Music as a Global Resource: - International Council for Caring ...

SECTION:
Music for Mental and Physical Health
COUNTRY:
Norway
PROJECT:
ROCK BAND AS EMPOWERMENT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CLIENTS: RAGNAROCK
DESCRIPTION:
In 1983, the RagnaRock group was started at Nordre Aasen Special School in Oslo, Norway as part of the
music therapy program at the school. The clients came mainly from Ragna Ringdals Daycare Centre, a
program for developmentally delayed adults. The goals of this project are to promote transformational
change in the social status and self-esteem of clients by encouraging them to become rock musicians.
A method called Lettrock was created, with students from the music therapy course at the Norwegian
Academy of Music in Oslo, to find ways of playing rock music that the clients could master. Guitars were
tuned so they could be played simply with open strings or with one finger pressing just two or three
strings. To help clients put their finger on the right fret, colored tapes were put on different frets of the
guitar. Colored tapes were also placed on the keyboard. A machine was created with foot switches
connected to three colored lamps, parallel to the three most common chords in rock and other ordinary
songs. These switches light a lamp whereby we could conduct the harmonies for the band.
CURRENT STATUS:
RagnaRock is still active and gives performances regularly. The band now consists of eight pupils from
the Oslo Adult Training Centre in Nydalen, Oslo, for developmentally delayed adults. The RagnaRock
Band has achieved a high-level of performance ability and has toured in Norway and across Europe. They
have appeared on state TV, played in different concert halls and at several music therapy congresses.
RagnaRock is supported by the Norwegian government.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB9ZP9guiU8
Publications:
Naess, T. & Bjørn Steinmo. (1995). Pop and Rock with Colors: Easy ways of building a pop-rock band
using special tuning and colors. Norsk Noteservice.
http://www.notebutikken.no/product_info.asp?Pid=28702
http://www.musictherapytoday.com/WFMT/President_presents..._files/Pop%20and%20rock%20with%2
0colours1.pdf
http://www.nmh.no/Senter_for_musikk_og_helse/71207 (in Norwegian)
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Project Name: RagnaRock
Address: Norwegian Academy of Music, P.O.Box 5190, Majorstua Slemdalsveien 11NO - 0302, Oslo,
Norway
Phone: + 47 23 36 70 00; Fax: + 47 23 36 70 01
Contact Persons: Professor Tom Naess; E-mail: tom.naess@nmh.no
Heidi Kristoffersen: Oslo Adult Training Centre; Email: heidi.s.kristoffersen@gmail.com
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