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

y the quality of Carol Robbins listening attention to
Nicole, writing the following in my notes: "Such accurate
timing by the therapist, such sensitivity and clarity about
the way the music proceeds. The therapist keeps an
overall stability in the music but is ready to respond to
any subtle nuance."
It was a thrilling moment to witness this fusion of musical
and therapeutic skill particularly as first Carol then
Nicole slipped into "dancey" 6/8 rhythm in the last
session shown. Pamela Steele suggests that this
willingness and ability to listen is "perhaps the most
primary servi,~e" offered by the therapist (Steele,1988)
though indicates that we are "often limited in our
capacity for it".
The second reflection is on an experience therapist with
a group of clients attending centre for adults who
1060
regularly commit petty have spent long periods in
prison. The group I had as music a rehabilitation
offences and who had met for their enthusiastic and
session was their second of twelve and felt of us. The
improvised music was loud and first session the
previous week in quite an lively way. This difficult for all
of us. The improvised music was loud and chaotic and
seemed to just disintegrate rather than come to any
clear endings. It was very hard for anybody to hear their
own or others' input. After the second improvisation
people began to shout out their frustrations. The
following is an outline of the main parts of their
discussion. (The taped example gives an idea of the
level of noise which led up to and accompanied the
conversation.)
Taped example 1