Appendix 3.08 Music in music therapy dissertations 2002- 2008
MT 7. Rudy Garred (2004) Dimensions of Dialogue. An Inquiry into the Role of Music and of
Words in Creative Music Therapy.
Rudy Garred’s thesis is a philosophical inquiry on the use of music and words in creative music
therapy. Garred discusses music from sessions with three clients. No. 1 and 2 are his own clients.
A spontaneous song in F major, which induces joy and laughter in a 14-year old girl, who
suffers from Rett syndrome, and has no functional language (p. 134, 156).
A simple rhythm figure on two tones initiates a piano improvisation with a 15-year old girl with
autism. Several subsequent improvisation sessions lead to a pivotal moment. Client and therapist
play grooves on djembe-drums, and a particular initiative from the therapist elicits a moment of
intense eye contact (pp. 183-184).
A slow, hymn-like melody in E major arouses interest in a withdrawn male client suffering from
Down’s syndrome. In a following session, the client plays the drum, improvising with the therapist,
who invents dancing syncopated melodies and cross-rhythms (Ansdell 1995, 202-206)
MT 8. Lars Ole Bonde (2004, Defense 2005) The Bonny method of guided imagery and
music (BMGIM) with cancer survivors.
Lars Ole Bonde ‘s study of BMGIM therapy with cancer patients proposes grounded theories
concerning the relationship between the music and the participants’ experience. The 75 music
selections from the BMGIM repertory included in the study encompass baroque, classical,
romantic and impressionist music by the following composers:
Albinoni, Bach, Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, Boccherini, Brahms, Canteloube, Cesnokov, Copland,
Corelli, Debussy, Delius, Duruflé, Dvorak, Elgar, Fauré, Gorecki, Gounod, Grieg, Haydn, Holst,
Liadov, Mahler, Marcello, Massenet, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Pachelbel, Puccini, Ravel, Respighi,
Rodrigo, Schmidt, Schostakovich, Schumann, Sibelius, Strauss, Stravinsky, Tschaikovsky,
Vaughan Williams, Vivaldi, Wagner, Walton and Warlock, plus a Russian chant and a Russian folk
song.
The selections are listed in Appendix 8.1, pp. 504-509.
All selections are in major/minor tonality, or have affinity to tonality.