Making music accessible for all
play any instrument.
Music enables us to reach the depth of emotions without the need to use words and it also guides us to flow with words in other times, it moves us without the need to use instructions and it can also bring calmness and peace in a moment.
I decided to train in music therapy after having worked in mental health for years. In parallel I’d been playing music for most of my life and had always enjoyed the collective sense of unity that music brings when jamming with someone and in groups. Combining both fields appeared to me as the perfect combo.
Can you share some of the key challenges you've encountered
The biggest challenge in my profession is to rely on funding opportunities.
Most of the clients who we work with do not have the financial resources to afford a session themselves. The organisation I work with has been fantastic at securing funding for the past five years but there has been a lot of insecurity around it. The last funding we received was for a two-year period.
Another challenge has been to face misconceptions about our profession and having to spend a lot of energy sharing information about our role. A lot of people don’t know about music therapy which limits its accessibility.
And some of your success stories
I have been working with someone who is deaf, blind and on the autism spectrum. We use a lot of instruments with vibrational qualities to connect. One day, I thought to use my voice as an instrument and to see their response. They surprised me by using their voice in return. This was the first time I heard a sound from them in an attempt of communication.
Tell us about your band The Rocking Rainbows
The Rocking Rainbows formed three years ago at Evaro which is a service for adults with intellectual disabilities. The band members compose the lyrics of their songs and music with my support. We play a mix of genres going from reggae to blues to rock. We initially worked on self-expression writing about people, places, problems or experiences we had. With a repertoire building to dozens of songs, the Rocking Rainbows decided to share their music and we’ve since set up several gigs at our facility but also in the community. This year we played at The Newtown Festival and for The NZ Fringe festival at the Newtown community centre.
Ahead of music therapy week, what do you see as the future of music accessibility There are not many musicians with disabilities getting noticed or performing in the community. However, there is so much creativity and potential ready to be shared. Music therapy week is an opportunity for sharing success stories of musicians with disabilities. I would love to connect with more groups who are on the same kaupapa and see how we can grow more visibility and accessibility together.
Music has no boundaries, anyone can feel it, anyone is musical, it carries our culture and it connects us within as well as to the outside.