Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

It is important to address the use of the DVD because students often consider
uploading excerpts onto ‘YouTube’ or social networking sites such as ‘Facebook’.
Therefore thinking ahead about the impact of sharing what they have done
confidentially in music therapy and talking about others’ potential comments, can be
a useful exercise. In the same way that the judges are very harsh on the ‘X-factor’, I
reflect on the critical comments they may receive once they have shared their music
with the outside world. I spend time helping students to think about the process of
filming, what has been important in therapy and the parts they want to share.
Music taken outside the music therapy room may be questioned by other therapists
and even discouraged but, for some of these students who are coping with very
difficult life circumstances, I consider taking the music away with them on DVD is
just as important as the process of bringing those feelings to therapy.
4.4.4 “This is my song, man!” Songs and songwriting
Songs appeal to children (Campbell, 1998; MacGregor, 2005). Teenagers often
recognise and like to reminisce about songs from their early childhood, particularly
from primary school assemblies (4.4.2). The wealth of sheet music in the music
therapy garage offers a variety of musical styles which can generate ideas for
students.
Writing songs comes about in different ways. ‘Indeed the process should not be
formulaic as that would defy the very creative environment it attempts to create’
(Davies, 2005, p.47). Songwriting can be a very effective way for teenagers to
communicate their story and their ideas as a social activity and within a structure
which feels predictable and purposeful (Derrington, 2005). For some it is a natural
progression from improvising and for others it may be their aim from the outset;
either way it is ‘a powerful use of the existing relationship between teenagers and
songs’ (McFerran, 2010). Students may use a song to describe their feelings and, in
doing so, use the song to communicate in a way that feels safer than talking about
them directly (Dvorkin, 1991; McFerran, 2010). Most commonly, students write
songs spontaneously, although some students like to substitute lyrics to tunes that
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