College Park
Sunshine Music & Music Therapy
with Eric Maring  "Mr. M"

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Eric Maring, known to his young students and families as “Mr. M”, is an early childhood music specialist, a music therapist, a performing songwriter, and a multi-instrumentalist.  He has traveled far and wide in his musical pursuits in the past 40 years - from his home in College Park, MD to Spain, India, Rwanda, and Peru - studying with virtuosos and singing with children and communities all along the way.  His performance highlights include playing at the Birchmere, Kennedy Center, American Art Museum, Blues Alley, and for the Dalai Lama.  He was honored to receive a Fulbright Grant to teach and perform American traditional music and dance in 2017 in Varanasi, India.  See the 2021 article on Eric in College Park Here and Now paper.

His recent projects include:

• The 15 year celebration of his Sunshine music classes for young ones in his 2024 updated studio!

• The 2024 launch of his music therapy presence in the College Park community.

• The much anticipated release of "Two Little Blackbirds, a book/audio/video project with the New England Dance Masters based on his early childhood music method.

• His 2020-21 Sunshine livestreams for children and families as well as Saturday evening ones of classic songs and originals with his son.

• Take Me For a Ride Podcast with author Mark Laxer.

• The recent release of three albums of note for young and young at heart audiences.

• A highly-acclaimed songwriting collaboration with College Park-based Americana group Paint Branch Creek.

 

Eric holds an M.Ed from the University of Maryland and is trained in the Musikgarten, Music Together, and Music Rhapsody early childhood methods. He teaches at pre-schools in the Washington D.C. area including the University of Maryland’s Center for Young Children and Levine Music early-childhood outreach program.  He practices Music Therapy with a wide range of ages including neo-natal and hospice musical care.

The Washington Post called him an "unwavering optimist...who believes in the power of positive music with all his heart and soul".