Music Training Program Research Articles

The influences of inter music therapy on music therapists who experience it

ABSTRACT Introduction To date, there is sparse literature addressing analytical music therapists’ experiences in analytical music therapy (AMT) training. Method This study incorporated transcendental phenomenological research methodology to explore the lived experiences of six analytical music therapists who underwent inter music therapy (IMT) with Benedikte Scheiby. The main research questions driving this study were as follows: (a) What is the IMT experience like for an AMT trainee? (b) How does IMT shape the clinical practice of music therapists who have experienced it? Data were collected through interviews. Data analysis was systematic and carried out in two multi-step phases. Results This study revealed that IMT is intense, challenging, and transformative, and shaped music therapists’ clinical skills in several ways. The following themes emerged: (a) Celebrating skill development through experiencing challenging situations, (b) the experiential process as a path towards therapist self-awareness, (c) the value of music in the therapeutic process, (d) the non-hierarchical learning environment, (e) trust, and (f) the importance of recordings and log writing to integrate learning. Discussion The impacts upon music therapists’ clinical skills were vast and rich, suggesting that learning through self-experience is deeply meaningful. This, coupled with the significance of the trainer’s physical presence throughout the process, led to the following recommendations to music therapy training programs: programs should incorporate authentic self-experiences with music; the field should create competencies for music therapy supervisors, and provide training to supervisors; and professors/supervisors should increase opportunities for students/supervisees to have live observation of their clinical work to enhance their supervision experience.

Pediatric brain tumor survivors' lived experience of engaging in a musical training program which promoted their psychological well-being: a qualitative study.

Musical training has been found to promote psychological well-being and quality of life among pediatric brain tumor survivors. Yet, the essential elements of musical training that influence its efficacy remain unknown. This study aimed to examine the lived experience of engaging in the musical training program from the perspectives of pediatric brain tumor survivors, their parents, and interveners. We employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. Twenty pediatric brain tumor survivors (aged 8-15years) who had undergone musical training in a previous trial were selected, along with their parents (13 mothers and 7 fathers) and 7 interveners, to participate in individual semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted according to Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenology method. Five main themes emerged from the interviews: overcoming difficulties encountered during the initial phase of the musical training program, improved psychological and emotional well-being, facilitation of participation in musical training program, appreciation of the benefits of joining the musical training program, and expectation of future musical training program. The musical training program improved the psychological and emotional well-being of pediatric brain tumor survivors by promoting positive mood, facilitating emotional management and expression, and enhancing self-confidence. In addition, learning in a supportive environment is crucial in facilitating survivors to overcome adversity during their learning process. This study addressed a literature gap by exploring how a musical training program promoted psychological well-being among pediatric brain tumor survivors. The study findings inform the importance of tailoring musical training program based on survivors' learning abilities and needs.

‘It’s just a different dimension’: Music therapists’ experiences of hearing loss

This study explores the lived experiences of qualified music therapists who identify as having hearing loss. The risk of hearing loss for professional musicians is widely acknowledged in literature, with one study demonstrating an increased risk of hearing loss for music therapists. No current literature, however, explores the experiences of hearing loss from the perspective of the music therapist, in a profession in which hearing and listening could be seen as central to the work. For this study, qualitative research methods were employed, involving semi-structured interviews with six music therapists experiencing different levels of hearing loss. Verbatim transcripts were then analysed, using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), resulting in the identification of three principal themes across the data set: 1) Listening is exhausting: Identity as a music therapist with hearing loss; 2) Impatient or intrigued? Stigma versus support; and 3) How I manage: Strategies for coping. These themes are discussed in-depth, in light of existing theory and implications for practice. The analysis supports existing research demonstrating that acquired hearing loss does not impede musical ability. Barriers to proficiency arise from other areas. Implications are discussed, including recommendations for hearing-protection training within music therapy training programmes.

Implicaciones teórico-metodológicas en la historia presente de la educación musical de nivel superior en México

Los programas de educación musical que otorgan el grado de licenciatura en México tienen, en su mayoría, una vida aproximada de tres décadas. Con el objetivo de documentar la historia presente de los programas, se asumió que comprender los significados educativos compartidos por los miembros de cada comunidad permitiría identificar tendencias no explícitas en el currículo formal. En este documento se presenta la problematización teórico-metodológica focalizada durante esta investigación que ha asumido la responsabilidad universitaria de hacer sonar las voces del presente que quedarán en la historia para contrastarse con voces futuras.

Changes in auditory cortical thickness following music training in children: converging longitudinal and cross-sectional results.

Evidence is accumulating to suggest that music training is associated with structural brain differences in children and in adults. We used magnetic resonance imagining in two studies to investigate neuroanatomical correlates of music training in children. In study 1, we cross-sectionally compared a group of child musician (ages 9-11) matched to non-musicians and found that cortical thickness was greater in child musician in the posterior segment of the right-superior temporal gyrus (STG), an auditory association area that is involved in processing complex auditory stimuli, including pitch. We also found that thickness in the right posterior STG is related to music proficiency, however this relationship did not reach significance. In study 2, a longitudinal study, we investigated change in cortical thickness over a four-year period comparing a group of children involved in a systematic music training program with another group of children who did not have any music training. In this 2nd study we assessed both groups at the beginning of the study, prior to music training for the music group, and four years later. We found that children in the music group showed a strong trend of lower rate of cortical thinning in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus. Together, our results provide evidence that music training induces structural brain changes in school-age children and that these changes are predominantly pronounced in the right auditory association areas.

Cognitive and academic benefits of music training with children: A multilevel meta-analysis

Music training has repeatedly been claimed to positively impact children’s cognitive skills and academic achievement (literacy and mathematics). This claim relies on the assumption that engaging in intellectually demanding activities fosters particular domain-general cognitive skills, or even general intelligence. The present meta-analytic review (N = 6,984, k = 254, m = 54) shows that this belief is incorrect. Once the quality of study design is controlled for, the overall effect of music training programs is null ( overline{g} ≈ 0) and highly consistent across studies (τ2 ≈ 0). Results of Bayesian analyses employing distributional assumptions (informative priors) derived from previous research in cognitive training corroborate these conclusions. Small statistically significant overall effects are obtained only in those studies implementing no random allocation of participants and employing non-active controls ( overline{g} ≈ 0.200, p < .001). Interestingly, music training is ineffective regardless of the type of outcome measure (e.g., verbal, non-verbal, speed-related, etc.), participants’ age, and duration of training. Furthermore, we note that, beyond meta-analysis of experimental studies, a considerable amount of cross-sectional evidence indicates that engagement in music has no impact on people’s non-music cognitive skills or academic achievement. We conclude that researchers’ optimism about the benefits of music training is empirically unjustified and stems from misinterpretation of the empirical data and, possibly, confirmation bias.

The Influence of Music Training on Motoric Inhibition in German Preschool Children

The aim of our experiment was to investigate the effect of a music training program on motoric inhibition in German preschoolers. Studies have shown that in children, music lessons and inhibition a...

The influence of music training on motoric inhibition in German preschool children

The aim of our experiment was to investigate the effect of a music training program on motoric inhibition in German preschoolers. Studies have shown that in children, music lessons and inhibition are associated, and that music training might have the potential to improve inhibition. Improving executive functions is particularly useful in young children as they are highly relevant for success in school. We conducted an intervention study to investigate the potential impact of music training on motoric inhibition, establish causality, and demonstrate the usefulness of music training to enhance motoric inhibition. In particular, we compared the effects of two interventions, one involving music and the other sport, on motoric inhibition. In total, 25 preschoolers (15 girls, 10 boys) were randomly assigned to the two training programs. Preschoolers were trained three times per week for 20 minutes over a period of 14 weeks. Inhibition was assessed before and after the 14-week intervention period. We used the “statue” subtest of the NEPSY II, a developmental neuropsychological assessment for children, to measure inhibition. Analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed a significant interaction between intervention type (music vs. sport) and time (pre- vs. post-test). The music training, but not the sports training program, led to improved inhibition. Our findings suggest that a music training program can enhance inhibition in preschoolers.

Appreciating, (Re)-Thinking and Diversifying Arts Education: Learning to Be a Choral Conductor/ Trainer/Director/Educator in Kenya

The tremendous growth of choral music in Kenya over the last 50 years has largely been realised in three major establishments, namely: the Church, institutions of learning, and political arenas. Whereas choral music presents a field that can draw from diverse inquiries, the article focuses on music education as a component of choral music. It is motivated by the concern that the majority of choral trainers/directors/educators in Kenya are not products of formal choral training programmes. For the few who have obtained formal musicology, ethnomusicology and music education qualifications, observation shows that choral training or directing either forms a minimal part of, or is not included in, the various certificate, diploma or degree courses offered. Although conducting and/or art music as course units are offered in selected universities no institution of learning in Kenya offers a full course that focuses clearly on training choral trainers/directors/educators. Thus, choral directors may be the product of music training programmes other than formal school curricula. Whether in institutions of learning or the Church, the article views a choir situation as an alternative classroom, where the choral conductor/trainer/director/educator not only artistically imparts knowledge to the singers (learners), but also to prospective choral directors, hence acting as a role model. Therefore, the article demonstrates the alternative methodologies employed in Kenyan choral music. To address these concerns, the study relied on an ethnographic research approach that involved interviewing choral artistes, as well as observing how they practise their music, besides group interactive strategies.

Music Training for Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss Improves Speech-in-Noise Perception.

Purpose A growing body of evidence suggests that long-term music training provides benefits to auditory abilities for typical-hearing adults and children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how music training may provide perceptual benefits (such as speech-in-noise, spectral resolution, and prosody) for children with hearing loss. Method Fourteen children aged 6-9 years with prelingual sensorineural hearing loss using bilateral cochlear implants, bilateral hearing aids, or bimodal configuration participated in a 12-week music training program, with nine participants completing the full testing requirements of the music training. Activities included weekly group-based music therapy and take-home music apps three times a week. The design was a pseudorandomized, longitudinal study (half the cohort was wait-listed, initially serving as a passive control group prior to music training). The test battery consisted of tasks related to music perception, music appreciation, and speech perception. As a comparison, 16 age-matched children with typical hearing also completed this test battery, but without participation in the music training. Results There were no changes for any outcomes for the passive control group. After music training, perception of speech-in-noise, question/statement prosody, musical timbre, and spectral resolution improved significantly, as did measures of music appreciation. There were no benefits for emotional prosody or pitch perception. Conclusion The findings suggest even a modest amount of music training has benefits for music and speech outcomes. These preliminary results provide further evidence that music training is a suitable complementary means of habilitation to improve the outcomes for children with hearing loss.

Music therapy in dementia and end-of-life care: A report from Israel

Music therapy was formalised in Israel in the early 1980s with the opening of academic training programmes, and has developed tremendously since then, with approximately 700 music therapists listed. While still fighting for legislative status as a profession, music therapists work with diverse populations in different settings. The latest national survey revealed therapists prefer to work with children or adolescents and are less enthusiastic about working with older adults (only 5.8%). This is a serious concern due to the growing numbers and needs of the elderly population in the country. There are approximately 150,000 people with dementia, and the need for non-pharmacological treatment highlights the importance of music and the demand for music therapists. In recent years, music therapy training programmes have placed more emphasis on working with the elderly than they did in the past. This change has occurred gradually due to increasing need in the field, more awareness of age-related conditions, and also due to the fact that more faculty members have expertise in these fields. Nowadays, more music therapists have started working with people with dementia, and more music therapy research students choose to focus on the topic in their work. The scope of palliative services provided in Israel has also been improved in recent years, but it is still limited. Considering the needs of the population, it is important to further develop the field of music therapy in the care of elders in Israel.

A Comparative Study on Music Teacher Training Programs of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia in Canada

A Comparative Study on Music Teacher Training Programs of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia in Canada

Our sea: Music therapy in dementia and end-of-life care in the Mediterranean region

Our sea: Music therapy in dementia and end-of-life care in the Mediterranean region

A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Attentive Music Listening on Cochlear Implant Users' Speech Perception, Quality of Life, and Behavioral and Objective Measures of Frequency Change Detection.

IntroductionMost cochlear implant (CI) users have difficulty in listening tasks that rely strongly on perception of frequency changes (e.g., speech perception in noise, musical melody perception, etc.). Some previous studies using behavioral or subjective assessments have shown that short-term music training can benefit CI users’ perception of music and speech. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings may reveal the neural basis for music training benefits in CI users.ObjectiveTo examine the effects of short-term music training on CI hearing outcomes using a comprehensive test battery of subjective evaluation, behavioral tests, and EEG measures.DesignTwelve adult CI users were recruited for a home-based music training program that focused on attentive listening to music genres and materials that have an emphasis on melody. The participants used a music streaming program (i.e., Pandora) downloaded onto personal electronic devices for training. The participants attentively listened to music through a direct audio cable or through Bluetooth streaming. The training schedule was 40 min/session/day, 5 days/week, for either 4 or 8 weeks. The pre-training and post-training tests included: hearing thresholds, Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12) questionnaire, psychoacoustic tests of frequency change detection threshold (FCDT), speech recognition tests (CNC words, AzBio sentences, and QuickSIN), and EEG responses to tones that contained different magnitudes of frequency changes.ResultsAll participants except one finished the 4- or 8-week training, resulting in a dropout rate of 8.33%. Eleven participants performed all tests except for two who did not participate in EEG tests. Results showed a significant improvement in the FCDTs as well as performance on CNC and QuickSIN after training (p < 0.05), but no significant improvement in SSQ scores (p > 0.05). Results of the EEG tests showed larger post-training cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) in seven of the nine participants, suggesting a better cortical processing of both stimulus onset and within-stimulus frequency changes.ConclusionThese preliminary data suggest that extensive, focused music listening can improve frequency perception and speech perception in CI users. Further studies that include a larger sample size and control groups are warranted to determine the efficacy of short-term music training in CI users.

Development and Evaluation of a Hospice and Palliative Care Music Therapy Education Program.

This study was conducted to develop a hospice music therapist training program and to evaluate its effects. The educational program consisted of training on the theory of hospice and the theory and practice of hospice music therapy. The course lasted for 4 weeks, with 8 hours of training per week, and 33 music therapists completed the course. In order to assess the effectiveness of the course, participants' knowledge and confidence regarding hospice music therapy and readiness for hospice music therapy before and after education were measured. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 18.0 and the paired t-test was used to assess the effectiveness of the program. The trainees showed significant improvements in knowledge (P<0.001) and confidence (P<0.001) in all areas of this course, as well as in readiness for hospice music therapy (P<0.001). Participants' satisfaction with the lectures was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The average score for all lecture areas exceeded 4 (yes), and the satisfaction level was mostly high. Students were most satisfied with the lectures on music therapy theory, followed in order by those on music therapy practice and hospice theory. This hospice music therapist training program is considered to be suitable because of its positive educational effects and the high satisfaction of participants with the lectures. In order to provide high-quality music therapy services to patients and their families, this training course should be regularly offered to cultivate competent music therapists, and the content of the education should be standardized and applied in various clinical settings.

Popular music in preservice music education: Preparedness, confidence and implementation

This study examined popular music in preservice music teacher training programmes in the United States. The researchers explored types of courses and programmes offered in undergraduate music education programmes to prepare future music teachers to teach popular music. Quantitative data revealed trends in the inclusion of popular music within undergraduate music education programmes, determined music teacher educators’ perceptions of their students’ attitudes towards using popular music in the general music classroom, and examined the types of popular music pedagogy needed for preservice music educators. Qualitative data ascertained perceived confidence levels of graduates to utilize popular music. Results revealed that western classical music is the focus for the majority of music educators’ undergraduate degree programmes and that often music teacher preparation programmes ignore popular music study. Bridging the gap between western classical and popular music would help prepare teachers to include and value all types of music in K-12 music education.

Cognitive, Motor and Social Factors of Music Instrument Training Programs for Older Adults' Improved Wellbeing.

Given emerging evidence that learning to play a musical instrument may lead to a number of cognitive benefits for older adults, it is important to clarify how these training programs can be delivered optimally and meaningfully. The effective acquisition of musical and domain-general skills by later-life learners may be influenced by social, cultural and individual factors within the learning environment. The current study examines the effects of a 10-week piano training program on healthy older adult novices’ cognitive and motor skills, in comparison to an inactive waitlisted control group. Fifteen participants completed piano training led by a music facilitator in small groups (max n = 4 per lesson class; two experimental, two waitlisted control groups). Data was collected using an explanatory sequential design: quantitative data from a battery of cognitive and motor tests was collected pre/post-test on all participants, with further post-test data from the waitlisted control group (n = 7). Qualitative data included weekly facilitator observations, participant practice diaries, and an individual, semi-structured, post-experiment interview. Bayesian modelling demonstrated moderate evidence of a strong positive impact of training on part A of the Trail Making test (TMT), indicating improved visuo-motor skills. Moderate evidence for negative impacts of training on part B of the Trail Making Test (and difference score delta) was also found, suggesting no benefit of cognitive switching. Qualitative results revealed that the group learning environment motivated participants to play in musical ensembles and to socialize. Motivation was optimal when all participants were happy with the chosen repertoire (participants reported they were motivated by learning to play familiar music) and when the facilitator observed that groups had formed cohesive bonds. Informed by these factors, exploratory analyses demonstrated strong evidence that a participant’s lesson class had an impact on post-test scores (TMT part A). These results not only demonstrate the extent of cognitive benefits of a short-term piano training intervention for older adults, but also the importance of considering the group dynamics in the learning environment.

The Effects of Bimanual Coordination in Music Interventions on Executive Functions in Aging Adults.

Music training programs have been shown to enhance executive functions in aging adults; however, little is known regarding the extent to which different types of bimanual coordination (i.e., fine and gross motor) in music instruction contribute to these outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of bimanual coordination in music interventions on cognitive performance in healthy older adults (60–80 years). Participants (N = 135) completed motor measures and battery of standardized cognitive measures, before and after a 16-week music training program with a 3 h practice requirement. All participants were matched by age, education, and estimate of intelligence to one of three training programs: piano training (fine motor); percussion instruction (gross motor), and music listening instruction (MLI) (no motor control condition). Results of a Repeated Measures ANOVA revealed significant enhancements in bimanual synchronization and visual scanning/working memory abilities for fine and gross motor training groups as compared to MLI. Pairwise comparisons revealed that piano training significantly improved motor synchronization skills as compared to percussion instruction or music listening. Results suggest that active music performance may benefit working memory, the extent of these benefits may depend upon coordination demands.

Disrupting the status quo: Educating pre-service music teachers through culturally relevant pedagogy

Abstract Scholars theorizing in the area of social justice and music education argue that music has the potential to prepare students to engage in a society that cultivates personal freedom and democratic participation. The continued reliance on values and practices of Western art music within music teacher education has resulted in a disconnect between this discourse and professional practice. The status quo perpetuates conditions that limit accessibility, privilege western art music and maintain whiteness as ‘normal’. In this article, I suggest that this disconnection can be addressed by introducing culturally relevant pedagogy within music education training programmes. Culturally relevant pedagogy, focusing on reflexive practice and place-based education, requires pre-service music educators to think deeply about experiences of marginalized music education students and critically examine the values and beliefs they hold. Embedding the values of culturally relevant pedagogy within music education training creates space for music from different cultural contexts including popular music.

Cognitive Processes Underlying Reading Improvement during a Rhythm-Based Intervention. A Small-Scale Investigation of Italian Children with Dyslexia.

Music and rhythm-based training programs to improve reading are a novel approach to treatment of developmental dyslexia and have attracted the attention of trainers and researchers. Experimental studies demonstrating poor basic auditory processing abilities in individuals with dyslexia suggest they should be effective. On this basis, the efficacy of a novel rhythm-based intervention, Rhythmic Reading Training (RRT), was recently investigated and found to improve reading skills in Italian children with dyslexia, but its mode of action remains somewhat unclear. In this study, 19 children and preadolescents with dyslexia received 20 sessions of RRT over 10 weeks. Gains in a set of reading-related cognitive abilities—verbal working memory, auditory, and visual attention, and rhythm processing—were measured, along with reading outcomes. Analysis of the specific contribution of cognitive subprocesses to the primary effect of RRT highlighted that reading speed improvement during the intervention was related to rhythm and auditory discrimination abilities as well as verbal working memory. The relationships among specific reading parameters and the neuropsychological profile of participants are discussed.