KEY POINTS:
Name: Alison Cooper
Role: Registered music therapist at Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre
Working hours: Four days per week (by choice)
Average salary: $38,000-$45,000
Qualifications: Master of Music Therapy from New Zealand School of Music (Massey University/Victoria University in Wellington)
Describe what you do.
I work as a music therapist at Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre, including an outreach programme at a special needs school. I work with individual children with special needs and groups. I engage them in active music making to promote and support their wellbeing and healthy development as well as individual goals such as sensory development, communication, social skills and physical skills.
Music activities involve singing and playing instruments, particularly percussion. We often improvise and personalise music for the children.
There are four registered music therapists here and about 30 music therapists in New Zealand.
What level of special needs do you cater for?
At Raukatauri, we deal with a wide range of needs; autism being the most common. The outreach school children mainly have severe cerebral palsy and are mostly in wheelchairs. They have limited hand use, are non-verbal and have intellectual disabilities and learning needs.
Students are referred by parents, doctors or therapists. They initially undergo a one-off session to decide if music therapy will be beneficial. Then they go on to our waiting list, which is about six months long.
How does it work?
The music helps children reach individual goals. It could be that an autistic child makes eye contact; a hyperactive child settles and increases concentration with an activity. A child with limited hand use starts putting both hands together; a child uses non-verbal communication to vocalise.
How does it differ from a sing-a-long?
We have learned to use elements of music to respond to a child and match the rhythm of their movement by improvising and personalising the music for them. There is a big body of research about music therapy and psychology of music and the effect it has on us emotionally and physiologically.
Why did you choose music therapy?
I come from England where I first worked as a secondary music teacher, then moved into primary school and music specialist positions. While teaching, I observed how many special needs children responded to music making. They found it more motivating and accessible than many other curriculum approaches.
I moved to New Zealand in 1998 and taught for six years in Auckland. Then I enrolled in the first semester of the masters in music therapy in Wellington. I did the rest in Auckland, which is possible because much of the second year is clinical placements.
Why music?
I've always been fascinated by how music can express emotions and how musical structures work - whether a melody, chord progression, song, symphony. I also like how music brings people together.
What training and experience is required? As a registered music therapist you need a masters in music therapy. To do master's study you need an undergraduate degree or equivalent, but it can be in related areas like psychology and education or health, rather than music. But you must have strong practical music skills and fluency in an instrument or voice.
I had a BA in music and had done a lot of psychology during teacher training. My main instruments are violin, viola and piano and I knew the basics of guitar. During the course, I also learned percussion and singing.
The masters takes two years full-time but can be done part-time and includes lots of practical placements. I went to schools, a paediatric hospital and a hospital for elderly people with dementia.
What are your strengths?
Flexibility with music is probably my biggest strength. I also love improvising and composition.
You need empathy and the ability to relate to people with special needs, although I believe your ability to empathise increases during the course.
Best part of the job?
It is special building relationships with children who are very hard to reach and seeing them become more aware of themselves and start to connect with people and things through music.
I also love spending all day making music.
Biggest challenges?
Some children have high energy levels or challenging behaviour and that can be exhausting.
Advice?
Observe music therapists in different settings and talk to them about what they do. Read and research. Get experience with people with special needs, maybe by volunteering.
You need to learn how to relate to people with disabilities.
Future prospects? I'll probably continue with clinical (hands on) work because I really enjoy it but I am also interested in writing up the work we do and presenting at conferences and so on.
* www.rmtc.org.nz/index.cfm
* www.nzsm.ac.nz
