A Music Therapist's Portrait: Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC
A Portrait: Christine Stevens, Music Therapist, Author, Speaker
Interview by: Annalena Horl
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Christine, when did music interest you and when did you start drumming?
First of all, I thought I had no sense of rhythm at all. I almost failed the percussion class at college. But then a drum circle changed my life. I learned to play congas and improvise freely.
How would you describe your personal philosophy regarding drums and their magic?
For me, drums are a portal to musical expression. Their simple handling, their spiritual depth and historical significance, as well as scientifically proven evidence of their healing effects, make them an instrument of transformation, healing, prayer and fun.
When did you get to know the Kalimba Sansula?
That was during a national conference for music therapists. I tried them out and bought two of them.
How do you use the Sansula and what are the possibilities of using the instrument? What effect does the Sansula have on your students and listeners?
I use the Sansula in my healing drum groups, in which we practice the healing rhythm with every participant. These can be seniors, cancer patients or even companies. The sound of the Sansula is always calming and mystical.
Do you think the Sansula could be considered a “serious” instrument?
Of course!
About Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC
It is said that Christine Stevens does not just teach drumming, but that her hours are a mixture of magic, fun and holistic healing processes. Christine Stevens holds master degrees in two areas: social work and music therapy. She works with people from all over the world in the form of drum and percussion circles and introduces the magical world of rhythm. She is the founder of UpBeat Drum Circles and has often been a guest on TV shows with renowned US channels such as NBC, PBS and KTLA. In addition, she worked as a speaker on the DVD project "Discover the Gift" and wrote "Music Medicine", "The Healing Drum Kit" and "The Art and Heart of Drum Circles". In her career, she taught and coached trainers from more than twenty-five countries in the HealthRythm program, in the evidence-based REMO group. Christine has worked with many Fortune 500 companies, but also with survivors of Hurricane Katrina, students at Ground Zero, and recently led her first percussion group in a war zone in northern Iraq.
Learn More about Christine at: UpBeat Drum Circles
Christine currently offers a course on the Shift Network: The Flute as Sound Medicine.
- Open your heart and expand your world through the transformative power of the flute
- Join us in a musical prayer and ceremony for peace, transformation & awakening
- Discover the flute as a tool for mindfulness, inner peace & heart-guided ways of being
- Discover how the flute can help you move through grief, fear, and pain
- Discover the flute as a gateway to healing, mindfulness & personal transformation
- Discover how the healing power of the flute can help you navigate difficult times
Blog posts
Explore our Earth (C-Major) Collection
All of our instrument groups: Monochord, Tinka Tongs, Kalimbas & Sansulas, Koshi and Zaphir Chimes are available in this tuning
Explore our Air (A-minor) Collection
All of our instrument groups: Monochord, Tinka Tongs, Kalimbas & Sansulas, Koshi and Zaphir Chimes are available in this tuning
Explore our Water (d-minor) Collection
Learn more about the Instruments of this collection and watch our bautiful videos
Explore our Fire (G-Major) Collection
The products are already available and the videos going to be released Autumn 2025
Sounded utterly enchanting right out of the box!
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Zaphir Chime D-minor we ordered the wrong color The tones of this chime are beautiful. I have it hanging where I can walk by and play it often.
The items arrived in a timely fashion. Thanks for a smooth transaction!
the craftsmanship, (and craftswomanship) is incredible, and her sound. so resonant and otherworldly. I'm so happy with my new Monolina in G. I can't wait to play her for my community. Thank you Gabriele for your outstanding customer service.
This has such a lovely sound! I can’t wait to start learning how to play!
A few years ago I became casually interested in the Kalimba because of its simplicity of design and playability. Without experience or a good point of reference I needed to taste a lot of flavors to sort out the choices. For a while, my discards kept the local Goodwill store supplied with inventory.
The feeding frenzy stopped when I discovered Hokema. Build and material quality is professional grade. The tines are not stiff, so you can play at any intensity without stressing a thumb nails. Resonance from the solid wood base and the resulting sustain are simply stunning. Even the high notes sing, unlike the flat 'tapping an aluminum pan' sound from my discards.
I first purchased the B-17, and later the smaller B-17 Mini. Comments above apply to both. There is no problem holding, playing, or carrying around either instrument. The Mini's smaller footprint might be more comfortable for small hands. I just like the smaller package. Because the B-17's wood block is wider, it has more space between the tines. Both instruments appear to use the same tine assembly materials, but the Mini has a shorter cross bar. The Mini's tine spacing is grouped, but they can be adjusted to make the spacing more uniform like the B-17. In that mode, even with the smaller block the tine spacing is noticeably wider than some other Kalimbas I've tried. My thumbs are average width for a 5'8" person and my nails are normally rounded (not pointed), and I have no trouble playing individual notes.
Tablature is available around the net for 17-key Kalimbas (RiffSpot has a nice ebook), so you can play tunes without reading music on both the B-17 and B-17 Mini.
Hokema kalimbas are as nice sounding as any I have ever heard. WPWT provides fast shipping and quick responses to inquires.
Enjoyable to use and very good quality for more percussive techniques.
These chimes are exquisite, and We Play Well Together is a great company to purchase from.
Highly recommended!
I have a Monolina for my Sound Healing practice, but wanted a monilini for myself. I am so happy with my purchase. It is perfect!
I bought a Sansula deluxe at We play well together. The service was exceptionnal and I received it within 4 days. The Sansula's sound is simply magic. So rich and vibrant. It creates an ambiance of it's own.
Really happy and satisfied about this purchase.
I just took the week-long monochord training with Joule and fell in love with my Monolina. Joule is a fun, engaging and knowledgeable teacher who brings deep reverence to her instruments and the art of playing them. We got to experiment with and experience all the different ways of expressing through our monochords and came away with a proven, complete and beautiful 45-minute session we can now offer. I highly recommend this class.
Quick delivery, wonderful company and lovely instrument!
It is always a pleasure to speak to Gabriella and her customer service is top notch
this set is legit sounds like little angels 😇
I am new to the Monolina world but have been around stringed instruments all my life. I'm so excited about its possibilities as a solo instrument for use in Reiki, as well as in an ensemble setting. It helps me to meditate as well.
R
Used Monolina XL Low C We have a full set of crystal bowls, and the low C monochord adds a wonderful depth to their sounding. I also find myself humming/singing over the low C drone in a quite natural way. Very happy with my new instrument.
I've wanted to purchase a Sansula ever since I first heard one, two years ago. I finally purchased one and upon receiving it was disappointed in it's sound. Customer service was extremely helpful and promptly replaced it. Couldn't have been a better experience. I highly recommend the instrument and the company is top notch.
Works well. Delighted to have the ability to tune my Sansula myself.
We Play well together has been a resource for instruments for, at least, 5 years. The quality of the instruments, customer service, kindness and expertise of the staff has been a huge bonus and blessing in our interactions. I am grateful for their service, friendliness and flexibility. thank you so very much VLamura
These mallets are super fun to use and I love the sounds they create. I purchased a pair of each set of mallets and I love them all so much, I'm planning on keeping the pair I thought I would send back originally.
I have a set and love these so much. They are well made, and the sound is solid and carries well in small and large spaces. Highly recommend!
Wonderful instrument. It’s easy to travel with and well crafted. Customer service is wonderful as well. Very responsive. I am always impressed with the attention to customer service and care of the instruments. This instruments complement my crystal singing bowls and monalina nicely.
My G Monolina is perfect! Beautiful to play in a group, as well as on the body.