More Reflections on World Congresses

I was reading the recent article that Denise Grocke wrote in Voices and thought how lucky I am. I also had the privilege of attending almost the same congresses as Denise. I was also fortunate to attend the Second World Congress, organized in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1976, when I had just finished my music therapy course, and the III World Music Therapy Congress, held 1981 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. And now, stimulated by Denise's words, I can think about and evaluate how important is to attend a World Congress on Music Therapy.

Besides the differences in music therapy clinical practice, theories and research, it is possible to establish, in an approximate way, the music therapy development through time and to verify how these events can contribute to the growth of the field as well as to our professional and-why not-personal life!

In the beginning, the conferences and papers presented were mainly about clinical practice and in few areas: people with psychoses, people with disabilities, children who were blind and deaf. Little by little, with the appearance of new diseases, such as AIDS, for instance, and also with the increase in violence around the world, we could see the differences in the areas of music therapy clinical application.

Besides that, in the following congresses was possible to perceive a need of explanation of these practices. Then, another aspect appeared in papers presentation: the different possibilities of creating a "framework"-psychoanalysis, behaviorism, humanism, and many others.

In 1981, we could witness "the seeds" of the World Federation, in a first meeting that Dr. Rolando Benenzon organized in Puerto Rico. Although the "II World Symposium on Music Therapy," organized by Barbara Hesser in 1982 at New York University and sponsored by Musicians Emergency Fund, wasn'?t in this "chain" of congresses, these seeds appeared again with Ruth Bright, from Australia, at this Symposium. This music therapist was thinking of creating the same kind of world institution as Benenzon and it was important to join both efforts: the World Federation was created!

Another issue that is important to emphasize is the use of technology in music therapy. In 1987, in another world congress held in Buenos Aires, that time about autism, we saw for the first time the use of the computer in therapy; here, it was to help the patients. In the last congresses we could perceive this kind of technology helping music therapists to understand the therapeutic process, that is, the evolution of technology can give us programs which, "well supplied," can "read" the process or some aspects of it.

But, other relevant aspects were at the center in the next congresses: One of them was the discussion about music therapy being or not being a kind of psychotherapy; the development of music therapy in music and medicine; and issues about quantitative and qualitative research and the discussions about music therapy education, present in all congresses since 1976 in Argentina. The development of these last topics was enormously helped by the Symposiums organized in the World Congresses. And, last but not least, the presentation, officially, of the main music therapy models.

In these world congresses is also possible to see, to hear, to taste, and to feel the different cultural aspects.

I regret I am not able to go to Australia. So, my congress "chain" will be broken!

Thanks, Denise, for sharing your wonderful memories and to give "food for my thoughts" helping me to create a music therapy line development through time!