"L’ascolto nel dialogo Sonoro": "Music without words"

17

Oct

2008

"L’ascolto nel dialogo Sonoro": "Music without words"

"L'ascolto nel dialogo Sonoro" : "Music without words" A Music Therapy Course

My first worry was that of a language barrier after scraping by for a month in Italy through use of a dictionary and broken Italian grammar. So understandably I was unsure if I was ready to attend an Italian seminar. Particularly, as it was based on musical therapy a thing I knew little about and was initially unsure.
I certainly discovered something very important that not only involves music, movement and improvisation but something much more profound…

Music Therapy is an interactive language without words which prides itself on a humanistic approach that involves Listening and empathizing as fundamental qualities. By this approach and the use of movement, musical instruments and dance they are able to create a secure base for the patients.

Italian Dancing Clown We started the day with the usual awkward introductions and strong Italian coffee. Things soon got rolling with a group exercise of listening to one another. At first, it all seemed very bizarre but soon silence fell and a certain energy filled the room. To my surprise this brought unexpected emotions of openness, emptiness and tears as we fedback on our experiences.
The thing that struck me about the leader was the time she took with each person and the silences she left in between voices in order to let the words be absorbed. Suddenly you found yourself intently listening and appreciating what everyone was saying.
This initial icebreaker was followed by various breathing exercises in which you facilitated the breathing of another by joining in with their breathing pattern. As dull as it may sound an eeriness silence of concentration and serenity swept the room. From being cynical at the start I found myself stand, stare and listen to the quality of this exercise. People started to form one breath together and as the trainer originally described that “this acceptance of another is like a symphony.” And another lady commented that “it was like a dancing of the hands as we breathed.”
However, others found it particular difficult particularly the musicians in the room who said they were in fact concentrating on the beats of the music rather than the other person.
The music was actually a hindrance to some until finally everyone relaxed.
As one person described that it felt like “we became another and we felt each other.”

After a morning of practicalsing music therapy we all were ready for a good heart Italian Pizza at the local pizzeria.

The afternoon followed and I really came to grips with the essential aspects of musical therapy. First, the client or patient is shown a video and then they meet with the therapists who adopt the approach of a facilitator. So in the case of treating children they would be allowed to play freely and then slowly the therapist or facilitator would introduce them to a musical instrument as another way of expressing their emotions.
In music therapy, the use of dance and movement are key as people are given the opportunity to let out their emotions to music.
For me, this was the most poignant part of the day as I have always used belly dance to express myself as it’s a medium in which women traditionally dance for other women at various celebrations and parties.

Sohpie hard at work Studing on the Music Therapy Course I discovered so many links between belly dance and music therapy as people are encouraged to express their emotions through the music and in this sense we share what we are feeling. In belly dance there is a special style that is called Beledi which means ‘from the heart.’ As with music therapy the two are very revealing experiences but at the same time very healing.

As one man put it: “It was a thing of beauty- I wanted to stay in that moment of love and harmony forever.”