Where Music Helps: Community Music Therapy in Action and Reflection - Paperback

by Brynjulf Stige (Author), Gary Ansdell (Author), Mercédès Pavlicevic (Author)

This book explores how people may use music in ways that are helpful for them, especially in relation to a sense of wellbeing, belonging and participation. The central premise for the study is that help is not a decontextualized effect that music produces. The book contributes to the current discourse on music, culture and society and it is developed in dialogue with related areas of study, such as music sociology, ethnomusicology, community psychology and health promotion. Where Music Helps describes the emerging movement that has been labelled Community Music Therapy, and it presents ethnographically informed case studies of eight music projects (localized in England, Israel, Norway, and South Africa). Taken together these case studies theoretically inform a discussion of how an understanding of extra-musical processes is necessary for any understanding of musical processes.

Author Biography

Brynjulf Stige, PhD, is Professor in Music Therapy at the University of Bergen and Head of Research at GAMUT, The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, Uni Health. Gary Ansdell, PhD, is Director of Education at Nordoff-Robbins, UK and Co-Director of the MA in Music Therapy (Community Music Therapy / Nordoff-Robbins). Cochavit Elefant, PhD is Associate Professor in Music Therapy at the University of Bergen. Mercédès Pavlicevic, PhD, is Director of Research at Nordoff-Robbins, UK and Associate Professor in Music Therapy at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. .