Music Therapy

[little_pianist]

Uhmm... guys, do you know something about Music Therapy course? I'm planning to take music course in Melbourne University but I still don't understand clearly what is going to be taught...  :-\Do you think it has a good prospect? and the last thing... Does it has to do with Chemistry?
 
Thx alot!!

[timothy42b]

Music Therapy is a profession that uses music to reach disabled people who are not easily reached with verbal therapies.  There are similar fields like Art Therapy, Dance Therapy, etc.

Music skills are basic, not virtuoso.  Therapy skills are far more important.  Typically the jobs are with fairly low functioning populations, like institutionalized mentally retarded.

It is a rewarding field but not for everybody. 

[canardroti]

It's more academic than it is music itself I believe. You're going to be taking alot pf psycchological courses which are always interesting, some Human anatomy and PHysiology which involve a little bit of chemistry but probably nothing like Organic Chemistry.
And of course some music versatily , I believe you are require to play Piano, Guitar and maybe some percussions if I' m correct, you probably don't need to be a virtuoso in those instrumetns but you'll have to get around those. Good luck!

[pianistimo]

randomly, last year i bought a book entitled 'music, physician for times to come.'  it was written by don campbell who is also the author of 'the mozart effect.'  anyways, he describes music therapy in term of many different directions.  he takes different music therapists and describes their therapy.  it is much like medicine - in that there are different ways to do 'music therapy.'

also, he says 'in the 1830's, j dogiel published studies that describe experiments proving that music evokes definite physiological responses:
1. music influences the circulation of blood in humans AND animals.
2. music causes blood pressure to rise and fall.  the oscillations of pressure depend chiefly on the influence of auditory stimulation on the medulla oblongata and its relation to the auditory nerve.
3. variations in circulation depend on pitch, intensity, and timbre of sound.
4. the idiosyncrasies of each individual are apparent in the variations of blood pressure. 

in the 1940's henry clay smith showed how productivity of employees differed during 'music' vs. 'non music' days. 

i just found the book interesting reading - and you might, too.  many different perspectives.