Music as therapy

- Music moves us because we move in musical ways rhythmically, harmoniously, with

gestures modulated in intensity, weight and resonance.
- And this brings us to the natural connection between emotional and physical health, and
the musicality of our moving. Ill health, affecting mind and body, interferes with the
coherence, vitality and delcicay of our actions and gestures. The Norwegian musicologysr,
Joan-Roar Bjorkvold (1992) claims that the rhythm of our moving measures health at all
stages of life, from before birth to old age. Acting poly-rhythmically, harmoniously and
sympathetically in society expresses our vitality and sociable well-being. Robotic,
disintegrated and anxious ways of behaving are both unmusical and unhealthy.
- Music Therapy in Context: Music, Meaning and Relationship
- By Mercedes Pavlicevic

-To date, research has shown that music is a uniquely and exclusively human behaviour and a
defining element of a culture linked with worship, ritual, acquisition of knowledge, and, often
healing.

-Music as chant likely preceded speech as human commnunication. there is anthropolical evidence
that music came before speech Early human skeletal remains reveal signs that the use of the voice
to produce speech goes back only eight thousand years, while alsso suggesting that chanting (early
forms of music) began perhaps half a million years earlier (Menuhin and Davis, 1979, p.7).

-Shamanic practices of early hunter/gatherer cultures developed healing or medicine songs. These
songs, often revealed to the shaman in altered states of consciousness or dreams, are believed to
cure specific illnesses or conditions.

-A medicine song tradition can be found in healing practices in India, South America, Mexico, and
Africa (Cook, 1997).Medecine songs from all world cultures have similar music characteristics. They
have irregular melodic accent, hypnotic rhythm, slow tempo with unexpected interruptions and
limited melodic range (McClennan, 1988).

-Chinese meecinse as early as the second century B.C.E indicated that the use of music for healing. In
this system, specific scale patterns or modes are assigned to each human emotion. The hindu
civilisation of India developed a highly specific system of pitch organisation known as ragas. Each
raga promotes a distinct mood or psychological temperament (Hamel, 1976) and is used to positively
influence physical and mental health. One highly developed medical system with a long history,
Ayurvedic medicine, incorporates specific tones and music as part of comprehensive medical
treatment (Chopra, 1990). Modern sound healing techniques reflect this approach (Leeds, 2001).

the use of music to support balance, harmony, and general wellness. This is the idea in the context
of healing.
He insisits, it is critically important for children to master spontaneous singing, for it is part of the
common code of child culture that gives them a special key to expression and human growth
(Bjorkvold, 1992, p. 63). A comparable inhibitory effect of conventions of schooling has been
recorded on the spontaneous expression of religious feelings and spirituality in the early years (Hay
&Nye, 1998).

Handbook of Musical Identities

edited by Raymond MacDonald, David J. Hargreaves, Dorothy Miell.

Rhythm derives originally from the greek word rhein, to flow.

Mode comes from the Latin word to measure and thus also suggests rhythm and an
arrangement of something.

The word therapy is based on the Greek word therapia meaning to attend, help, or serve (Bruscia,
1998a). In modern usade, therapy means the treatment of disease by some remedial or curative
process. It also refers to the rehabilitation of emotional and social problems.

by the late 1940s, a new therauputic discipline had emerged. Soon, early practioners recognized
the need for formal education and research into the use of usic as therapy.

First degree in music as therapy established at Michigan State University in 1944.

-In 1960, NAMT defined music therapy as the scientific application of the art of music to
accomplish theraupituc aims. It is the use of music and of ther therapist;s self to influence changes in
behavioue.

-1983 Music therapy is specialized use of music in the service of persons with needs in mental
health, physical health, habitation, rehabilitation, or special education.. the purpose to hel
individuals attain and maintain their maximum levels of functioning.

Dr Kenneth Bruscia: Music therapy as a goaldirected process on which the therapist helps the
client to improve, maintain, or restore a state of well being, using musical experienes and the
relationships that develop through them as dynamic forces of change.