Research Seminars and Symposia
As part of its agenda to foster a community of research inquiry for Nordoff-Robbins the Research Department arranges occasional events that either; 1. serve to present the ongoing work of projects or collaborations in progress to music therapist colleagues, or 2. address research-related issues which are currently pertinent to Nordoff-Robbins or the music therapy community in general. These are variously open or closed events. Between 2002 and 2007 we have hosted and presented the following events:
International Research Collaboration Open Seminar 24 Nov 2004
The Research Department hosted the members of the international collaborative research project “Music & Health in Late Modernity” (see above, Section *). The group (Brynjulf Stige, Randi Rolvsjord, Cochavit Elefant, Gary Ansdell, Mercédès Pavlicevic, Rudi Garred, Christian Gold, Leif-Edvard Aaro) presented the ongoing work of the project to UK music therapy colleagues.
Research Department Day Seminar November 2005:
Evidence-Based Practice & Music Therapy: A Further Perspective.
For this symposium 10 senior UK music therapy researchers were invited to address an area of growing importance to the UK and international music therapy community: the place and interpretation of the practice and discourse of ‘evidence based medicine’ and ‘evidence based practice’ in relation to music therapy – as praxis, discipline and profession. The ‘keynote guest’ for this was the sociologist Prof Tia DeNora from Exeter University. Prof Tony Wigram (University of Aalborg) and Dr Gary Ansdell (Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy) gave formal responses to Prof DeNora’s paper, after which there was a rich and varied discussion. The delegates reported that the seminar was a useful forum for discussing and organising a response to a critical issue for the current profession.
Outcome:
DeNora, T. (2006) ‘Evidence & Effectiveness in Music Therapy’, British Journal of Music Therapy, Vol.20, No.2. with responses by Prof Tony Wigram and Dr Gary Ansdell.
Research Department Day Symposium – Dec 2006: ‘Music Therapy & Music in Health: Re-mapping the Territory?’
This Symposium took a similar format to the previous years’, with an invited group of 12 interdisciplinary professionals who addressed an issue that is rapidly becoming highly pertinent to music therapists at praxis, discipline and professional levels. The group included: Prof Norma Daykin (University of West of England), Prof Leslie Bunt (UWE), Dr Katie Overy (University of Edinburgh), Mike White (University of Durham). The seminar developed a spirited and useful dialogue, to help foster further collaborations? Or collaborative work in this key area for the future.