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

unsuccessfully, and retreated hurriedly with a very red
face. Gareth and I consoled her, as we consoled all the
children. He usually said something like "Don't worry, I'll
show you and you'll see how easy it is ! ". Gareth was
urged by his classmates to play again. He was given a
rousing applause. I was overjoyed to hear some
children inviting Gareth to play with them during the
lunch-break, which he usually spent alone.
Gareth began to smile, and to speak
spontaneously. His posture changed : he stood up
straight, and no longer looked like an f. As is the case
with most dyslexics, some days he shone in his efforts
to learn, other days he sank back into confusion.
However, music was the key to opening his locked door.
lt was the shoe-hom, which allowed knowledge to slip in.
lt was the conveyor-belt into leaming. Sometimes I'd
sing quietly to him, with words such as "Hello Gareth,
how are you today ? You've come to sing and leam and
play". The music would penetrate and he'd respond in a
163
similar way. He never stuttered when he sang, and we'd
often have long duets.
Towards the end of the school year, I took
Gareth up to the University for my micro-crit lesson. A
video was to be made of this lesson. I pretended that it
was the technician's birthday, and we played and sang
"Happy Birthday" to him. lt was wonderful to see how
happy and relaxed Gareth was. We were able to show
how much he had leamt, as he worked his way through
the numerous exercises, games and tests. He was
definitely the star of the "show" ! A week later I took
Gareth and his parents to the University to watch the
video of the lesson. Gareth was chuffed to see himself
on TV, and his parents were thrilled with his progress.
After much discussion with his parents, the
school principal, his teacher and my Senior Lecturer at