What is music therapy, and why do we need it?

Kate is a newly qualified music therapist with the charity Nordoff and Robbins. She attended Sixth Form at Magdalen College School under Dr Hands, before reading Italian and French at Trinity College, Cambridge. While at university, Kate became interested in how music can be a force for social change and this led her to train as a music therapist with Nordoff and Robbins, qualifying in July 2022. She now works across a range of organisations through Nordoff and Robbins, including a care home, a neuro-rehabilitation unit and a special school. 

In this talk, Kate will give an introduction to music therapy, using video excerpts of her work with a variety of clients to highlight the communicative and connecting power of music as therapy. She will reflect on why this work is necessary, especially after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our ability to build social connections: music therapy is not just for individuals, but can work to support and heal whole communities.