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

level of achievement. As we specialise, we develop
further in whatever the requeriments may be for the
particular population we serve.
Although the use of recorded music can be important in
clinical situations, its use as the only resource and the
only musical capability of the music therapist is open to
question. If we are to justify the title of Music Therapist,
"playing" a cassette player or a pianola is not enough!
What more do we need and why?
We require a means of musical expression which is
flexible enough to respond to the need of the moment,
the changes in feeling as a session progresses from
minute to minute as more material emerges. Only "live"
music can do this.
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In some schools of therapy, the only important music
skill is that of improvisation on the piano, to express
emotional states, life-experience etc, and possibly at
the same time facilitating the use of tuned and untuned
percussion instruments by clients.
Undoubtedly this is a skill which most therapists will
need to develop for their clinical work, but there are
others which the therapist with an eclectic approach
needs as well. These would, in my view, include some or
all of the following:
* the development of appropriate repertoire for a
particular population;
* skills in composition as a planned, not spontaneous
activity;