Articulating the Dynamics of Music Therapy Group Improvisations

Abstract

The generation of indigenous music therapy knowledge is reliant on the creation of relevant and adequate tools for investigation of musical phenomena. This article proposes a model of musical analysis that focuses on articulating the dynamics of a therapy group, as heard in their improvised material. Narrative descriptions are generated that can be used as the musical evidence upon which psychological interpretations may be based. The descriptions are argued to be both relevant and adequately recognizable, as illustrated through an example drawn from research with a group of bereaved adolescents in Australia. The Music Therapy Group Improvisation Analysis Model (MTGI-AM) has been devised specifically for music therapy group work with adolescents, although it may have broader applicability.