Music of Music Therapy Conference a great success
Jonathan Pool
PhD student in Music Therapy
“This year's music therapy conference at Anglia Ruskin was a great success. The variety in the programme reflected the diversity of thinking and practice in the music therapy profession and provided an international tone, with presenters and attendees coming from far and wide. The conference programme approached the concept of its title from many angles and at varying depths of study. Presenters addressed philosophical questions, including ones about the nature of the music of music therapy - is it relational or aesthetic, how the music itself functions in the process and in the relationship, the choice, meaning and use of song in music therapy. I found the conference timely, thought-provoking and professionally nourishing.”
It featured two keynote speakers: Rachel Darnley-Smith, from the University of Durham, and Mercédès Pavlicevic, from Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, London and Professor of Music Therapy in South Africa. Over 100 delegates attended, including over 25 students from Anglia Ruskin and elsewhere, and speakers from all over Europe.
In addition to an excellent concert performed during dinner by the MA Music Therapy students, discussions took place about the clinical processes in music therapy which have in common their recognition of the value of music as part, or all, of the means of emotional communication and therapeutic exchange. Central to some papers was the importance of the client's own musical background and how this affects the development of the musical language within the work.
Music therapy traditionally finds the appropriate type of musical intervention for the patient, and this relates to the reasons why they have come for therapy and also to their cultural background, and to the musical and psychological theories of the therapist. In this conference we had music therapists looking at the music of music therapy from many different directions.
The trained, skilled music therapist will use evidence-based practice too, to draw upon a variety of music both composed and improvised. For example, research confirms, through a Cochrane review (in the Cochrane Library), that music therapy using live music, mainly pre-composed songs and instrumental improvisation, (i.e. engaging the patient in the process), is beneficial in cutting down negative symptoms in schizophrenia, and increases motivation and social interaction. Music therapy is now included in the NICE guidelines as a beneficial therapy for people with schizophrenia.
Listening to music, however, can be beneficial for many groups of people, for example those with medical problems, when actually participating in live music might not be possible.
At the conference 26 papers were given, addressing which music to use, and how the process works in a variety of settings with children and adults. These papers covered recent research and our hope is to publish some of them during the next two years. The full conference programme can be found on The Music of Music Therapy conference page.
Jane Brackley
Music Therapist and PhD student in Music Therapy
“The conference theme, The Music of Music Therapy, seemed to draw music therapists both nationally and internationally, perhaps because it offered what delegates seemed to agree was a refreshing opportunity to go 'back to the music' of our clinical work. My experience was that the standard of papers and workshops was consistently very high: video and audio recordings were generally used to support theoretical material presented and offered particularly valuable opportunities to learn from others' approaches, thinking, ideas and practical examples of clinical improvisations or uses of music within music therapy sessions.
It was interesting and though-provoking to hear the different points of view and areas of interest of all the presenters, ranging from very experienced 'pioneers' of music therapy to speakers who had recently qualified as music therapists. The range of papers and workshops seemed to reflect the diverse research studies that therapists are currently undertaking, as well as the very different backgrounds of presenters and varied clinical settings in which music therapists now work. In addition, the inclusive atmosphere at the conference was striking and... as a delegate made it possible to make the most of opportunities for questions, comments and general discussion following presentations and at the closing plenary.”
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