Reading Morva Croxson's article, "How Does a Person Come to Music Therapy" raised many questions in my mind about the roots and pathways for becoming a Music Therapist. As a student at University of Louisville, I am not a Board Certified Music Therapist, but have already decided that my future in this field will continuously reflect the reason I was drawn to it in the first place- my brother.
Growing up in my household, music was not a very common subject matter and did not receive much attention. My family listened to music, but no more than the next. No one in my family had musical training, thus I was not musically involved like many of my peers. Living in eastern Kentucky, long known for its rich heritage in bluegrass music, I found this very ironic. While enrolled in the county high school I joined choir because I thought it would be an easy class, requiring little of my time. However, music enthralled my senses and gave me a feeling of pleasure that I had not known. It sparked something inside of me that was beyond words. I had seen how music affected me, but it was the observations I made from my brother that became the catalyst for being interested in Music Therapy.
Growing up with a brother who has a mental retardation with traits of autism is interesting because I have always accepted his disability and evolved from it. Looking back, there was never a moment that I wish I had what others termed as "a normal brother." People always asked what was wrong with him and I told them exactly what I thought: NOTHING! He sleeps, breathes, and lives life like all of us, thus my answer was valid.
As I made a high school career in music, Brent was always present at recitals, competitions, and community performances clapping, giving me support and sometimes standing ovations! His enthusiasm and support in what I was doing was such a pleasure to my family and me. It seemed as though Brent was living his creative sided through me. He enjoyed listening to me as much as I loved seeing him support me in everything I did. The relationship that developed with my brother through music was one that I knew could develop with others that had disabilities as well.
The choir teacher at my high school asked me what I wanted to do with music after I graduated. I simply said, "I want to perform" as did everyone else going into music. I wanted to be famous singer like Pavarotti! However, she mentioned an unknown field to me - Music Therapy. She told me that I should look into it because it uses music to heal. I had never thought of myself as a healer and researched the field online and in books. I couldn't believe that music had the powers to change so many things about people! This field required helping others through music and psychology, two subjects that I thoroughly enjoyed. After researching and getting to know the field better I got what many say as "their calling!" I knew I could relate to Music Therapy on a level that would benefit others with disabilities like my brother's.
As for me, the one person that led me to Music Therapy was a person who couldn't sing an aria or play a Mozart concerto but a person who has always heard music, just on a different level- my brother Brent.
About Kyle Lueken
Biography
Senior Music Therapy student at University of Louisville, Louisville / Kentucky.
Reading Morva Croxson's article, "How Does a Person Come to Music Therapy" raised many questions in my mind about the roots and pathways for becoming a Music Therapist. As a student at University of Louisville, I am not a Board Certified Music Therapist, but have already decided that my future in this field will continuously reflect the reason I was drawn to it in the first place- my brother.
Growing up in my household, music was not a very common subject matter and did not receive much attention. My family listened to music, but no more than the next. No one in my family had musical training, thus I was not musically involved like many of my peers. Living in eastern Kentucky, long known for its rich heritage in bluegrass music, I found this very ironic. While enrolled in the county high school I joined choir because I thought it would be an easy class, requiring little of my time. However, music enthralled my senses and gave me a feeling of pleasure that I had not known. It sparked something inside of me that was beyond words. I had seen how music affected me, but it was the observations I made from my brother that became the catalyst for being interested in Music Therapy.
Growing up with a brother who has a mental retardation with traits of autism is interesting because I have always accepted his disability and evolved from it. Looking back, there was never a moment that I wish I had what others termed as "a normal brother." People always asked what was wrong with him and I told them exactly what I thought: NOTHING! He sleeps, breathes, and lives life like all of us, thus my answer was valid.
As I made a high school career in music, Brent was always present at recitals, competitions, and community performances clapping, giving me support and sometimes standing ovations! His enthusiasm and support in what I was doing was such a pleasure to my family and me. It seemed as though Brent was living his creative sided through me. He enjoyed listening to me as much as I loved seeing him support me in everything I did. The relationship that developed with my brother through music was one that I knew could develop with others that had disabilities as well.
The choir teacher at my high school asked me what I wanted to do with music after I graduated. I simply said, "I want to perform" as did everyone else going into music. I wanted to be famous singer like Pavarotti! However, she mentioned an unknown field to me - Music Therapy. She told me that I should look into it because it uses music to heal. I had never thought of myself as a healer and researched the field online and in books. I couldn't believe that music had the powers to change so many things about people! This field required helping others through music and psychology, two subjects that I thoroughly enjoyed. After researching and getting to know the field better I got what many say as "their calling!" I knew I could relate to Music Therapy on a level that would benefit others with disabilities like my brother's.
As for me, the one person that led me to Music Therapy was a person who couldn't sing an aria or play a Mozart concerto but a person who has always heard music, just on a different level- my brother Brent.