THEMUSICALIDENTITIESOFDANISHMUSICTHERAPYSTUDENTS–….pptVIP

THE MUSICAL IDENTITIES OF DANISH MUSIC THERAPY STUDENTS studied through musical autobiographies and interviews  Lars Ole Bonde Aalborg University (Denmark) Center for Music and Health (Oslo, Norway) Abstract and background In the music therapy masters program at Aalborg University (Denmark) Music and Identity has been taught as a graduate course (8. semester) in the last 10 years. The course is based on a musical autobiography (10 pages) written by each participating student over a period of 6 weeks. Purpose of the course: to demonstrate the impact of personal musical experiences on the (developing) professional identity of the novice music therapist to use this as the basis for a theoretical understanding of how music can be involved in identity work To explore how music can be used in music psychotherapy with different client groups – focusing on musical reminiscence and identity. This presentation will focus on the second aspect. Publication of results: Anthologies on Music, Identity and Health – to be published by Center for Music and Health in 2011 and 2012. Theoretical end empirical background Ruud (1997, 1998, 2006) Theory based on a research study done with Norwegian music therapy students on the subject ?Music and Identity?. 60 music therapy students were asked to collect on a cassette tape some of the pieces of music which had made a significant impact upon their life. They were also asked to write down a personal reflection, or their musical biography. Based upon qualitative research techniques a theory of music and identity has been developed. Important theoretical background has been discourse theory and narrative theory. ?Identity? is understood as a ?metaphor for self-in context?, and it is stated that music can be used and experienced in a way which positions people in relation to time and place, other persons or transcendental values. Grounded theory based analysis of interviews and written reflections led to the identification of four cate