional songwriter, and as an Iraq War veteran to provide a
unique testimony on modern Music Therapy and Veteran's Recovery and
Transition issues. All facts and information are and have been verified by AMTA
certified Music Therapists, Art Therapists, Physiologist and other medical
professionals. Information is stated as a self assessment and not as medical fact.
This presentation is intended to inspire and validate the importance of music in
the form of therapy.
music stood as something far greater than just a source of entertainment. It was a
form of communication... to each other, future generations, and often to a higher
power. It was used as a way to brigade men and give them a cry while they
stepped onto a battle field, or even as a way to express an undying love for
someone and only be shared with one's soul mate, but one of the greatest things
it may have ever been used for was to help mankind heal in ways traditional
medicine could not.
In 2005-2006, Matthew Griswold fought as a US Army Soldier (2 Brigade Combat
Team of the 1st Armored Division based in Baumholder Germany) in the Battle of
Ramadi aka "The Ambar Awakening Project" (Al Ambar Province Iraq) which
stood as the most violent campaign of the entire Iraq War. Matthew had a number
of unique experiences that took him to being a personal bodyguard for former
President George Bush in Kuwait, training US forces on advanced weapons and
tactics, providing a high profile reconnaissance mission for an entire Brigade
Combat Team, and then being part of an Army Task Force that fought in Ramadi
Iraq along with 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Naval Special Warfare units, and
Navy SEAL Team 3. Matthew took part and carried out a number of missions
while in Ramadi, but it was a very specific day above all that stood out the most.
"The Day It Rained"!(Also a song title which is performed as the climax of the
presentation)... Matthew's tightly knit unit, whom of which lived and trained
together for over 2 years while home in Germany, took on an extremely
unfortunate event where a car bomb took half of the platoon as casualties and
forever changed the lives of everyone involved (22 persons). This happened to
take place on the only day it rained while they were in Ramadi which is were the
metaphorical acknowledgment of it being "the day it rained" came from.
"The Day It Rained" was just the beginning of a recovery story in which
Matthew now shares with the public and explaining the important role music
played as the primary form of therapy. In his 1-2 hour long presentation he
explains what, why and how certain songs have been their own form of exposure
and cognitive therapy. He also shares examples of these circumstances and
makes an effort to bring the audience to an understanding they may not have had
before.
Matthew has had the privilege and pleasure of sharing his story with thousands
of fellow veterans, family members of servicemen and women, state and federal
politicians, local and national press and he even gave his presentation to top
medical and therapy professionals at the Great Lakes Music Therapy Convention,
and then was invited to present at the American Music Therapy Convention in
Atlanta GA in 2011 where he hosted one of the highest attended presentations of
the entire convention. Matthew has presented regularly at VA Medical Centers
and to Veterans Organizations around the country. He also gave a short
presentation and performance at the Macphail Center for Music in Minneapolis
MN in 2012 to the entire Music Therapy Department (faculty, staff and clients)
which opened the door for an added program within the institution, which was
specially designed to offer musical outlets to veterans.
Intertwined with his presentation are memorable musical performances, light
hearted jokes, detailed stories, intensely personal testimonies, as well as an open
forum for discussions and questions. No matter who's is in attendance during his
presentation, no one will leave with out a new feeling of what it can be like to be a
soldier/veteran in todays world and especially while dealing with recovery and
transition from foreign conflicts. He also brings a new light in the understanding
of how important music can be even away from it being a novelty form of
entertainment. Music can be so much more and he's made it a personal mission to
prove that to as many as possible....
"Music can be the things we cannot say, the medicine we can't find at a
pharmacy, and it can help us live the life we always knew we could live when we
give it the chance." - Matthew J. Grisowld (Singer, Songwriter, OIF Veteran)
Call 651-235-9104 or email info@matthewgriswold.net for more information on
how to book Matthew to speak at your event or venue.
NOTE: Matthew is not a licensed Music Therapist and is only using his insights
as a musician, professional songwriter, and as an Iraq War veteran to provide a
unique testimony on modern Music Therapy and Veteran's Recovery and
Transition issues. All facts and information are and have been verified by AMTA
certified Music Therapists, Art Therapists, Physiologist and other medical
professionals. Information is stated as a self assessment and not as medical fact.
This presentation is intended to inspire and validate the importance of music in
the form of therapy.
Matthew performing for local Iraqi Security Forces in Ramadi
Iraq 2006
Iraq 2006
Matthew presenting/performing at the Great Lakes Music
Therapy Convention in Lake Geneva WI in 2011.
Therapy Convention in Lake Geneva WI in 2011.
| Musicology Presentation & Personal Testimony Applied through therapy & education |
