| Title | The Practical Side of Improvisational Music Therapy * |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 1989 |
| Authors | Bruscia K |
| Journal | Music Ther Perspect |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pagination | 11 - 15 |
| Date Published | 1989 |
| ISBN Number | 0734-6875 |
| Abstract | The author describes improvisational music therapy from a practical perspective. Improvisational techniques are employed for assessment, treatment, or evaluation. Under the heading “Preparing for Therapy,” topics include contraindications, the use of music and improvisation, individual versus group sessions, active versus receptive participation, choicer of modalities, the physical environment, and the organization of the sessions. In conducting an improvisational session, the author stresses four important tasks: Preparing the client for therapy, engaging the client in therapy, musical interaction, and reviewing the experience. In closing, the author stresses that guidelines presented in this paper should not be taken too literally due to the intense personal nature of improvisation. Thirteen different improvisational models along with a brief description of each are also tabled in the paper. |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/6.1.11 |
| Short Title | Music Therapy Perspectives |
The Sound Health Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Renée Fleming.