DrumPower Against Violence | Freies Musikzentrum e.V. Munich

4th international Symposium
«Music Therapy and Adolescents – Various Approaches in Different Contexts – Differentiation and Bridges»

by Magdalena Lechner
photos: Felix Büchner, translation: Dr. Andreas Wölfl

Katrina McFerran, Melbourne, Andreas Wölfl, Munich, Évi Forgó Baer, Zürich, Henrike Roisch, Munich, Giulia Fedrigo, Verona, Suvi Saarikallio, Jyväskylä, Philippa Derrington Edinburgh, Viggo Krüger, Bergen

On 28th and 29th October 2017, the 4th International Symposium on Music Therapy with Adolescents and Young Adults took place in the “Freies Musikzentrum” in Munich, where lecturers and participants from all over the world could meet and exchange ideas. The symposium included both lectures and workshops.

At the beginning, Prof. Dr. Katrina McFerran from the University of Melbourne, Australia, presented her research on the motivations of young people for selecting and using music. Of particular interest was the effect of music listening on the mood and how it can be used purposefully. Subsequently, the speech therapist and music therapist Giulia Fedrigo from Verona reported on her international study on music therapy with adolescents, to which music therapists from 18 countries had provided input. The number of music therapists working with adolescents, the different framework conditions, settings and methods were examined. Dr. Viggo Krüger from the University of Bergen, Norway gave lecture on theory, research and case studies of trauma-related music therapy for unaccompanied minor refugees. Évi Forgó Baer PHD from the University of Zurich spoke about her research and practical experience with juvenile delinquents. She showed an impressive video that documents the progress of a prisoner after attending music therapy sessions for one year. Thereafter, Henrike Roisch from the “Freies Musikzentrum” e.V. Munich continued with an introduction to the TrommelPower project, a program for violence prevention, social inclusion and empowerment. It is carried out at middle and secondary schools as well as grammar schools in different grades. In the next session, the music psychologist Dr. Suvi Saarikallio from the University of Jysäskylä, Finland, presented her research on dealing with music as a reflection of the emotional inclinations and abilities of young people. Dr. Philippa Derrington from the Queen Margaret University of Edinburgh, UK, shared with us her experiences with a music therapy offer in a garage aimed at students from two schools. In her project she was able to compare the approach of a specialized behavioral school and a mainstream school in terms of inclusion. The last speaker was host Dr. Andreas Wölfl. He gave a talk on "Clinical Music Therapy for Adolescents with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder." The latest findings from trauma research and neurobiology were presented and methodological conclusions for music therapy activities in clinics were shown.

After the lectures there was a lively and controversial discussion on the subject of dealing with violence and violent music videos.

On the second day of the symposium, each participant could attend two workshops. The selection included the creation of playlists with adolescent mental patients, an introduction to the TrommelPower program or songwriting with children and adolescents with language disorders. The workshops provided an opportunity to consolidate and try out what they had learned the day before. They took place in a relaxed feel-good atmosphere, in which appreciation for each participant became noticeable.

One major aim of the symposium was to shed light on the similarities and differences between the individual countries in order to build bridges between the different approaches, so that the music therapy practice can be further developed on the basis of theoretical and methodological discussions. All (the) participants experienced the symposium as inspiring and enriching and were deeply moved by the repeatedly interspersed live music contributions. A special highlight was the deeply touching and authentic song of young Emanuel on giving up and disappearance as a result of his depression. The resume of a student can be cited as representative of many participants: "Pure enthusiasm and joy of exchange!" That describes the mood at the international symposium perfectly.

Freies Musikzentrum DrumPower Against Violence