Music Exchange Program

“Music has breadth and depth and can touch people on so many levels simultaneously that it is an ideal tool to help people connect with what is important in their lives”

- Deborah Salmon, Music Therapist, Royal Victoria Hospital - Palliative Care, Montreal

MUSIC THERAPY DEFINED

Music Therapy is the study and practice of how music affects people. Music therapists use music as their primary intervention when working with all individuals and groups. The music therapists will incorporate singing, vocalizing, instrument improvisation, exploration of unique sounds and other sensory experiences. Tempo, timbre, melody, harmony, pitch and genre of music are always considered – with the primary aim of supporting the needs of the clients by opening doors to communication, enticing participation and creating opportunity for inclusive social interactions. - Jennifer Buchanan, Music Therapist

DESIRED OUTCOMES/PRIMARY AIMS

OF A MUSIC THERAPY APPROACH FOR MUSIKIVA CANADA

Engaging in active music making interventions provides opportunity for youth to develop, explore, and share their identity. It also allows for meaningful participation and expression at a non-verbal level. These music interventions are designed to create an environment of security and familiarity, encouraging the youth to attempt new tasks and to have successful experiences. There is always an emphasis on ability strengths which promotes a positive development of self that can then be shared.

The primary goals of the music therapy program are to:

Increase Self-Expression
Increase Self-Esteem
Increase Social/Peer Awareness
Increase Social Interaction and Communication Between Own Culture and Cross-Culturally

The purpose of music therapy in exchange is to:

bring youth together of like-experiences from different regions through the sharing of creative media
to gain a deeper understanding of another culture perceived as different
to increase the understanding that persons are more similar than different and therefore can promote positive relationships globally
to use music as a bridge between culture, language and lifestyle

PROGRAM DETAILS

Structure:

The music therapy exchange program will have 3 Phases

PART I: Canada based Music Therapy Program

PART II: Overseas Music Therapy Program

PART III: Canada based Music Therapy Program

Participant Selection Criteria:

The students selected for the MusicKiva Canada Music Therapy Exchange Program will fall in the realm of “youth at risk.” In essence this means youth who may be experiencing one or more of the following:

serious illness or death of a loved one
an unhealthy lifestyle full of unhealthy choices (many times the youth perceives there are no choices)
disability
poverty
conflict at home, at school, and sometimes with the law.
academic struggles in due part to a diagnosis of ADD, ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), depression, or drug or alcohol abuse.

The children and youth will predominately fall in the age range of 3 – 18. Supporting these young people will lead to a sense of being involved with something greater then themselves with the bi-product of meaningful experiences for all children and youth involved.

MUSIC THERAPY INTERVENTIONS

Communication between the youth in the MusiKiva Canada Program can transcend through a variety of creative activities (interventions). Such interventions may include but are not limited to:

Musically Supported Counselling
Music Improvisation
Song Writing
Music Listening: Music Inspired Art