Founded in 2012, The Birdhouse Center For The Arts is a creative hub located in the heart of Lambertville. Inspired by the core belief that music and art can transform lives, The Birdhouse strives to provide quality learning and healing opportunities for all.
One of the visionaries behind that mission is co-founderBronwyn Bird, who holds a BA in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music.
Throughout her music therapy clinical work she has provided services for a wide variety of populations including Early Intervention, at-risk youth, Adult Dayhab, Geriatrics, and individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Bronwyn, who resides in Lambertville, discovered the joys of music through Swedish, Irish, and American folk dancing, and it has been her passion ever since. She is particularly drawn to unusual instruments, including the accordion, and Nyckelharpa (keyed-fiddle), which she studied abroad in Sweden. When not engaged in clinical work, she tours both nationally and internationally as a professional musician, performing and teaching educational workshops in root music and dance. Bronwyn strongly believes that community creates music, and music in turn creates community.
A young entrepreneur and accomplished musician with the power and spirit to transform the lives of children struggling in our community,Bronwyn is being recognized as one of Hunterdon County’s Top 10 Movers & Shakers of 2015. Meet the inspirational Bronwyn Bird:
Hunterdon Happening: Where did you attend school?
Bronwyn: I grew up homeschooling and acquired my associate’s degree in Communications from Bucks County Community College. Following this I spent a year studying nyckelharpa and Sca
ndinavian music at the Eric Sahlström Institute in Sweden. Lastly, I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a BA in Music Therapy.
Hunterdon Happening: What motivates you every morning?
Bronwyn: I am admittedly not a morning person at all! However, nothing gets me out of bed like a good cup of hazelnut coffee, usually acquired at my favorite local shop “Lambertville Trading Company”.
Hunterdon Happening: What would you say is your idea of a perfect day?
Bronwyn: My favorite days are usually the ones spent outdoors. A “perfect” day would without a doubt consist of a hike in the white-mountains with my husband Justin, followed by a dip in a lake, and concluding with some epic folk jamming with friends.
Hunterdon Happening: Who inspires you?
Bronwyn: My teachers! Both the professional ones I’ve been so lucky to have within schools, as well as the one’s who are disused as everyday people but have serendipitously entered my life at just the right moments to provide much needed guidance and direction. Likewise, my students inspire me! Their passion and excitement keeps me motivated to keep learning, and finding new ways to learn each and everyday.
Hunterdon Happening: How did you decide to go into music therapy?
Bronwyn: Prior to attending Berklee, I was very involved in theater and music. I knew I wanted a life immersed in the arts but I didn’t want to play music for people, I wanted to play music with people. I also had a lot of interest in sociology and psychology. After taking an intro to music therapy course at Berklee, taught by inspirational music therapist Kimberly Khare, I knew it was the perfect combination of these things! Inspired by the idea that music and art can transform lives, my husband and I dreamed up the idea of opening our own community space that would provide music therapy, lessons, and intergenerational cultural events for people of all needs and abilities. This was the start of the Birdhouse Center for the Arts, now a creative hub located in the heart of Lambertville.
Hunterdon Happening: Which achievement are you most proud of?
Bronwyn: I would have to say, building my own nyckelharpa (a wooden 16 stringed, 42 keyed, bowed instrument that hails from Sweden).
Hunterdon Happening: Wow- that is impressive. We saw a video of you performing with the nyckelharpa (below); I can’t believe you made it! What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
Bronwyn: I am still overcoming it on a daily basis. Running our own business has been a steep learning curve for my husband and me. It requires patience and dedication on a daily basis as we strive to continue to grow and provide the best possible music therapy services and events to the community of Hunterdon County.
Hunterdon Happening: What is the biggest accomplishment that you’d like to achieve over the next 5 years?
Bronwyn: I would like to continue to grow the programs within the Birdhouse Center for the Arts and maximize its potential so that it can reach and enhance the lives of those who would not otherwise have access to much needed music therapy services. I envision future programs that unite the young and the old (and those in-between) by creating connections through music and the arts.
Hunterdon Happening: How do you think your friends & coworkers would describe you?
Bronwyn: A happy, motivated, stubborn, creative, over-achieving hippie.
Hunterdon Happening: Where’s your favorite place to go in Hunterdon County?
Bronwyn: Goat Hill! Walking here with my dog “Piper”, and taking in the year-round scenic views never gets old.
Hunterdon Happening: If you could go back in time and talk to yourself ten years ago, what advice would you give?
Bronwyn: Honestly, I don’t think I’d say anything. I think my 18 year old self actually had it pretty together and I wouldn’t want to change any of the decisions she made! But I guess if I had to, I would tell her to trust her intuition, try and worry less about what she “should be” doing in the future, and focus more on celebrating the little moments right now.
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