Synthesis Sunday - Return to Wigram et. al.

The last little bit of Wigram et. al. that I have read to this point is the portion about the Nordoff-Robbins Model also known as Creative Music Therapy. Of all of the models presented, this is the one that intrigues me the most, probably because it fits with my preferred clientele and with my own ideas about improvisation, interaction, and engagement.

Page 126 states that Nordoff and Robbins were influenced by the ideas of Rudolf Steiner and the "anthroposophic movement in humanistic psychology." Looking at these ideas a bit more, I can see why this model has struck a chord (pun intended) with me. Some of the additional quotes from pages 126-126 that I like include:

• "within every human being there is an innate responsiveness to music, and within every personality one can 'reach' a 'music child' or 'music person.'
• "non-directive approach...the therapist the role of following and facilitating"
• "involves placing music at the centre of the experience, and musical responses provide the primary material for analysis and interpretation."
• "highly skilled musicians...predominantly trained therapists in the sophisticated use of piano...in improvised music making."
• "the music provides the therapeutic catalyst through which change will take place."
• "meet the child musically...evoke musical response...develop musical skills, expressive freedom, and interresponsiveness... (Bruscia, 1987, p.45)"

In my interpretation of Creative Music Therapy, the client plays the center role in shaping the music while the therapist engages, participates, and interprets that music. The therapist shapes the sophisticated music to the elements that the client provides. Intervals play an important part in the interpretation of music - specific intervals represent different feelings in the melody provided by the client. Triads and chords also have meanings.

I think this is a model of music therapy that I could focus on learning, except for the whole "piano emphasis" part. I am not very sophisticated when it comes to playing the piano, but I can improvise on the piano like nobody's business! I like the idea of music providing "the therapeutic catalyst through which change will take place." (p. 127).

I will be meandering through some different textbooks in the next couple of weeks, so I am going to give Wigram and everyone a break for a short period of time. See you next Sunday for some more synthesis...