23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

These two extreme and diametrally opposite positions
can certainly not be satisfactory nor thrash out the issue
to the full.
They could in fact define a music therapeutist as a
person who uses music skillfully to improve socil
relationships; in this case, “musical animator” might be a
better definition. The other position in that the danger
exists of limiting the use of music therapy to a few
persons with in-depth knowledge and experience in
medicine and/or psychology, analytical trainig and a
good knowledge of music. This would mean that music
therapy would only be used for few pathologies and in
limited or even élite conditions.
1004
As the interesti for this discipline grows, the definition of
the professional role and training of those who use
music for therapy and rehabilitation as well as the
creation of a theory upstream the practical application
of music becomes more and more urgent.
An article by Nora Cervi published in “Quaderni di
Musica Applicata” offers an overview of some of the
leading training schools for music therapists in Europe
and America.
Even a hasty glance at study subject matters reveals a
common view on the need to couple musical and
medica-psychological knowiedge as a guarantee of a
positive therapeutical approach with music.
Rolando Benezon, ono of South Americ’s outstanding