Proceedings, Oxford, UK (2002) - World Federation of Music Therapy

Extract 10 -
Group
cohesion
(S.22)
playing other instruments, we were able to make musical interventions to
extend the group’s awareness of their own musical potential. In this
extract, by picking up on Colin’s quiet drum pulse from the
metallophone, I am able to extend an improvisation beyond its imminent
‘ending’, and so enable the group to experience a shared period of
quieter, less pulsed music.
The last extract I am going to show comes from session 22 in May 2002.
It shows the group’s music as it was near the end of our work together.
Ryan and Baraq had both begun to explore their own musical ideas, often
at the piano. Here, Ryan is exploring melodic phrases in parallel fourths
and thirds. After a time, Baraq joins in at the bass of the piano, while
Colin, sitting a little apart, adds his own line on a swanee whistle. I am
just audible, playing the metallophone.
Evaluation
Because of absences and other school activities, we did not see the group
in the last three weeks of term. This was an unsatisfactory end to our
work, but one to which we are vulnerable since we depend on schools to
bring clients to their sessions.
Nevertheless, we felt that all three group members had developed in their
ways of relating over the course of therapy. Baraq, always musically
confident and now much more fluent in English, had demonstrated a new
appreciation of other’s music and the ability to share musical initiatives
with them. Ryan had moved from remaining behind one instrument for
most of the session to exploring a number of instruments, including
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