Film Studies Alumni Event

Last year Film Studies hosted its first Alumni Event with six alumni returning to talk to current students about their experiences after graduation. Each graduate screened samples of work, spoke about how they made it on to their respective career paths, answered questions and offered advice and encouragement. The event was hugely inspiring, thank you to everyone for making the day so rewarding!

Pioneering Music Therapy and Dramatherapy Conference

Music and Performing Arts hosted a major international conference entitled Music Therapy and Dramatherapy with Children in Educational and other Settings. It was the first conference in the UK to specifically combine music therapy and dramatherapy, with new and ground breaking discussions and debate which may influence future clinical work.

Proposals came from all over the world and across the whole of the UK from some renowned and experienced music therapists and dramatherapists. There were also some exciting joint proposals and fascinating workshops. Many of the speakers are graduates from our MA Music Therapy, which was established in 1994, and was the first MA Music Therapy training in the UK.

Anglia Ruskin PhD researcher to present findings of first ever quantitative study

Philippa Derrington's study, which formed part of her PhD research, investigated music therapy's impact on students' self-esteem, anxiety, attitude towards learning, behaviour and relationships with peers. Music therapy provides a framework for students to use music spontaneously and creatively as a means of self-expression.

Philippa, who has previously taught on the MA in Music Therapy course at Anglia Ruskin, said: "All teenagers relate to music and are actively interested in it as a way of communicating with their peers and socially identifying themselves. The stereotype of a moody, monosyllabic and dreamy teenager is usually replaced by creative, communicative and dynamic play when music is the means of expression. There are a number of ways of engaging teenagers in music therapy including a varied use of improvised and recorded music. This study has shown that music therapy can reduce anxiety, increase a student's self-esteem and helps to reduce disruptive behaviour. If subsequent studies prove the benefits of music therapy on a wider scale, then I believe there is certainly a case for it to be made available in secondary schools across the UK."

Philippa's research, which was funded by The Music Therapy Charity, was in collaboration with The Cottenham Academy and the Institute of Education in London.

Using their 'LOAf'

Becky Palmer, an Illustration PhD graduate, and Rosie Faragher, a Bristol-based artist, illustrator and writer, have launched LOAf, a magazine aimed at 'big kids and little adults'. Becky said:

The new comic will include a mixture of stories and puzzles produced by professional artists - including many Anglia Ruskin graduates - as well as contributions from young readers.

For further information visit www.loafzine.blogspot.com.