This is an initiative all about celebrating the links between making music and feeling good!.

Over one week in May, more than 130 events involving more than 12,000 people, created an opportunity to raise awareness about the links between music making and wellbeing.

Anyone involved in making music! The 2008 events involved music therapists and other health professionals; community and professional musicians; teachers, pre-school, family and day care workers; aged care professionals, music store owners, community volunteers, disability service staff, workplace choirs and bands.

The list of people who coordinated events for 2008 includes:
  • A senior high school student in Adelaide
  • Music therapist at WA's Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra's 'Music4Health' coordinator
  • A Northern Sydney Scouts and Cubs leader
  • A school teacher on Christmas Island



If you want more information about participating in the next Making Music Being Well, email us at emma.mpfl@mca.org.au and we'll make sure we keep you up to date with plans for next time. Till then, keep making music!
 
www.austmta.org.au www.musicplayforlife.org


More research and info here
Music as an empowering form of communication
"There is nothing like the experience of expressing yourself through music. Not only is music the language of the emotions, it is also a way of putting your real self out there and being heard. Society relies heavily on words as the medium for communication, but in group music making all the players can speak at once and experience the sensation of active listening. The reciprocal relationships that this allows is truly empowering and should be an essential part of the human experience."
Dr. Katrina McFerran, Lecturer - Music Therapy Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne VIC