Lived Experience of Music Therapists As Musician-Therapists
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Lesley University DigitalCommons@Lesley Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences Expressive Therapies Dissertations (GSASS) Spring 5-16-2020 Lived Experience of Music Therapists as Musician-Therapists Kotoe Suzuki [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_dissertations Part of the Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Music Education Commons, Music Performance Commons, Music Practice Commons, Music Therapy Commons, Other Communication Commons, and the Other Music Commons Recommended Citation Suzuki, Kotoe, "Lived Experience of Music Therapists as Musician-Therapists" (2020). Expressive Therapies Dissertations. 101. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_dissertations/101 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences (GSASS) at DigitalCommons@Lesley. It has been accepted for inclusion in Expressive Therapies Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Lesley. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MUSIC THERAPISTS AS MUSICIAN-THERAPISTS A DISSERTATION (submitted by) KOTOE SUZUKI In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy LESLEY UNIVERSITY February 28th, 2020 2 3 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The path to accomplish my dissertation study was winding. It often seemed endless, but now the destination is in my view, and I am filled with gratitude. First and foremost, my gratitude goes to my advisor, mentor, and musician Dr. Mitchell Kossak for his consistent support and encouragement. Without him, I would not have been able to continue long-distance learning between the U.S. and Japan. When I experienced a big transition moving back to Japan from New York, he contacted me periodically to check in and provide feedback on my numerous drafts. Through e-mail and Skype, we often conversed with each other, “how is your music going?” which connected us mutually as we are musicians beyond the mere teacher-student relationship. Thank you for your patience and keeping me motivated to accomplish my study, with your great interest in my research topic. My gratitude also goes to the director of the program at Lesley University, Dr. Michele Forinash. For me, she is a role model as a music therapist, researcher, and professor. She allowed me to extend the writing period with great understanding of my situation, balancing family life and doctoral study. I am thankful for Dr. Nisha Sajnani, who was my first internal committee member, and Dr. Jason Butler, who took over the role to support me. I can’t thank Dr. Kenneth Aigen enough for guiding me as a music therapist- researcher. Since taking his class at New York University and translating his book later on into Japanese, his music-centered ideas have been underlying my dissertation, my identity as musician-therapist, and clinical practice. I am thankful for Benedikte Scheiby, as my music therapist, mentor, and supervisor. It was right after moving back to Japan 5 that I had sad news of her death. She would be so happy to see my transformation of becoming a performing musician-therapist-researcher as she taught me in order to fulfill my life. I have fully lived the research theme emerging from me, transforming myself as the research progressed. Oftentimes, I found myself developing irresistible and uncontrollable energy of wanting to become a sole performing musician. However, the study showed me the way to integrate a musician-therapist identity into my lifestyle. My gratitude also goes to my editor, Susan Robinson, for her consistent support in her writing and shared interest in music. Lastly, thank you to my parents who gave me unconditional love and support, encouraging me to broaden my possibilities. My great appreciation and love goes to my husband, Daiyu, who was my English-teacher and helped me improve my English and study abroad, seeing a new world. I also appreciate that he helped with housework and childcare as well. My gratitude and love goes to our daughters, Aine and Mikasa, who were four and two years old when I started the Ph.D. and are now 11 and 9. Your presence grounded me. Without all of my family support, I would not have accomplished my doctoral study. The path was winding, but each of you helped me to pave it. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLE………………………………………………………………………...9 LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………...10 ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………...11 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….12 Motivation……………………………………………………………………14 Purpose and Objectives…………………………………………………………..18 Research Question……………………………………………………………….19 Pilot Study Findings and Limitations………………………………………….20 Definition of Terms……………………………………………………………....23 Improvisational Music vs. Non improvisational Music……………………...23 Individual Playing vs. Collective Playing …………………………………....26 2. LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………………….….30 Background of the Study………………………………………………………..30 Music Therapy and Improvisation………………………………………………34 Clinical Improvisation and Improvisational Performance…………………….36 Music Therapy and Jazz/Free Jazz……………………………………………..38 Learning Process in Acquiring Improvisational Proficiency……………….39 The Common Experiential and Embodied Aspects…………………………40 Elements of Improvisation……………………………………………………..41 Communication……………………………………………………………...41 Listening: Developing Ears………………………………………………….44 Empathetic Attunement……………………………………………………....46 Interactivity………………………………………………………………….48 Music Therapist as a Musician-Therapist: The Importance of Therapists’ Musical Growth………………………………………………………………………....50 3. RESEARCH METHODS……………………………………………………………..56 Qualitative Research…………………………………………………………...56 Interpretative, Reflexive and Embodied Phenomenology ……………..……57 Autobiographic and Narrative Components……………………………..…..58 Arts-based Research Components…………………………………………...60 Procedure………………………………………………………….......................62 Participants………………………………………………………………..62 Data Gathering Process …………………………………………………….. 69 Data Analyzing Process……………………………………………………...71 7 Evaluation Standards……………………………………………………………73 4. RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………..74 Introduction…………………………………………………………………….74 Interview Results……………………………………………………………….77 Theme 1: Continuous Perspectives in music and music therapy worlds……77 Theme 2: The Advantages of Being a Performing Improviser……………..79 Subtheme 2-a: Confidence in skills, crafts, and a way of being………….79 Subtheme 2-b: Empathy for clients’ experiences of playing……………..80 Theme 3: The Advantages of Being a Music Therapist……………………..83 Theme 4: Reciprocal Growth…………………………………………….…..85 Sub-Theme 4-a: Enhanced Common Skills between Performing Musicians and Music Therapists…………………………………………86 Theme 5: Performance as an Outlet…………………………………………89 Theme 6: Embodiment………………………………………………………91 Theme 7: Challenges to Pursuing both Careers………………………………92 Theme 8: Gender perspectives………………………………………………95 Arts-Based Results…………………………………….........................................97 Reflection on clinical and nonclinical music playing………………………98 Musical Event 1: Recording Sessions…………………………………….99 Image1: “Life-Alive”……………………………………………………102 Musical Event 2: Charity Concert………………………………………105 Image2: “Growing Branches”…………………………………………….107 Image3: “Creative Process”………………………………………………..111 Image4: “Manic Phase”……………………………………………………113 Reflection before and after my pre-release CD Concert………………..114 Image5: “Rebirth”…………………………………………………………117 5. DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………..121 Introduction…………………………………………………………………121 Conceptualization of Musician-Therapists……………………………………..121 Insights from ABR……………………………………………………………..123 The Mobility of Musician-Therapists………………………………………….125 Distinct Features in Clinical and Nonclinical Contexts…………………….126 The Advantages of Musician-Therapists……………………………………….130 Musician Therapist’s Musicianship……………………………………………132 The Dynamic Identity of a Musician-Therapist……………………………….137 Gender Perspectives……………………………………………………………140 The Merits of Marinating Creative Musical Abundance………………………142 Disadvantage of Beings a Performer as Music Therapist……………………..143 S u m m a r y ……………………………………………………… …………… . 1 4 5 Implications………………………………………………………………….……………146 Considerations………………………………………………………………………………..150 Recommendation for Future Research……………………………………………………….152 8 APPENDIX A: IRB approval letter………………………………………….…………156 APPENDIX B: Informed Consent for Doctoral Research …………………………….157 APPENDIX C: Semi-Structured Interview Question………………………………….161 APPENDIX D: Timeline for Conducting Research ………………………………….163 APPENDIX E-1: Data Analyzing Process 1: Sample Interview Transcript with Highlights and Comments……………………………………………………………………164 APPENDIX E-2: Data Analyzing Process 1: Continued……………………………….166 APPENDIX F-1: Data Analyzing Process 2: Sample Journal with Highlights………167 APPENDIX F-2: Data Analyzing Process 3: Sample Undercurrent Themes in ABR…169 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………170 9 LIST OF TABLE TABLE1, Participants’ Demography……………………………………………64 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Life-Alive……………………………………………………………………………103 2. Growing Branches…………………………………………………………………..109 3. Creative Process……………………………………………………………………..111 4. Manic Phase………………………………………………………………………….113 5. Rebirth………………………………………………………………………………..117 6. The Lived Experience of a Musician-Therapist……………………………………..122 7. Musician-Therapist’s Musicianship………………………………………………….133 8. Enhanced Skills and