Jessica Leza is a board-certified music therapist, author, and multimedia artist. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from the University of North Texas and a Master of Arts in Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Leza’s music therapy scholarship and advocacy centers around neurodiversity, disability justice, culture, and LGBTQ+ liberation and includes publications in The Neurodiversity Reader, Sociocultural Identities in Music Therapy, and The Oxford Handbook of Queer and Trans Music Therapy, as well as the solo-authored An Introduction to Neurodiversity and Autistic Culture for (Music) Therapists. Leza’s multimedia works have been showcased in film and arts festivals across the US and Europe, China, and South America.

Luke and Jessica discussed her process of becoming a music therapist and her recent experiences of clinical practice, followed by the concepts of neuroqueering and neurocosmopolitanism as they might apply to music therapy.

e-Book: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1492591757/an-introduction-to-neurodiversity-and

Paperback: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1510338925/paperback-an-introduction-to

https://jessicaleza.com/

References

Hadley, S. 2021 Sociocultural Identities in Music Therapy. United States: Barcelona Publishers.

Lee, C. 2024 Oxford Handbook of Queer and Trans Music Therapy. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, USA.

Leza, J. (n.d.). An Introduction to Neurodiversity and Autistic Culture for (Music) Therapists. United States: La Migdalia Press.

Walker, N. (2021). Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities. United States: Autonomous Press.

Luke talks to Den Vecchio, a play therapist living and working in Bristol, UK. They discuss the principles of play therapy, why play therapy has become more available in mainstream schools in recent years, and overlaps with music therapy practice. Also - why every play therapist should have snakes, spiders and crocodiles in their collection!

Den is a thoughtful practitioner and was a very entertaining and engaging podcast guest. As a music therapist, you're perhaps unlikely to have come across her, but don't let this discourage you from listening to this fascinating episode. There's lots of food for thought here, in particular for music therapists who work with children and young people.

Den Vecchio's website: https://thegardenroombristol.com/author/denvecchio/

References

Axline, V. M. (1975). Dibs: In search of self. Mansion.

Evelyn Mason is an experienced music therapist and Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Student at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge. Chroma Therapies and the Independent Neurorehabilitation Providers Alliance (INPA) are collaborating with ARU on this study which focuses on music therapy to address the emotional challenges of family caregivers of people with Huntington’s disease. As a practising clinician, she has specialisms in brain injury rehabilitation, adoption, dementia, learning disability and hospice care.

Having completed her MA Music Therapy training at ARU in 2008, she worked for the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust in Belfast, with children with learning difficulties in Chennai, India, for Methodist Homes Association (MHA) in central England, for Chroma Therapies with individual adoption cases, and currently works with Chroma Therapies as a Neurologic Music Therapist at a brain injury rehabilitation unit in Bristol. 

Evelyn employs an integrative approach in her clinical work. At times, she uses psychodynamic processes at the pre-assessment phase to understand relational or engagement issues with the client. Evelyn seeks to adopt a desire-based approach by putting the client’s choices at the core of the therapeutic journey. She works within the scientific theory model when carrying out her rehabilitation work, seeking to enable the client to benefit from inter-disciplinary working and patient-centred rather than discipline-centred programs. 

Evelyn's future research interests are related to the field of neuro-disability. They include:

• Developing musical techniques to address neurologically-induced sensations.
• Examining music therapy techniques to address speech deficits in stroke patients diagnosed with aphasia.
• Analysing connections between social issues and acquired brain injury.
• Developing online music therapy models for carers of people with neurodegenerative conditions.

References/links:

The Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy – -In Memory of Robert F. Unkefer (nmtacademy.co)

https://nmtacademy.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/nmt-definitions.pdf

Rolvsjord, R. (2016) Resource-Oriented Perspectives in Music Therapy. Oxford University Press.

Thaut, M. and Hœmberg, V. (2016) Handbook of neurologic music therapy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Elaine is a BAMT registered clinical supervisor, and consultant lead visitor for the HCPC.  She studied piano and composition at GSMD, and trained as a music therapist with Dr Paul Nordoff and Dr Clive Robbins in London. After running the music therapy service at the CDC, Charing Cross Hospital for several years, and completing an MA research thesis in music therapy at the University of York, Elaine was appointed Senior Lecturer at the Roehampton Institute where she developed a new post-graduate course in Music Therapy. Her music therapy practice with children, young people, and adults ran alongside her lecturing work, She trained as a psychodynamic counsellor at the Westminster Pastoral Foundation and taught various aspects of music therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for many years, including clinical improvisation.

Following a Churchill Research Fellowship in the 1980's, Elaine initiated,  developed and coordinated the BAMT (formerly APMT) post training supervision scheme for registered music therapists in the UK. She has an established supervision practice working with individual therapists and small group supervision for and supervisors working in the UK and abroad.

Previous Roles

Acting Head of Music Therapy, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.

Visiting Professor of Music Therapy Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.

Senior Lecturer in Music Therapy, Clinical Tutor, and Clinical Music Improvisation Tutor, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.

Head of Music Therapy Training, Senior Lecturer, University of Roehampton UK.

Initiator and Coordinator of the Association of Professional Music Therapists* Post-Diploma Supervision Scheme, UK.

Music Therapy Group Training Therapist for students studying for Masters in Music Therapy degrees at :

Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Nordoff Robbins Centre London, University of the West of England, and Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.

Music Therapy Charity Ph,D. Research Fellowship at the University of York.

University of York PhD Research Fellowship in Music Therapy,

Churchill Fellowship in Music Therapy.

Clinical Music Improvisation Tutor, Nordoff Robbins Institute at Southlands College.

Head Music Therapist, Child Development Centre, Paediatric Department, Charing Cross Hospital, London.

References

Streeter, E. et al: The Arts in Psychotherapy 39 (2012) 1–10 'Computer aided music therapy evaluation: Testing the Music Therapy Logbook prototype 1 system'

Streeter, E. (2011) 'From Trainee to Practitioner: the supervision of registered music therapists' Chapter 13 in Karen D Goodman's 'Music Therapy Education and Training: from Theory to Practice' Charles C Thomas publisher USA

‘Streeter, E. (2010) ‘Computer-Aided Music Therapy Evaluation: Investigating and Testing the Music Therapy Logbook Prototype I’ Ph,D. Thesis (York)

Streeter, E. (2006). What Are We Doing to Ourselves? The Branding of Music Therapy in Academia. In: Hadley, S. (Ed), Feminist Perspectives in Music Therapy. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers. p.359.

Streeter, E. (2001). Making Music with the Young Child with Special Needs: A Guide for Parents. Revised Edition London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Streeter, E. (1999) Finding a balance between psychological thinking and musical awareness in music therapy theory — a psychoanalytic perspective. British Journal of Music Therapy 

Streeter, E. (1999) Definition and Use of the Musical Transference Relationship. In: Wigram, T. & De Backer, J. (Eds), Clinical Applications of Music Therapy in Psychiatry. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Chap.15, p.84-90.

Streeter, E. (1981).Towards a Theoretical Understanding of Rhythmic Responses in Music Therapy. British Society of Music Therapy. Monograph. Available from: British Association of Music Therapy, UK.

Streeter, E. (1979). A Theoretical Background to the Interpretation of Rhythmic Skills, with Particular Reference to the Use of Music Therapy as an Aid to the Clinical Assessment of Pre-School Children. MA Thesis. Department of Music, University of York.

Prof. Dr. Gitta Strehlow is Professor of Music Therapy at the University of Music and Drama Hamburg in Germany and a Music therapist at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the AGAPLESION Bethesda Hospital Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany. Her research areas include: psychodynamic music therapy, trauma, psychiatry and mentalization.

She undertook special education teacher training with music as a subject, University of Hamburg and Hamburg University of Music and Drama (1986-1994), field research in Indonesia exploring gamelan music (1994-1995). She was a teacher at a special school (1997-2000) before embarking on a diploma in music therapy at the University of Music and Theater Hamburg (1997-2000). Practical research: music therapy with sexually abused children and adolescents, Institute for Music Therapy at the University of Music and Theatre Hamburg (Prof. Dr. Decker-Voigt) in conjunction with the association Dunkelziffer e.V. (1997-2005). Self-employed there. Music therapist from 2005.

Gitta has been a music therapist at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Bethesda Hospital Hamburg-Bergedorf (since 2000). Further training in psychodynamic-imaginative trauma therapy (2002). National and international lecturing and teaching activities (since 2004). Further training in Mentalization-Based-Treatment (MBT) with P. Fonagy and A. Bateman (2007).

Her doctorate was entitled "Töne an der Grenze, Interaktionsmuster in der musiktherapeutischen Begegnung mit Patienteninnen, die unter einer Borderline-Pönlichkeitsstörung leiden" (“Tones on the borderline, interaction patterns in music therapy encounters with patients who suffer from borderline personality disorder“). She has also conducted post-doctoral research into Borderline personality disorder patients in music therapy in Belfast in 2015).

She has held a part-time professorship "Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Theory and Practice" at the Institute for Music Therapy at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama since October 2019.

Webpage:

https://www.hfmt-hamburg.de/hochschule/organisation/personen/gitta-strehlow  

PUBLICATIONS

Strehlow, G. (2023 in press) Selected contemporary approaches to music therapy in psychiatry. Music & Medicine, Volume 15/ 4

Strehlow, G. (2023) Alliance Rupture in Musiktherapie In. Die Psychotherapie, 68/4, S. 289-295

Strehlow, G. (2023) Hamburg Institute for Music Therapy: A Model for free Improvisation within Psychodynamic Music Therapy. In:  K. Goodman (Ed.) Developing Issues in World Music Therapy Education and Training: A Plurality of Views. Charles C. Thomas. P. 49-71.

Strehlow, G.  (2021) Trust development is essential in music therapy, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, Vol. 30, No1,97-99. DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2020.1812272

Strehlow, G. (2021). Trauma, Mentalisierung und künstlerische Therapien, Band Trauma II, Forum für Kunsttherapien, Fachverband für Gestaltende Psychotherapie und Kunsttherapie, Schweiz (S. 13-18) 

Strehlow, G. (2021). Stichwörter „Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung“ und „Mentalisierung“. In: H.-H. Decker-Voigt & E. Weymann (Hg): Lexikon Musiktherapie, 3. Auflage Göttingen u.a.: Hogrefe Verlag, S. 83-88; 340-346.

Strehlow, G. & Spitzer C. (2020). Dissoziative Störungen. In U. Schmidt, T. Stegemann, C. Spitzer (Hg.): Musiktherapie bei psychiatrischen und psychosomatischen Störungen. München: Elsevier Urban & Fischer, S. 112-118

Strehlow, G. & Schmidt, U. (2020). Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörungen. In: U. Schmidt, T. Stegemann, C. Spitzer (Hg.): Musiktherapie bei psychischen und psychosomatischen Störungen. Elsevier Urban & Fischer, S. 135-138

Strehlow, G. (2020). Musiktherapie mit Opfern sexueller Gewalt. In: A.Wölfl & S. Siebert (Hg.). Musiktherapie mit Opfern von Missbrauch und Gewalt. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. S. 47-59

Strehlow, G. (2020). Traumata und deren Auswirkung. In: Spektrum der Musiktherapie. VdM (Verband deutscher Musikschulen). S. 84-86

Strehlow, G. (2019). How Neuro Research supports Music Therapy with Children who have experienced Sexual Abuse. In: Music Therapy Today, open access, music-therapy-today, special issue: Trauma. S. 59-77   (Mentalising)

Strehlow, G. (2019): Musiktherapeutische Cochrane Studien im Bereich der Psychiatrie. In: GMS Journal of Arts Therapies – Journal of Art-, Music-, Dance-, Drama- and Poetry-Therapy. GMS J Art Ther 2019;1:Doc04

Strehlow, G. & Hannibal, N. (2019). Mentalizing in improvisational music therapy, In: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 28:4, 333-346, DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2019.1574877

Keller, J.; Strehlow, G.; Wiesmüller, E.; Wolf, H.G. & Wölfl, A. (2018): Methodische Modifikationen für die musiktherapeutische Behandlung von Patientinnen mit Traumafolgestörungen. In: MU, 39(1), S. 12-22

Fenner, F.; Abdelazim, R.; Bräuninger I.; Strehlow, G. & Seifert, S. (2017): Provision of arts therapies for people with severe mental illness. In: Curr Opin Psychiatry, 30, 306 – 311

Strehlow, G. & Schmidt, U. (2017): Musiktherapie bei Patienten mit Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung. In PTT, Schattauer 2, S. 129-138. 

Strehlow, G. (2016). Traumatische Erfahrungen und ihre Behandlungsmöglichkeiten in der Musiktherapie. Musik und Gesundheit, Hg. Decker-Voigt. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. 30, S.14-18

Strehlow, G. & Lindner, R. (2016): Music therapy interaction patterns in relation to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients. In: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 2, 134-158.

Strehlow, G. & Schmidt, U. (2015). Musiktherapie bei Patienten mit Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung – ein Überblick. Musik und Gesundsein, Hg. Decker-Voigt, Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. S. 15-21.

Strehlow, G. (2014): Förderung der Mentalisierungsfähigkeit in der Gruppenmusiktherapie. Hg. (DMtG) Jahrbuch Musiktherapie. Wiesbaden: Reichert, S. 197-214

Strehlow, G. (2013): Music versus shard. In: Metzner, S. (Ed.): Reflected Sounds. Case Studies from Music Therapy. E-book. Gießen: Psychosozial-Verlag. Übersetzung von 2007

Strehlow, G. (2013): Mentalisierung und ihr Bezug zur Musiktherapie. In: MU, 34(2), S. 135-145

 Strehlow, G. (2012): Scham und Musiktherapie bezogen auf die Problematik des sexuellen Missbrauchs. In: MU, 33(3), S. 228-237.

Monographie: Strehlow, G. (2011): Töne an der Grenze. Interaktionsmuster in der musiktherapeutischen Begegnung mit Patientinnen, die unter einer Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung leiden. Online Veröffentlichung der Dissertation: http://www.sub.uni-hamburg.de/opus/volltexte/2011/4968

Strehlow, G. (2009a): Mentalisierung und ihr Nutzen für die Musiktherapie. In: MU, 30(2), S.89-101.

Strehlow, G. (2009b): The use of music therapy in treating sexually abused children. In: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 18(2), S. 167–183.

Georgina Aasgaard

Cellist and Music and Health Practitioner

Georgina Aasgaard is a Liverpool based Cellist and Music and Health practitioner who has a passion for bringing Music from the concert platform to challenging and more intimate environments. She has 20 years of experience delivering music interventions in a broad range of health and social settings such as hospitals, mental health units, prisons, homes for the elderly as well as community centres for refugees and the homeless. Her practice includes 15-year partnerships with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust and Live Music Now. She has also aworked for 10 years with DadaFest and Drake Music, engaging with people with disabilities through music making and technology . As a musician in residence, she has led innovative and groundbreaking programmes which include both one to one interaction on intensive care units and group work in mental health units. She has co-created recovery courses, co-produced performances, exploring skills such as improvisation, composition, songwriting, music technology, and including employability opportunities. Her activities have been measured through co-evaluation methods and continuous contact with patients and service users. 

These collaborations have enabled her to draw on her experiences to create context specific training and mentoring programmes. She is currently developing a toolkit for musicians working in healthcare, informed by her collaborative work over the years and her research activities.

Georgina was awarded a Pre-doctoral Local Authority Fellowship by the NIHR, as a  Director of Training and Development Research for Live Music Now, working in partnership with the University of Liverpool to investigate the influence of non-clinical music interventions on mental health.

She currently works in close collaboration with The Liverpool Centre for Health, Art, Society and Environment (CHASE) at the University of Liverpool aiming to foster critical inquiry, dialogue and creativity to build new knowledge about enabling creative communities through music collaboration and cross-sector partnerships. As part of this collaboration, she has been granted a new Community Innovation Practitioner (CIP) award funded by the AHRC to investigate how collaborations between academics and partners from across different sectors can work to benefit health and wellbeing.

Awards and Honorary Fellowship

·         05/07/2022: Festival of Learning Awards: Winner of the President’s Award. Music and Mental Health Programme at the Life Rooms, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Lead musician

·         01/02/2021: Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards: Winner of the Impact Award on Health and Wellbeing Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Lead Musician

·         01/05/2019: Winner of the Merseyside Woman of the Year in the category of Arts, Culture and Media

·         01/03/2016: NHS Award in Health and Care - Certificate of Recognition for Commitment to learning in Health and Care

·         01/09/2011: University of Liverpool Honorary Fellowship, Music and Wellbeing

·         01/09/2010: NHS Positive achievement Award in Mental Health

Katie Bycroft is a musician, music therapist, supervisor and advocate for access to musical experiences for all. She trained at the Guildhall in 1998, having initially studied Oriental Studies (Japanese) at Cambridge University. Music was important from very early days, and she immersed herself in flute playing from the age of 8, taught by her flautist aunt. Music has always been a way for her to connect with people from other cultures, from youth orchestra and choir trips to Europe, to joining a folk music group in Japan as well as singing the Messiah in Japanese while living there in the 1990s. Her latest musical adventure has been to move to Malta to work for Villabianca Centre for Music and the Arts, a new music therapy project set up in 2021 by The Malta Trust Foundation. This unique opportunity to be involved in establishing a music therapy service where none existed before has been transformational in many ways, for many people. She continues to be active in the UK music therapy world, as Supervision Network co-ordinator for BAMT, clinical placement seminar leader at UWE, and working together with University of the West of England to establish a blended, distance-learning music therapy training for trainees based in Malta. Music therapy continues to bring welcome connections, with a visit during a recent trip to Australia to the Noro Music Therapy Centre just outside Sydney. She is also Director of the Oxford Flute Summer School which continues after 35 years to attract flautists from all over the world for a wonderful week of flute playing with like-minded people.

Luke spoke to Katie in person, at University of the West of England, Bristol in August 2023.

Beth Pickard is a Senior Lecturer, Researcher and PhD Supervisor at the University of South Wales. Her music therapy teaching and practice is heavily informed by her research in Critical Disability Studies. Beth’s research explores how disability is socially constructed, interpreted and represented across disciplines and pedagogy. Beth is a passionate ally, activist and advocate of social justice and anti-oppressive practice. She is also currently a consultant for the National Music Service for Wales on developing access to musical opportunities for children and young people with additional learning needs, a researcher for Live Music Now across a range of projects informed by the Sounds of Intent framework and an evaluator for The Amber Trust's portfolio of inclusive music schemes. Beth is currently involved in a research project with Hilary Davies about the lived experiences of disabled music therapists in the UK, and with counselling psychologist Rachel Davies about service user engagement in curriculum development processes.

Luke spoke to Beth in person at USW, Newport, in July 2023. 

References

Low, M. Y. et al., (2023), 'Exploring the Lived Experiences of Young Autistic Adults in Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis', Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 32(4), p. 341-364.

Pickard, B. (2022), ‘The Importance of Collaboration: Valuing the Expertise of Disabled People Through Social Confluence’ in King, H. (Ed), Developing Expertise for Teaching in Higher Education: Practical Ideas for Professional Learning and Development, SEDA / Routledge. pp. 69-84.https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003198772-7

Pickard, B. (2022), 'Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy as an Opportunity for Consciousness Raising in the Music Therapy Profession: A Critical Disability Studies Perspective', British Journal of Music Therapy, Special Issue: Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. 36(1), p. 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/13594575221078582

Pickard, B. (2020), 'Challenging Deficit Based Discourse in Higher Education Through a Social Connection Model of Disability: A Critical Disability Studies Perspective', PhD by Portfolio, University of South Wales, Available at https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/challenging-deficit-based-discourse-in-higher-education-through-a

Pickard, B. (2020), ‘A Critical Reflection on the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Arts Therapists: A Critical Disability Studies Perspective’, British Journal of Music Therapy, 34(2), p. 82-94, https://doi.org/10.1177/1359457520971812

Young, I. M. (2006), ‘Responsibility and Global Justice: A Social Connection Model’, Social Philosophy and Policy, 23(1), p. 102-130. 

Young, I. M. (1990), Justice and the Politics of Difference, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Luke spoke to music therapist Alphonso Archer about his career in music, music education, music therapy, and football coaching. This has included big personal challenges, inspiring moments and the development of innovative and creative approaches. 

Alphonso says:

I spent over 25 years immersed in IT, Software, and Artificial Intelligence, building a career rooted in technological expertise. However, a personal diagnosis of prostate cancer and a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in 2016 marked a pivotal moment, guiding me towards the world of music therapy.

My transition was also profoundly influenced by my personal experiences. Growing up with a father diagnosed with schizophrenia offered me firsthand insights into the complexities of mental health. My academic exploration in this area led to a dissertation titled "Ambiguities in the Diagnosis of Schizophrenia Amongst Ethnic Minorities", shedding light on mental health nuances within the black community. I trained as a music therapist at the University of the West of England (UWE), graduating with distinction in 2022. As a newly qualified freelance music therapist, I work with neurodiverse children, particularly those with autism and other co-occurring conditions. My therapeutic approach also encompasses adults with autism and those managing mental health challenges. Collaborating with a cancer charity, I facilitate music therapy sessions tailored for those navigating the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis. I am publishing my master's dissertation, which centres on "How Black Men Use Music to Cope with the Psychosocial Symptoms of Their Prostate Cancer Post Treatment". This research underscores my interest and commitment to understanding the intricate connections between music, therapy, race, and health outcomes. At the 2022 European Music Therapy Conference, I had the opportunity to co-present with Dr Kate Jones, who introduced her music therapy toolkit designed for children with selective mutism. I was also involved in workshops and discussions surrounding race and belonging, social dreaming matrix and shared my thoughts on the future trajectory of the music therapy profession. Music has been a constant as a multi-instrumentalist, starting in church and rich experiences such as playing guitar in the Derbyshire Youth Jazz Orchestra to jazz piano lessons with composer and recitalist James Harpham. For over two decades, I have taught piano, guitar and bass, instruments that I've been connected to since my early years. You can contact me via my new website: www.livingwellthroughmusic.com Twitter: @AlphieArcher

In this episode, Luke talks to Hilary Davies, with a focus on music therapy and neurodiversity.

Hilary Davies is a freelance music therapist currently specialising in working with autistic adults, including recently-diagnosed autistic adults and autistic adults with co-occurring conditions such as complex PTSD. She is also working towards a PhD on the topic of neurodiversity paradigm-informed music therapy practice with autistic people at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, funded by the Guildhall EDI in Music Therapy PhD Studentship. Hilary has also worked in a variety of other music therapy roles, including setting up and leading projects for Music Place North West (in hospice care) and Entelechy Arts.

Hilary trained as a music therapist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating with distinction in 2019. She also studied Music at the University of Cambridge (Gonville and Caius College). Prior to training as a music therapist, Hilary worked as a music teacher and freelance performer for more than a decade.

Alongside her research on music therapy with autistic people from a neurodiversity paradigm-perspective (a topic on which she has published as well as presenting at various conferences including BAMT 2021, European Music Therapy Conference 2022, World Music Therapy Congress 2023 and guest lecturing at various universities) Hilary has research interests in music therapy with adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and music therapy and disability studies, including the experience of disabled music therapists (she is currently involved in a Music Therapy Charity funded research project on this topic with Beth Pickard). She is the founder and co-ordinator of the BAMT Support Network for Disabled Music Therapists, and advocates in various ways for the increased inclusion and understanding of disabled people within the music therapy profession.

Links

Amanda Baggs - ‘In My Language’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc 

References

Davies, H. (2022) “Autism is a way of being”: An Insider Perspective on Neurodiversity, music therapy and social justice” in British Journal of Music Therapy 36 (1).

Devlin K (2018) “How do i see you, and what does that mean for us? An autoethnographic study” in Music Therapy Perspectives 36(2).

Harris, T. A. (2012). I'm OK, you're OK. Random House.

Milton, D. (2012) “On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’” in Disability & Society 27 (6)

Pickard B, Thompson G, Metell M, Roginsky E., Elefant C. (2020) “‘It’s Not What’s Done, But Why It’s Done’: Music therapists’ understanding of normalisation, maximisation and the neurodiversity movement” in Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy 20(3)

Price, D (2022) Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing our Hidden Neurodiversity New York: Penguin Random House

Singer, J (1998 / 2017) NeuroDiversity: The Birth of an Idea. Kindle Edition.

Shiloh, C.J. & Blythe Lagasse, A. (2014) “Sensory Friendly Concerts: A community music therapy initiative to promote Neurodiversity” in International Journal of Community Music 7 (1)

Walker, N. (2012) “Throw Away the Master’s Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm” in  J. Bascom (ed.)Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking Washington: Autistic Self-Advocacy Network.

Walker, N. (2021) Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities Fort Worth: Autonomous Press.

Winter P (2012) Loud hands and loud voices. In: Bascom J (ed.) Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking. Washington, DC: Autistic Self-Advocacy Network.

Luke spoke to the musician Robert Mitchell about his life as a creative artist and the importance of music and other arts to society and, more broadly, for humankind.

Robert Mitchell is one of the most significant voices in British jazz. Multi-faceted creator, pianist, keyboardist, composer, improviser, writer, poet and so much more. He is a relentless seeker and thinker, encompassing many art forms, musical genres and constantly pushing the envelope. In the last year he has released the extremely contrasting albums “Hold The Light/The New Resistance' DOF004 (from his unit TRUE THINK) and 'Towards The Flame' 577 Records (from the improv trio The Flame). He has released 13 albums.

Robert is a throwback to the powerful tradition of artistic mastery in pursuit of transcendence. He is proud to have been a Steinway artist since 2009. He was MD on the successful BBC4 television programme ‘Jazz 625 Live: For One Night Only’ which won the British Broadcasting Award. He has played with Billy Harper, Greg Osby, Courtney Pine CBE, Alicia Olatuja, Orphy Robinson, Steve Coleman, Phil Ranelin, Omar Puente, Ernesto Simpson, Daymé Arocena, Jason Rebello, Shirley Smart, Basement Jaxx, Dub Colossus, Daniel Casimir, Joshua Redman, Jacqui Dankworth MBE, and many others. Robert Mitchell’s works have been performed by the Grammy-winning Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and the London Sinfonietta, amongst others. He is a sought-for composer and known as an innovator with a distinct, unique voice.

Robert has performed solo piano since the 90s. Recent concerts include Romania, Derby, Coventry, London with more on the way this year in Newcastle, Brighton and Bristol. His 2020 album The Rainbow Mountain/Can We Care' - was a near 40 min improvisation (completed with one of his original songs - live at the Jazz Cafe, London). Solo performances now include original music, Classical, Jazz, improvisations, left hand only, inside piano and poetry. He releases his second collection of poetry later this year - on Common Tone Press. 

 Robert is a Professor of Jazz Piano (Guildhall School Of Music And Drama), Piano Lecturer (Leeds Conservatoire) and Piano teacher at YMM.  

https://robertmitchell.bandcamp.com/album/hold-the-light-the-new-resistance-dof0004

https://twitter.com/robertmitchellm

https://www.instagram.com/robertmitchellmusic/