Coming Home

So my contract is almost at an end now. One more cruise to go when we get to Amsterdam. I have to say that this trip definitely met and exceeded my expectations. I got to see a part of the world that not so many people get to see (Scandinavia, Russia, etc..). I got to do many free excursions in the many palaces, museums. The Hermitage in St-Petersburg is the most luxurious palace/art gallery I've ever set eyes on. But most importantly, I became good friends with my band mates and the other musicians on the ship. We had many laughs, playing cards, watching movies, bowling in Lithuania, eating pizza at midnight up in the guest area (when our dinner meals in the mess didn't satisfy), playing Scrabble (Sam still holds the championship title), and lets not forget drinking some beer together and venting on how bad guest entertainers can be--speaking of which, the singer last night (I won't mention his name), not only had a terrible voice, he also fell off the stage! No worries, he's ok. I just hope he takes that as a sign that he doesn't belong on the stage.

I'm happy I took many pictures this time, over 300, plus a few videos to make things more real. So I can't wait to come home and show everyone. I'll be back in officially 2 weeks from now. Time does fly on a ship.

If there is any lesson I've learned while in Europe is that the world isn't so different no matter where you are. Although architecture, languages, social systems may differ, people are people. You get the same joys and sorrows over seas. So in the end, there really is no place like home. I've learned the true meaning of what home is all about. All the treasures are there already, we just take them for granted. At the end of the day, I'll be happy with a house of my own, enjoying a satisfying steak meal with some wine with someone I love, and a job I enjoy doing. That means more than seeing all of Europe or any other part of the world.

Norway's 17$ Burgers

These days, I am in Norway, in the Arctic Circle. It reminds me of Alaska. It looks and smells exactly the same. I didn't expect to be doing this run along with the usual Baltic sea run. But it's a very nice contrast to the business of Europe. Here there are only mountains and small fishing villages. The land of the Midnight Sun. I took some pictures yesterday at about 1am. It looked like 8pm after dinner.

The air is fresh and pure here. Yesterday I hiked up a mountain with a few guys from the band. I've never been more out of shape! But I no longer have a gut. It all got burned off from walking constantly in ports and climbing stairs on the ship. The lack of a car also helps I'm sure. So I'm about half way through my contract. The band just changed 3 members. The tenor sax player is from Russia. He's a virtuoso and monster player. Our jazz sets have gone up a few notches. Yesterday was a blast. We performed in the Micheal's club (the sophisticated dark lighting club on Deck 7). We also have 2 girls in the band now. Andrea is the drummer, Katrina is the alto sax player. Unfortunately, the airport lost her saxophone, so I didn't hear her play yet. We have to wait until we get back to Amsterdam. Hopefully they'll have it by then. It would be a shame to be sent back home because of this. I guess it's a nice free trip though.

After this run, there are 3 cruises in the Baltic sea left for me. I'm hoping to do a few free excursions (by volunteering for the passengers excursions). Everything is expensive here in Europe, especially in Norway. A hamburger costs about 17 dollars, no joke! That's all the news for now. I can't wait to come back home and show all the pictures to my family and friends.

Marc

My First Cruise Aboard the Century

Hello everyone,

At the moment the ship is on a slant, which is sending more of my blood to my right brain hemisphere...maybe this entrie will be more imaginative.

We are leaving Estonia, on our way to Lithuania (never heard of it). They say its very nice in Tallinn Estonia, but I haven't been off the ship today because I had my last morning of training. Today I learned the principles of S-T-A-R:

S: Smile and Greet
T: Take ownership
A: Always professional
R: Reach higher

...Got to love that corporate bull$)($%#

The band sounds good. We have been playing the usual type of music: big band, jazz, ball room, singer entertainers, etc.. Tonight its big band sets and 1 jazz set. We usually play in the evenings between 7 and midnight. Tonight we have 4 sets spread between 5pm and midnight. It will be a longer night. I can't say I'm complaining though, cause its nothing compared to what my cabin attendant has to do. These guys usually work 14 to 16 hours a day. Not really fair. But I suppose they are bringing good money back to their countries, considering the exchange rates.

So far I visited Russia and Findland. St-Petersburg Russia is very different from the European countries. Not as pretty everywhere you walk, unless you are in the main square area where you will find a huge Russian style church with a large golden dome and many ornamental statues. On the other side of the square is a large palace, I don't remember what it represents. I explored the city with 2 other guys from the band. We were served beer by people who didn't speak a word of english. That's different! You just point to the beer you want that's on tap and you show them some ruples (russian currency). And they ask for a certain amount. A beer costs about 100 ruples. So you feel like you are rich holding 1000 ruples...but you are not.

Helsinki Findland is much prettier and inviting than St-Petersburg. I also walked around the main area (tourist). I have yet to go visit some historical museums to find out more about these countries. My music therapy teacher Heidi is from Findland. That's all I know so far about it.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in now, cause my training is finished. I had to get up early for the first 10 days. Now that this part is over, I will have time to get off the ship and explore more. In a few days, we'll be back in Amsterdam Holland, our main port. I will try to contact an old friend of mine TS who was my roommate on the Horizon. He lives about 10 mins away from the port. Although, this is all very exciting, I miss everyone at home, especially Marissa. I can't wait to bring back some pictures. I promised myself I would bring at least 100. Stay tuned for more entries.

Marc

The Trip of a Century

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while I've written on my blog. But now's my chance to get back into it. I'm sitting here on my chair in the basement room I'm renting. The coffee is perculating, I have yogurt on my right side and a copy of my completed major research paper dissertation on my left. On the floor in the back of my chair is my big red Roots suitcase, the one I use for my cruise ship adventures. Yes, it's that time again, I'm going on another cruise!

For two years now, I've worked hard at my studies to complete a master's degree in music therapy. This chapter is done now, and I need a good break this summer. I consider myself extremely lucky and blessed to have the opportunity to travel the world and get paid for it. And Northern Europe of all places! It's a real gift. As the title suggests, I will be leaving on the Celebrity ship Century. The ship will be travelling from Amsterdam to St-Petersburg Russia, passing through many slavic countries such as Finland, Sweeden, Denmark, etc...

I have to admit that I get a bit nervous every time I start packing for a cruise ship contract. Who will I meet? How will the band sound? What will life be like in those slavic countries? One of the most important concerns I have is roommates. You never know who you'll end up with. This can have a big impact on your quality of life on a ship. I pray for a descent guy who doesn't smell or leave his junk all over the place and who all in all is adequately civilized. What I'm not looking forward to is the crew mess food. Don't get me wrong, its not bad food, but it sure isn't what the guest passengers eat! I'm also sad to leave my other half Marissa behind for this trip. What I am looking forward to is the cafes and cultural attractions of the ports I will be visiting. This time, I'm planning to take more pictures as I will have a good borrowed camera (thanks to Marissa--what would I do without you?).

As much as I would like to write more, I have to start packing and I have to enjoy my last full day at home. And I'm sure I will have more interesting things to describe than what's in my room in the next few blog entries. I will keep you all posted. Let me know if you wish to be put on my emailing list. My adress is:

marcus_musicalus@hotmail.com

Marc

The Wisdom of a Fart

Wisdom comes in many forms. Who ever thought a fart would be good for the mind and for the soul? Just in case the reader is wondering if this is some sort of fart humour entry, to the contrary, it is about a life lesson.

Someone told me once, "just let the fart out". She insisted that it was pointless to refrain from letting out our unpleasant perfumes because it was unnatural. Same with burping. She burped and farted quite often in front of others in the room. It could have been to get a reaction from the audience, but in another way, I learned in time to admire this person.

I got to know her, and I realised how genuine she was. She knew herself well, and didn't hide any parts. She was somewhat of a realist, often saying that the world is nothing but shit. "If people shit on you, you pick it up and throw it back!", she warned. (I don't know if this is the philosophy I want to adopt for my own life. But I would add, "throw it back with a bowtie on it"--or something).

She had a loud personality, and a loud firm voice to go with it. She always had something to say...often about the shit people threw at her. But she was strong. Sometimes I think people intuitively know when others are strong and thus are less careful about what they say or do around them. It still hurts I bet. Although she may more than once or twice have brought shit upon herself, she never compromised herself or her opinions for the sake of appearance and social acceptance. I think she had the mindset, "If you're going to say anything, say it loud". She was a beautiful person. She had guts. And no matter how bad the shit was, there was always a laugh at the end of the day--or week.

No matter what, people judge whether it be overtly or covertly. The life lesson I learned through this person was that it is pointless to hide our true colors. People will think what they think, so we must carry on living our lives the way we want and be how we want to be. In short, just be yourself and let the fart out--let your truth resonate through all of your being! No one is perfect and it takes time to come to terms with faults. Among the many lessons I learned from her, this one was the most important. Even though, we may already know this wisdom, we always keep forgetting it. We have to keep our eyes and ears open, because, as I said, wisdom comes in many forms; too often in less than attractive ways.

My Vision of the Music Therapy Field and My Place in the Profession

After a year of study in the master’s program in music therapy at Laurier, I am left with a sense of excitement, passion and hope for a great future in this field. Throughout this rigorous period of study I had the opportunity to read literature from around the globe, participate in philosophical discussions dealing with current issues in the profession, and gather my own personal experiences with clients through practicum placements and a half internship. I will first describe my vision of the field of music therapy in the present and near future and terminate by declaring my personal goals as a music therapist and where I envision myself within the field after I graduate.

To begin, I believe there is a bright future for music therapy. Having worked with children, adults and the elderly, I realized how broad the scope of music therapy can be. Music therapy has the potential to be effective with anyone, regardless of age or health condition. Not only is it effective with a wide range of populations but can be used to attain a large variety of goals weather focusing on physical, cognitive, emotional or spiritual aspects. Music therapy, therefore, is aligned with Canada’s wheel of health which views health as a balance between these four dimensions. The new holistic perspective on health is gaining ground and music therapy already is equipped to be part of this new paradigm.

Furthermore, one of the most important assets of music therapy is flexibility. This aspect of the work allows therapist to work in an unlimited number of settings. At the moment, music therapists work mainly in hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, schools or private practice. However the limits are boundless. We have yet to explore settings such as corporate companies for stress reduction and better quality of work life, or in art colleges to help artists find their creativity and dealing with performance anxiety. These are but a few examples.

Music therapy can not only be preventive as well as restorative, but can also help healthy individuals develop to their higher potentials. Deepak Chopra, one of the leading advocates of holistic health in the United States recommends music therapy for this purpose. Also, Sufis such as Hazrat Inayat Kahn regard music as a tool of primary importance for spiritual enlightenment. Thus, music therapy’s purpose extends far beyond its usual portrayal as an auxiliary aid for health, but it is an attempt to bring back the sacredness and power that music holds and to use it to create a better world.

Finally, one of the most unfortunate consequences of the industrial world is the loss of intimacy or the feeling of disconnectedness. In our large capitalist cities, people are left to fight on their own to survive economically. Today’s world moves at such a high speed that people have barely enough time to enjoy friendships and intimacy which can have disastrous effects on health. Ironically, the more populated cities become, the more it seems individuals are likely to feel alone. Music on the other hand brings people together and changes hostile atmospheres into warm and inviting ones. Music has been used to promote community connectedness throughout history. It is our task, I believe, as music therapists to not only use music in secluded spaces for individuals, but to bring the power of music into communities to promote social change.

As a future music therapist, my goal is to work primarily in the education setting. Since I spent most of my life teaching piano and being an activity leader for children, I believe that music therapy intervention should not wait until adulthood. It is crucial that children take part in musical experiences and learn music in schools. Our government is making a dreadful mistake in cutting back on the arts, especially during these times when many children and teenagers are struggling to find their identity. My goal is to promote music for health in the educational system as well as demonstrate it through work in the schools and in private. My intention is to publish articles in journals and write a book on the importance of music in the school system and in the community in order to promote social awareness.

One of my secondary interests is to help artists deal with performance anxieties and to find their creative selves. Since I struggled with this particular issue for a number of years, I believe I have the means to be effective in this domain.

Another secondary interest is to promote music therapy in the workplace, especially in government offices and corporate companies. Studies have shown that it is important to balance our daily activities to change brain wave patterns. Illness develops when this balance is thrown out of proportion. Office workers who work at a computer use mostly their left hemisphere (linguistic area) and are in danger of neglecting their right hemisphere (spatial, emotive, creative areas). The role of music therapy in this setting would not only be to help workers achieve this balance, but would also to serve as a form of stress relief.

In sum, I believe that the field of music therapy is at a boiling point. The media is increasingly interested in music psychology studies and music therapists are being recognized as equals to their peers in the work place. In addition, literature is booming like never before and our profession is well established on solid academic grounds and is represented throughout the country by our provincial and national associations. Thus, social awareness is increasing everyday. Canada is beginning to accept alternative forms of medicine as studies show that psychological health directly affects physical health. It is now time to deal with disease before it sets in. Music therapy can help promote health before disease becomes physically manifested. As Don Campbell titled one of his publications, I believe that indeed music is our “physician for times to come”. I am proud to be part of this field and I am eager to discover how to harness the healing aspects of music in order to make this world a better place.

Definition and Philosophy of Music Therapy

Defining Music Therapy

It is no easy task to choose a favorite definition of music therapy from the literature as many contain equally important keywords resulting in slightly different shades of meaning. But after carefully considering a dozen, my two favorite ones state as follows:

Humanistic Music Therapy refers to the psychotherapeutic space wherein the personal and transpersonal development of the person through sound and music is facilitated, using an approach emphasizing respect, acceptance, empathy and congruence. Implicit in the holistic model is the interrelationship between sound and the whole human being, i.e., physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components (Bruscia 1998, p. 274).

Music therapy is a process and form which combines the healing aspects of music with the issues of human need for the benefit of the individual and hence society. The music therapist serves as a resource person and guide, providing musical experiences which direct clients towards health and well-being (Bruscia 1998, p. 271).

The first definition by Polit contains the words humanistic, psychotherapeutic and holistic, which in my opinion are the three most pertinent epithets for music therapy. At its core, music therapy deals with human emotion and relationship. In my opinion, therapy then requires at least two human beings (client and therapist) in order for it to be humanistic. Secondly, it is psychotherapeutic in the sense that it is a form of psychotherapy through the medium of music which involves theoretical aspects of cognitive, developmental, social psychology as well as elements of counseling and psychoanalysis. Thirdly, it is holistic because music can be experienced on all levels of our being and therapists seek to understand and work with their clients on a holistic level (physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual).

The second definition by Kenny mentions the role of the therapist, which is to serve as a guide to promote health and well-being. Although music can have healing effects, music therapists are not healers in the sense that specific music experiences can be prescribed to clients for specific problems. Therapists are experts in the domain of music appreciation and production and who have been trained to work with human beings in a psychotherapeutic relationship. Thus music therapists are flexible, adapt to each client individually and discover with them how to make the best use of their human potential in music. The definition also hints at the social impact of music. Not only does music have a healing potential, it has the power to bring a sense of community and facilitate a person’s reintegration into society.

These two definitions present some the ideas and assumptions under which I have based my own definition of music therapy:

Music therapy is a process by which a person is affected on potentially all levels of his or her being (physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual) through a trifold relationship formed between therapist, client and music. The music created by the therapist and client takes a paramount importance under the assumption that it is one of the most direct mediums that allow the communication and expression of the core self—the self being reflected directly through the music. It is also assumed that the act of music-making is a powerful tool which promotes awareness and focus which are essential prerequisites for personal development or change.


My Philosophy of Music Therapy

My fundamental beliefs about music therapy are based on concepts of general philosophy and mysticism, as well as my own personal experiences in music. More specifically drawn from the music therapy literature, I am inspired by the philosophy of Nordoff-Robbins’ Creative Music Therapy (CMT), Colin Lee’s Aesthetic Music Therapy (AeMT) as well as Allan Turry’s groove-based approach and its relation to community music therapy. My approach is thus music-centered.

First, drawing upon general philosophy and metaphysics, one of my most important beliefs is that a human being is more than the body in which it resides. In other words, physical material is only the surface level or outer shell of the many ‘levels’ of the self. These levels can be conceived on a continuum from gross to subtle, i.e., from body to mind to spirit, each dissolving into one another without clear boundaries. Thus spirit affects the mind and the mind affects the body, while the body also affects the mind and the mind affects the spirit. All levels, in other words, are one and cannot act independently of one another.

Moreover, all levels of the self consist of vibrations. The denser vibrations form the body while the subtler form the spirit. I consider the spirit to be the unchangeable truest part of the self or the highest self. To be clear, I use the term ‘core-self’ in my definition as synonymous to the spirit or soul. If essentially it can be assumed that a human being is essentially composed of vibrations, then this gives a rationale for a music-centered approach to therapy. I believe that people respond so readily to music because it communicates directly to the whole being. These concepts relate to Plato’s thoughts on the ‘Music of the Spheres’ as well as the metaphysical insights of the Sufi Hazrat Inayat Kahn. As human beings, we are part of the universe and obey the same laws of harmony. Music is a reflection of those laws, and that is why we respond so readily to it: “What makes us feel drawn to music” Kahn says, “is that our whole being is music: our mind, our body, the nature in which we live, the nature that has made us, all that is beneath and around us—it is all music” (Kahn 1991, p. 12).

As a humanistic music therapist, my focus is to work on an emotional and spiritual level with clients, for I believe it to be most effective in these areas. My mission is to help clients come in contact with their core-selves and allow them to express it in the form of music, for it is self-awareness that makes personal development or change possible. This parallels the main idea of the Nordoff-Robbins model:

“It is the belief in music itself as the medium of growth and development that is at the core of this approach, and the belief that in each person, regardless of disability, ill health, disturbance or trauma, there is a part which can be reached through music and called into responsiveness, thereby enabling healing and the subsequent generalization into the client’s life” (Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde 2002, p. 128).

Central to the work of Nordoff and Robbins is the idea of a ‘music child’ which is the unaltered creative self which lies underneath the transient personality traits and conditions. The uninhibited expression of the music child is the ultimate goal in the Nordoff-Robbins approach. Interestingly, it often happens that therapy in this model takes on a more transpersonal quality. Working on a transpersonal level may be less tangible than working on a physical or psychological level, but I believe it promises deeper changes that perhaps could never be fully understood or expressed in words.

Furthermore, my philosophy reflects the ideas of Colin Lee’s AeMT, who urges the field to start exploring the nature of music itself in order to have a better understanding of its organization and process:

“We use music and yet seem ignorant of its complexities. We interpret through extra-musical theories in the hope that its intangibility may somehow become tangible. Yet, until we examine the qualities of music itself, its biological structure, its outcome will remain a mystery” (Lee 2003, p xv).

This would entail paying close attention to the sounds that our clients make in response to our own. Although indexing complete sessions can be laborious and impractical in some cases, I believe this method will best inform therapists about what clients are trying to express and communicate. It is thus important that all branches of the Music institution (i.e. history, musicology, theory, composition, performance), work hand in hand to discover the true nature of music and its relationship with human beings. This will inform therapists’ conscious musical interventions and will give further insight into the therapeutic process.

A central component of CMT and AeMT is musical improvisation and composition which is at the heart of my own approach. I have been an improvising musician since a young age and I have discovered the endless pleasure that it gives. What I realized is the fact that after improvising I felt more focused, more grounded and more alive. The longer I played the more energy I received from it. I also realized the intimate connection that exists between self-awareness and performance progress. Nowadays I consider music-making a form of meditation. Music is sacred and every time I improvise with a serious intent I strive to be connected to the sacredness of life. I believe that if we are going to pursue the quest to understand music we will also indirectly be pursuing the quest to understand humanity’s relationship with the cosmos.

Another important aspect I have discovered is that improvising alone is completely different from improvising with other musicians in a duet, trio or orchestra. There is an intimacy that builds between performers co-creating music in the moment. Improvising together offers all musicians the chance to build musical relationships and to step outside themselves and connect with the ‘bigger picture’ or higher consciousness. This leads to my final influence.

As a jazz musician, I find the work of A. Turry and K. Aigen (Aigen 2002) and its relationship to the concept of community music therapy put forth by Pavlicevic & Ansdell 2004 insightful. Particularly appealing is the idea of a musical ‘groove’ and its relationship with the concept of ‘communitas’. Aigen defines groove as “an intuitive sense of style as process, a perception of a cycle in motion, a form or organizing pattern being revealed, a recurrent clustering of elements through time (Feld in Aigen 2002, p.34). He also mentions that “when groove is established among players, the musical whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts, enabling a person […] to experience something beyond himself which he[/she] cannot create alone (Aigen 2002, p.34). Immediately this leads to the idea of community in a musical context.

‘Communitas’ refers to “the graceful but prepared happening of mutual experience within a social and cultural context” (Pavlicevic & Andsdell 2004, p.86). Offering clients the opportunity to groove within a style such as jazz or rock gives them a cultural context to be part of and thus they are able to experience a sense of community or society in a healthy and safe atmosphere. The key feature of a groove is its rhythmic nature. I believe rhythm or pulse to be the most fundamental musical percept and consequently, the easiest to share among musicians. Rhythm is what brings people together in purpose. Indeed, perhaps groove is more than musical synchronicity, but a means by which human beings can literally become synchronized in all senses of the word, that is physically, mentally, spiritually, including musically.

In sum, music therapy is about self-awareness, expression and development not only through music, but through human connectedness. Thus, as I stated in my definition, it is through a trifold relationship between therapist, client and music that therapy will be most successful.

CAMT Conference 2006

When I committed myself to the graduate study of music therapy last fall, I was not exactly sure what I was getting into. Although, philosophically, mentally and spiritually, everything appeared to make sense, I must admit that I had some doubts about pursuing it as a full-time career. I believe that part of my reason for doubting was that I felt alone. No one around me, including my family and friends, knew about it. As I learned and met more people whose beliefs were similar to mine, I realized that the field of music therapy was much more vast and alive than what I had imagined. Not only did it have a solid academic foundation, but also provincial, national and international associations to represent it and connect music therapists from all over the world. After attending my first CAMT conference this year in Windsor, I no longer felt so alone. In fact, it has brought me the sense of community and warmth I was searching for. If I were to describe my general impression of the conference with three words I would choose festivity, knowledge, and connection.

Festivity

Every celebration must have a festive setting. The Cleary International Centre was a perfect location with its breathtaking views of the Detroit skyline. The presence of the river added an extra touch of inspiration as the opening ceremony began with the sounds of the University of Windsor Percussion Ensemble. Their performance was flawless.
The festivities continued on Friday evening after the banquet as I danced to the music of the University of Windsor Jazz ensemble. As a jazz pianist, I had a good knowledge of their repertoire and was tempted a few times to go up on stage to play with them! The university certainly left a positive vibe in the air. It was a great opportunity to let loose after a full day of listening and absorbing.
The conference ended with a grand musical celebration with a giant drum circle. Everyone had a drum to play on and even the children participated. It served as a reminder that what matters in the end is the joy and love that music brings.

Knowledge

From Thursday to Saturday, I have had the pleasure to attend a number of contrasting conference sessions dealing with a wide variety of topics ranging from health and medicine to social justice and world peace. Some sessions were designed to promote awareness and stimulate discussion, while others were more practical and informative. In addition, some presentations consisted of hands-on approaches to provide new instrumental techniques and teaching methods. I appreciated that the three keynote presentations highlighted completely different applications of music therapy.
The conference began on a more emotional tone with Noele Bird’s presentation on her work with street kids in downtown Vancouver which combines music, poetry and artwork to help them regain a sense of identity and dignity as human beings. Her inspiring talk left me with a sense of hope and purpose. I am now convinced that compassion and strength on the part of therapists can make a huge impact on the lives of people in need.
On the other hand, Christine Stevens’ unforgettable presentation on the use of drumming as an integrative tool in holistic health was highly interactive and stimulating. I was impressed with her ability to lead a large group of drummers with such precision, energy and charisma. She demonstrated that simple musical ideas are most effective and still leave much room for creativity and spontaneity.
It was also a pleasure to listen to Jayne M. Standley speak from a medical music therapy point of view. Since my own approach is music-centered and based on the Nordoff Robbins model, it is often difficult to measure the impact or outcome of my work with clients. Thus, I appreciated learning that quantitative MT research studies have recently shown astounding positive results which gives more credibility to the field as a whole.
Other noteworthy presentations were those of Mendelt Hoekstra and Chrissy Pearson which dealt with the marketing of music therapy services and the creation of jobs. In my opinion these two sessions were among the most practical, especially for students and beginning music therapists. Not only did they address our concerns and difficulties with the business aspect of our work, but provided useful tips on how to proceed step by step in order to create our dream jobs. In sum, it was enlightening to see different styles of presentations with a variety of content. This left me with much to contemplate and gave me a better sense of my own perspective on my future work.

Connection

National conferences are not only about listening to presentations but also about connecting with our peers. I had many opportunities to connect with them personally and musically during and in between conference sessions. Drum circles and free improvisations in a group have allowed music therapists to connect musically. In Guylaine Vaillancourt’s presentation, Music and Peace, we had the chance to play various percussion instruments as an ensemble. At first our improvisation sounded more chaotic. Then, as it gradually began to take shape a subtle pulse developed and everyone connected through it. The resulting mood was one that reflected the intensity and deepness of life.
One of my favorite moments of the conference was Friday night just before the dance as I spontaneously met a few musicians who wanted to play. Our group started with 6 musicians and eventually doubled in size. We had many laughs together and created a whole gamut of joyful musical atmospheres in the main lobby. I played with the group for almost two hours. Some people would leave, others would join in, but the music continued endlessly. By the end of it, we all knew one another’s names.
What was really heartwarming is the fact that everyone, whether a therapist student, teacher, entertainer or related professional, was on an equal plane. At the conference, everyone was part of a single family sharing a common vision.

Overall, it was a valuable experience to be part of this year’s conference. It was well organized and well balanced in terms of content. I highly recommend it for students, both graduate and undergraduate, who are new to the field, and I am looking forward to next year’s national reunion in Victoria BC.

The Sacredness of Improvisation and Its Role in Music Therapy

In our modern time, music is gradually becoming more recognized as a powerful therapeutic tool. Current research has brought remarkable insight into the potential cognitive, social, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of music listening and music-making. The field of music therapy has existed for over half a century and has bloomed to a critical point. At a time when alternative medicine is on the rise, music therapy is increasingly being exposed to the media. Indeed, it has shown to be effective with a wide range of populations, each having their own distinct needs. Nowadays, music therapists are seen in hospitals, schools, private clinics, hospices and various other settings. The time has come to examine music itself more deeply and to learn the art and science of healing individuals through this medium.

This paper describes my own personal journey as a jazz musician and how the practice of improvisation has led me to a more humanistic view of life. Through the practice of meditation and introspection, I began to contemplate the nature of music-making and its many benefits for the mind, body and spirit. This has led me to pursue graduate studies in music therapy, a field devoted to the science and art of using music to help people achieve non-musical goals which vary from self-awareness, expressive communication, physical rehabilitation, cognitive development, and quality of life enhancement. I will briefly introduce the philosophy of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins, the founders of Creative Music Therapy and discuss my own approach. I will also describe how improvisation is incorporated in a music therapy session and how it can be used clinically. Finally, I will close with a personal vignette about an adolescent client who has achieved focus, self-expression and self empowerment through improvisational work in music therapy.


* * *


My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being … When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups...I want to speak to their souls.

– John Coltrane
From John Coltrane (n.d.) (online quote)

Discovering the Spirit of Jazz

I remember the night my soul was awakened to jazz. It was while I was studying at McGill University doing my bachelor’s degree in music. I was sitting in a jazz bar named Biddles (now the House of Jazz). Charles Biddles, the bass player and owner of the restaurant has been recognized for his tireless efforts to promote jazz and making the first steps to establish the International Jazz Festival in Montreal. That night as I listened to his quartet I had an epiphany. I was so entranced by the music that I told myself that some day I would be on stage playing this kind of music. Of course I knew a long time before then what jazz was, but I had not yet truly experienced it like I did that night.

All my life I was trained in classical music, but improvisation was something that came naturally to me. I used to compose music with a friend down in his cold basement at the age of 12. I delighted in the infinite possibilities of sound, especially harmony. I took classical piano through the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. It took me a long time to realize why I found it a struggle to practice classical music. The simple answer was that it was not my music. I was in need of more freedom because I had a composer’s mind. I would practice my Beethoven sonatas and my Bach preludes and fugues, but although I learned to enjoy it, I always preferred improvising at the keyboard and exploring harmonies. I wanted to understand the ‘matrix’ of music. What was it that these genius composers tapped into? How did their compositions work? I needed to understand at a deeper level what the process of musical creation was all about.

It was not until I came to Montreal for my university degree that I realized that it was time to change my identity as a musician. Until I met my last teacher, Tom Plaunt, I had no one to communicate with about this whole other aspect of music-making. I had no one to share my love of improvisation with. I still remember the feeling of liberation I had when he asked me to join his improvisation course for non-jazz majors. Finally, I could express myself in the way I always wanted—freely—and be recognized for it!

During this period, I listened to many jazz artists such as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Keith Jarrett. Smaller combos (trios, quartets and quintets) of the 1950-60s were my main interest. What I loved about jazz improvisation was its immediacy, spontaneity and boundless creativity. I also marveled at each performer’s distinct personality and sound at the instrument. Nowadays, one must appreciate Miles Davis’s talent for combining musical personalities to create some of the most memorable ensembles in the history of jazz. This gave me the insight that jazz was not only an affirmation of the individual but that combos could be compared to a kind of ‘micro-society’ where each individual performer had a chance to speak his or her mind as the other members listened and commented. This communicative aspect of jazz was reflected in individual solos: as the soloist told his story, he or she was inspired by the sound of the ensemble, while the ensemble supported and responded to the soloist’s musical sentences. As each player listened and surrendered to the moment, the effect resulted in a coherent whole.

The immediacy of self-expression was one of the aspects I valued most about improvisation. I believe that the true spirit of jazz is to create in the present moment. The true joy of listening to jazz is to witness the artist in the act of creation in the here and now and to capture the moments that reveal the sacredness of life. I believe that it was this sacredness that I experienced the night I listened to Biddles’ quartet. That’s when I finally understood jazz. I did not yet know its language, techniques, conventions or history; but I knew that one day I would be up on stage doing it. Thus, I set foot on a new path as a musician: I was to study the art of improvisation and learn the language of jazz.

Music as Meditation

The year after I completed my B.Mus, I was free to do what ever I wanted with my music. I would spend much more time at the piano, inspired to become a jazz pianist. It was nice to have a piano at home accessible 24 hours a day. When inspiration came I played. Other times I practiced my routines following a structured schedule. When I got tired I stopped. I was practicing for myself only and it is then that I began to truly discover the art of mastery. It was also a period when I experimented with meditation.

I never considered myself as highly disciplined when it came to practicing. When I practiced my sonatas, I would often stop on a chord and then begin to improvise with it. I would explore for half an hour and then, as I suddenly woke up from my musical dream, I would remember why I was truly at the piano: to learn my sonata. But I later recognized that this was not wasted practice time. I was taking the time to familiarize myself with sound. Although it was not the traditional kind of practicing, I got to know the keyboard and the language of western harmony. I believe that simply playing and listening are vital parts of any musician’s training. I would even consider them forms of practicing for it is through these activities that one learns to internalize music--to receive it rather than produce it. As long as a musician is mindful about what he/she is doing, he/she is most certainly practicing.

Through meditation, I became gradually more aware of my body and mind and noticed that my playing was more inspired. When I improvised, I became familiar with the different states of mind a performer could experience while improvising. More importantly, I learned that improvisational states of mind were very similar to meditative states of mind. When I improvised at the piano and got into a groove, I felt my awareness expanding and a deep sense of calm taking over me to a point where I simply surrendered to the music. Once or twice, I felt that it was no longer me that was playing but rather music playing through me. This state of mind—whether one chooses to call it a trance or a peak experience—had a definite deep healing quality, one that was quite undistinguishable from the effects of meditation. After it, I felt comfortable in my body mind and spirit. This led me to contemplate the nature of music and, more specifically, improvisation.

I came across a book by Kenny Werner entitled Effortless Mastery (Werner 1996) which not only gave me many insights about musical performance and its relationship with the self but confirmed many of my own intuitive discoveries. I was overjoyed to learn of another musician who was aware of the connection between music and meditation! I soon found out that it was not only this author, but many authors, including the great Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan, who devoted a lot of time speaking and writing about the topic. Kahn (1996) takes Werner’s insights much further in that he explains in his book Mysticism of Sound and Music the nature of music and its metaphysical relationship to human beings. He claims that music is all there is, for the universe is composed of nothing but vibration: “What makes us feel drawn to music” he says, “is that our whole being is music: our mind, our body, the nature in which we live, the nature that has made us, all that is beneath and around us—it is all music” (Kahn 1991, p. 12). Although this concept is not easily intuited or accepted by many people, perhaps some quantum physicists would agree with his statement, as they continue to uncover the true nature of the universe. Certainly, Kahn’s metaphysical perspective sheds light onto the mystery behind humanity’s love for music.

However, it would be preposterous to believe that the idea of music’s potential for healing is an entirely new one. Music has been considered sacred for centuries, but we have collectively forgotten it. As our culture throughout history gradually put more emphasis on rational thought, I believe it caused us to loose faith in our intuitive faculties. As I discovered the spirit of jazz and practiced the art of improvisation, I started to perceive music as something sacred--something to be treated with seriousness and respect.

Towards a New Vision

One day, I asked myself: What is music? What is it about music that I delight in so much? I think it was these sorts of searching questions that brought me to the field of music therapy. I started answering them by listing all the benefits music gave me. I noted that music helped me regain focus and developed my ability to concentrate. It also had the power to express all of my emotions often acting as a catharsis. It brought a sense of intimate community when people were visiting or when I performed with other musicians. Music even had beneficial physical effects. My blood circulation would increase, my anxiety faded away, and my muscles relaxed. But most importantly, through music-making, I gained many insights not only about my personality--through self-awareness-- but about life in general. It stimulated my thoughts and inspired me constantly. Perhaps I can even attribute my discovery and love of meditation to music itself. In sum, music had benefits on a holistic level. It was good for body, mind and spirit.

Having discovered this, I then asked myself a more daring question: Why do I want to become a professional jazz pianist? Obviously my passion for jazz was very strong (and still is today), but was it simply to become a great entertainer in jazz clubs and have an adventurous life, travelling from city to city with a trio or quartet? Perhaps all of this came into my decision, but I believe I was searching for something deeper. I wanted to help people with my music. I was thinking about choosing a career path. I wanted my career to involve what I was most passionate about, yet I wanted to contribute to society in a humanitarian way. There was no turning back now. I could not keep all these musical benefits to myself. I wanted to offer my music to others, some who perhaps needed it urgently. Thus, I committed myself to the field of music therapy.

Music-Centered Music Therapy

There are many different philosophies of music therapy, each having their own methods. I am currently trained from a music-centered approach. This entails that the music produced by both client and therapist is of paramount importance to the therapeutic process. My personal approach is based on the pioneering work of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins who have opened new possibilities for children and adolescents with special needs. Together they founded a model named Creative Music Therapy in the early 1970s which is based on the core belief that within every human being lies a musical ‘child’. This musical child is a metaphor for the part within our selves that is pure creativity and free from disease. When the musical child is allowed to express itself it brings healing and liberation from all negative conditions. This philosophy is concisely outlined in the recent textbook by Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde (2002), A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy:

“It is the belief in music itself as the medium of growth and development that
is at the core of this approach, and the belief that in each person, regardless
of disability, ill health, disturbance or trauma, there is a part which can be
reached through music and called into responsiveness, thereby enabling healing
and the subsequent generalization into the client’s life” (Wigram, Pedersen
& Bonde 2002, p. 128).

It would be important to mention that a person is not cured, but temporarily relieved of suffering. What is remarkable however is the amount of cases that have demonstrated long term progress or a significant change in behaviour during and after the therapeutic process. Although it is so far impossible to scientifically measure the deep changes that can occur in people, music undoubtedly has the power to move the spirit and awaken it permanently. When Albert Einstein was asked how he came to discover the theory of relativity he replied: “It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception” (The Language… 2006, Section: Albert Einstein Quotes on Music). Inspiration is a huge aspect of this work. People who suffer are often in need of inspiration, and music therapy strives most of all to fulfill this need.

One of the main tools of music-centered music therapy is the use of improvisation. One may be lead to believe that improvisation could never be musical if a person is not trained in music; it is not the case. Although an improvisation in music therapy differs greatly in aesthetic quality from an improvisation by two professional musicians, a trained music therapist learns to perceive the subtly of human expression in sound. It is my belief that no matter what sort of musical training a person has, his/her core personality and state of mind are directly transmitted in the music. The great saxophonist of the 1940s, Charlie Parker, once said: “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn” (The Evolution… 2006, Section: Spiritual Jazz Quotes). Therefore, the task of a music therapist is to give his client the opportunity to become aware of his or her highest self and to express it freely. In other words, the music therapist must support and contain the client’s music and allow it to grow. Since this approach is client-centered, it is important to adapt improvisation techniques to each client’s style and need. Trained in a music-centered approach, I take much effort in analysing recordings of my client’s musical interaction through improvisation. Through this medium, it is possible to gain insight into clients’ cognitive processes as well as emotional states.

Why is improvisation such a great tool? First, many clients who receive music therapy treatment are non-verbal (e.g. Autism or CP). The communicative aspect of improvisation allows them to express a wide range of emotions that perhaps cannot be communicated otherwise. As a matter of fact, music can often be a safer medium to express deep emotions for even the most verbal clients. Secondly, it gives clients a freedom that many do not have in their daily lives. For example, an autistic child who is constantly monitored and told how to behave properly in school can benefit from his freedom to express himself in a safe environment. Thirdly, improvisation is an in-the-moment process akin to meditation. It requires attention and focus which are prerequisites for conscious change. Finally, I believe improvisation is by nature a social activity. It often creates intimacy between people fairly rapidly. Throughout the therapeutic process a musical dialogue is created between client and therapist. As the interpersonal relationship evolves, so does the music.

Clinical Vignette: Client A

A was 15 years old at the time of therapy. His diagnosis was unknown as this information was kept strictly confidential by the group home where he had been residing for several years. In fact, very little was known about his personal life outside of music therapy. However, he has had previous music therapy sessions with another student music therapist at Wilfrid Laurier University. Upon observation, A was highly functional and verbal. His expressive language was slightly less developed than his receptive language. His IQ appeared to be slightly below the norm. I was told by A at the time of therapy that he was learning life skills and thus assumed he had psychosocial difficulties. A was referred to music therapy because he enjoyed music-making and was always pleased to attend music therapy in the past. He had a total of ten 30 minute music therapy sessions with me from January 19 to April 6, 2006. After the initial assessment sessions, I determined two goals for A:

1) A will improve his ability to focus for longer periods of time while playing music.
2) A will develop his musicality and self-expression

A was successful in achieving both goals which allowed him to gain a sense of empowerment, identity and accomplishment. It is evident, when comparing the first 3 sessions to the final 3 sessions, that A demonstrated much more focus. At the beginning of the process, A could not complete a single activity without beginning another one. His attention on an activity lasted from 1-2 minutes in general. Starting in Session 6 he played for 12 minutes without stopping and his musical responses were appropriate and unified. On average, improvisations lasted from 4-7 minutes. Some of the most musical ones, in my opinion, were achieved at the opening of sessions when A’s focus was at a peak. However, in later sessions, A displayed a high level of focus and musical sensitivity to the very end, in Session 9 playing more than 10 minutes near the end of the session.

A also made much progress in the areas of musicality and self expression. At first, although he showed a high level of musical ability and sensitivity, his progress in musicality was minimal due to his lack of focus. Once focus was maintained, musical development was possible. At first, he imitated my own rhythmic cells when I initiated musical dialogue. Eventually, he began to initiate dialogue on his own. Midway through the process it became apparent that A was aware of musical form and communicated it by playing appropriate phrases to signal the end of the form or phrase. At this time he also began to listen more to the music I was providing which made our improvisations more a product of two people. In other words, just as he drew me into his music, I was able to draw him in mine.

This example is taken from session 7. As we made our schedule for this session, I offered A a blues improvisation since he had requested it the previous week. He appeared excited to try it. The improvisation lasted only 4 minutes, but demonstrated A’s musical intelligence more than any other we had produced so far. A played intelligent phrases, sometimes simply following my pulse, other times playing in between my fillers in the right hand. More importantly, his musical ideas were coherent and out of them emerged a theme of glissandos. He recognized the blues form by finishing his phrases at the end of the form. Our strongest musical connection came at the end cadence as I left a silence for A to fill with a definitive final phrase ending on the tonic. In addition, we both finished with a simultaneous glissando in acknowledgement of our theme. Everyone in the room laughed.

Conclusion

As John Coltrane and Charlie Parker made the realization that music has deeper origins than what we can imagine, my goal as a music therapist is to pass on their message an advocate the link between musical improvisation, spirituality and healing. The field of music therapy not only bases its findings on rigorous quantitative and qualitative research but on direct experience with clients. It also requires the strongest musicians, for the work is of a serious nature and can affect people for the remainder of their lives. Music therapist must not only have the ability to understand the musical process but also music in its largest sense: the rhythms and tones that are innate in each individual person.

There is meaning in the world if we only take the time to look for it. The task of music therapists is to witness people’s personal stories and to uncover their beauty. This field takes a first step in consciously and systematically examining music’s therapeutic potential. As our health care system continues to evolve, striving for a more holistic approach to healing, I believe music therapy will become an essential part of it and will make a remarkable impact in the next few years.

____________________

References

John Coltrane. (n.d.). Retrieved on June 2, 2006 from
http://photomatt.net/jazzquotes/John-Coltrane.

Khan, H.I. (1996). The mysticism of sound and music. Boston, MA: Shambala
Publications, Inc.

The evolution of jazz to spirit-music. (2006). Retrived on June 1, 2006 from
http://www.miqel.com/jazz_music_heart/jazz-spirit-evolution.html.

The language of spirit. (2006). Retrieved on June 1, 2006 from
http://www.miqel.com/jazz_music_heart/language-of-spirit.html.

Werner, K. (1996). Effortless mastery: liberating the master musician within. New
Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc.

Wigram, T., Pedersen, I.N. & Bonde, L.O. (2002). A comprehensive guide to music
therapy: theory, clinical practice, research and training. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Intimacy Revisited

I wrote an entry a long time ago on intimacy and I feel the need to continue talking about it. Some recent events in my life have made me ask myself: what is the difference between intimacy in a romantic relationship and intimacy in friendship? Is it a difference of degree or of quality? Is it different at all? At my age (25), I feel it is time to examine those kinds of questions.

When I think of romantic relationship I think of meeting a girl that catches my attention. I ask her out on a date (if I have the guts). We go out on a few dates hoping that some sort of connection will be made. We kiss sometime between date #1 and #3 depending on that connection. I must admit that as a guy, I am highly preoccupied with physical intimacy. I think we must be built that way. But often, as it develops we wrongly interpret it as a sign of emotional intimacy. When it comes to dating, we are expected to be proactive and make the first move. We have to ask the girl out, we have to initiate the kiss. I think we are much more preoccupied about which 'base' we are standing on than building emotional intimacy. We want to satisfy the physical before the mental and spiritual. Afterall, sex takes alot less work! The problem is that often physical intimacy progresses too fast for one of the partners which blocks or inhibits the mutual connection. Is it true that guys are more able to appreciate pure sexual pleasure without the emotional connection compared to women? I believe that guys are more likely to confuse the two. All this coming from a guy--I will put my ego aside for this article.

I don't want to downplay physical intimacy but it seems that our culture has put way too much emphasis on it. It often focuses on sex exclusively and this encourages people to base their idea of a relationship on it alone. That is a recipe for disaster but unfortunately it is too easy to fall into the influence of the media. Many relationships nowadays are no longer genuine. People are not taught to found their relationship in strong faith, for as soon as hardships come, someone doesn't want to bother with it and leaves. Just as things become more real, we escape. We don't know ourselves and we don't know what we want. So we get into it blindly seeking to enjoy the ephemeral pleasures of the honeymoon high, hoping it will last forever.

We have been raised on Disney fairytales and Hollywood chick flicks. They are crual illusions and are very difficult to get rid of. Imagine what happens after Ariel the mermaid and Prince Eric get married. They start their lives living in the castle. Ariel doesn't know anything about human culture, which creates frustrations. Plus she misses her own family under the sea. Eventually she gets so lonely and begins to smoke. By this time, she's no longer as physically attractive and begins to show signs of aging. She is no longer fascinated by silverware and expensive dresses. Does Eric still have the faith? To be continued...No one at Disney thought this sequal would sell. No one wants the real story. We want to believe that a good relationship is one that escapes suffering or one that will solve our personal suffering.

Now that I got rid of all my negative insights about relationships. I would like to speak more specifically about the difference between friendship and romantic relationship. How does the world separate those two categories? I know for sure by the way I was brought up that a romantic relationship is partly defined by the presence of physical intimacy that goes beyond huggs and kisses on the cheeks. It could also be seen as a relationship that is formed in view of reaching the point of marriage. A life mate sort of thing. It is part of our western culture to seek one life mate with whom to build a family. Our life mate is also the person that knows our darkest secrets and all the little details of our lives. This is where lies the intimacy. To know one another at a much deeper level than all other people. To share experiences that are unique, which make the relationship special.

But why is it that I take on a completely different mindset when I date as opposed to developing a friendship with someone? When I think of dating, what comes to mind first is sexual attraction. I look for the spirit of Eros. I think of Eros not only as a form of physical attraction but sexual in the sense of body and mind. I'm suggesting of course that the mind can be sexy just as much as the body. When we meet a sexy mind, doesn't it seem that the body just follows? But on the other hand, don't sexy bodies loose all their attractiveness if the mind is not also sexy? It all comes back to my thought that I believe there is too much emphasis on physical love rather than mental, emotional and spiritual love. I see it as a hierarchy of love, the most important being spiritual love and the least important, physical. The rest in between is a bit harder to classify.

When I think of friendship, it always seems like the love is more 'pure' in a manner of speaking. It seems closer to a spiritual connection than anything else. I ask myself sometimes why I have become such close friends with a certain someone. You learn alot about yourself asking questions like that! The answers are even more revealing when you've been friends with the person your whole life or at least a large part of it. We discover ourselves through relationships, especially through frienships.

This leads me to ponder about why people don't seek first and foremost to develop a frienship with their potential life mate. Obviously, most of us would say "of course I want to be friends with my partner!". But is that really true? Once sex gets all tangled up in the relationship, what happens? Why do things become complex? It's a funny 'humanimalistic' thing. Sex makes people behave in weird ways sometimes. We can't negate it's impact and influence. So what are we to do? To answer my first question, 'what is the difference between intimacy in a romantic relationship and intimacy in friendship?,' I will leave it to my readers, because at this point, my guess is as good as theirs.

All of this sounds really nice on paper, but are we really capable of behaving as our minds would like us to behave? Do we have enough self mastery to seek spiritual and emotional love and not be tempted by physical love? This for me, has been an endless struggle, but it's been a great journey so far and I keep discovering things. Perhaps only the elderly could answer all those questions. But they may have an advantage, for as sex drive diminishes, I imagine, everything becomes clear.