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

avoided verbal interchanges with the therapists. It was a
great step forward when we managed to get him to
make an announcement of the title and date of his work
into the microphone of our tape recorder for the
purpose of storing his work on audio tape.
At the beginning of the current academic year, we
asked John if he would like to embark on a series of
experiments in Music Technology which might be of
interest to our colleagues in the Electronics Department
of the University of York. John agreed to do so, and with
the help of his Science teachers we arrived at a format
for writing up the experiments, supported by an audio
tape recording.
He has built up his music in stages and we have
discussed with him what he felt the music needed in
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each subsequent stage.
In the final stage of "Factory“, a piece consisting of
multi-layered sound effects improvised on the
computer, he felt that some unifying element was called
for and so he added a violin sound throughout the piece
and a flute tune at the end.
Gradually John became more relaxed and he is now
much more communicative. There is also a history of
violence, but as far as we are concerned we are dealing
with a polite and well mannered boy. John's great
interest is in science and his music has reflected this in
his naming an improvised piece 'Sky Lab'.
John's growth in self-confidence is such that not only is