DrumPower – music for a better community in the classroom: Group music therapy programme for violence prevention, social integration and empowerment in schools – suggestions from Community Music Therapy approaches

Abstract

Abstract Prevention of violence is one of the major social responsibilities of the twenty-first century, requiring effective preventative measures at many levels. Music as a non-verbal and emotive medium provides general and specific means for promoting aggression regulation, social integration and empowerment. Different music therapeutic procedures seem to be useful and the ideas of Community Music Therapy can expand the methodical approaches in German Music Therapy. This article presents a specific music therapy programme for the prevention of violence in school classes, which has been scientifically elaborated upon over the past few years in Germany. After describing the programme, called DrumPower, the article will conclude with the question as to what extent the different approaches can be useful to each other in the future.