Persephone - Chapter Ten and the End of Semester One

I read another futuristic description the other day - I am collecting these opinion pieces to inform one of my current projects - writing a series of essays/stories about a music therapy student who is studying 27 years from now. The most current opinion in my library is from David Leonhardt. This article is an editorial from The New York Times and offers some of the ideas that others are kicking around these days - envisioning what things will look like when the current pandemic becomes history.

I love thinking about the "what-ifs" of life. So, I've been thinking about the "what-ifs" of music therapy education and clinical training. I just put my protagonist, Persephone, through a rough clinical music examination. Today's thoughts start from where the last chapter left off...

CHAPTER TEN

Subject: Clinical Musicianship Examination Results.

Persephone's hand hovered over the message for a split second. She had never really understood the whole Shrodinger's cat concept before this moment, but she now realized what that classic psychological and philosophical thought experiment was all about. She could see two definite possibilities stretching before her - passing and failing.

Gram's voice ran through Persephone's head. "Darling, knowing is better than fretting. Just open the thing!" Smiling to herself, Persephone clicked on the message to see her results.

The results of this examination determined the classes that were on the schedule next semester. Folks who passed were placed into clinical tracks to start music therapy clinical work with a variety of clientele. If Persephone passed but only received a pass grade, she would spend some more time in clinical musicianship before starting to work in clinical practicum. If she passed at a higher level, she would be assigned a group of clients during her next semester and would get to start her practical training. If she failed, then she would be leaving the program completely.

Persephone felt that she had passed the examination, but she was not sure if she had managed to pass well enough to start practicum. Her next semester's class schedule included Continuum of Music and Humanity 2; Clinical Considerations: Older Adults; either Clinical Musicianship or Clinical Practicum; and Independent Study: Literature Review. If she had to take an additional semester of Clinical Musicianship, she would be able to continue with her education, but only on a probational basis. Since music skills were essential to the profession, the faculty members expected that all music therapy students could complete basic clinical music skills before they started to focus on the intricacies of therapy processes.

Taking a deep breath, Persephone opened her eyes to see her results. "Pass with distinction - assigned to Clinical Practicum 1: Older Adult Group Treatment."

Persephone took a deep breath and then sent her results to her parents, to Evander, and to her mentor, Parker. She felt that she should keep her results private until she found out what her friends had earned on their examinations. She felt that Calla had done well, and so did Bentley, so she was sure that they would be moving up together, but chances were good that they would not be in the same practicum setting. Bentley would be moving into older adult work with her since they were in the same cohort, but Calla would be learning about a different population. Each cohort had a different focus every semester, so Persephone and Calla would be able to compare and contrast instructors, clients, musical considerations, and clinical techniques.

Her desktop chimed. Evander had responded - "Whoooo!" Persephone laughed at her brother's typical one-word response to all sorts of news and comments. He was a man of few words and most of those words were silly, especially when directed towards her! He was her greatest supporter and her greatest challenger.

Persephone closed her message program and walked down the stairs for lunch.