This article by Helen Loth was one of the first articles I read in Voices before commencing my journey as a student Music Therapist and it immediately struck a 'gong' with me! As a Gamelan player during my undergraduate degree at the Music Department in UCC, Ireland, I instantly fell in love with the Gamelan, and the power the music had over me.
I can recall my first time sitting on the ground in front of a Saron, with a mallet in my right hand and my left hand ready to dampen the sound of the key I was about to strike. I was unsure as to the sound I was going to hear. To my surprise and admittedly, confusion, the sound I heard as I begun Lancaran Eling Eling was unquestionably different to the western scale that my classical ear had been comfortable with up until this new experience. As I played on, I was over-come by this strange but beautiful melody, and the resonating sound of the wooden mallet striking the metal bars. Although I no longer have access to the Gamelan, the distinct sound still plays in my head when I think back on it.
I vividly remember the confusion that came upon me when we were encouraged to change instruments in our second group meeting. Having played the Saron in our previous lesson, I had gotten to grips with it and now I was being asked to play something else! I couldn't see the sense in it, but as the weeks, months and semesters passed and I played everything, from the beating of the gong once every 32 beats to the constant, elaborate, interlocking melody on the Bonang Panerus, I appreciated how much of a collective group effort playing the Gamelan is. The changing of instruments is important in Music Therapy as it offers new experiences and feelings to individuals and different instruments can take them to different places emotionally and also physically. In Gamelan music, the absence of a conductor leaves space for a greater awareness and appreciation for what your fellow Gamelan players are doing. In accordance with Loth, I see this as similar in the Music Therapy setting. All aspects of Gamelan Music that I was aware of during my three years performing it weekly at UCC, came back to life when I read Loth's personal reflection.
The main way I can see Indonesian Gamelan Music having an influence on me, is in the realm of improvisation, particularly during group work. The exhilarating feeling one gets when listening to, and being actively part of the music is amazing, and one cannot help but feeling as if one is a vital part of the musical experience. This is due to the constant increase in tempo, the variation in dynamics, the listening and responding, and the overall resonating sound that you are surrounded by. The idea of almost being in a musical capsule, becoming consumed by the music, being totally aware of your surroundings and knowing that what you are playing is so valuable to the group. This is something I feel I would like to incorporate into Music Therapy group work.
Another thing that brought me back to Gamelan Music recently was when I had my first music skills class and we began to improvise vocally using modes. The Phrygian mode, in particular, reminded me of vocalising in Gamelan Music. While singing above the balungan (played melody) for the first time, my voice was not use to singing such peculiar intervals but I quickly adjusted. This too was the case when I first attempted singing in modes. I believe when you hear something new for the first time that is unfamiliar to you, it has profound affect on you. Therefore, I am of the opinion that Gamelan Music, and its sound that is unlike any Western Classical music and something most people are not familiar with, can offer fresh and unique experiences. I feel that perhaps this could be incorporated to the therapeutic process when a therapist sees the scope to work with this, when dealing with a client.
Like Loth, I would like to see further research into clinical applications of Gamelan in the Music Therapy setting. The fact that studies have been conducted using Gamelan music with people with learning difficulties, (O'Donnell, MacDonald, Davies & Dillon, 1999; MacDonald, O'Donnell & Davies 1999; MacDonald & Miell, 2000; MacDonald & Miell, 2002), demonstrates the benefits of listening to, and playing, this genre of music on a cognitive and functional level. The problem with research on Gamelan Music in the music therapy setting is that Gamelans are few and far between, and UCC is the only home to a 'full' Gamelan in Ireland at present. ('full' referring to having all instrument in both pelog and slendro scales.)
Another problem I could foresee when conducting research on the therapeutic affects of Gamelan music on a particular population, is that the Gamelan is difficult to transport given the amount of instruments in the ensemble and its delicate nature. Also, the music one plays on the Gamelan is complex on a structural level. I question whether it is the unique sound of the Gamelan that could be therapeutic, providing relaxation or stimulation for a client? Or, is it the playing of traditional pieces of music from Java that is therapeutic, improving listening responses and musical communication? If the latter were the case, a previous knowledge of this music would be necessary by the subjects participating in a study. This would rule out randomised selection of participants to test the therapeutic qualities of Gamelan Music. What I feel is important however, is the diversity that an interest in a foreign musical genre, like the Javanese Gamelan, can bring to both a student Music Therapist, in terms of constructing ideas, and also, to a practicing Music Therapist.
Having now commenced my studies on the MA in Music Therapy programme at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, my mind often takes me back to playing the Gamelan and its unique structures. As a student music therapist, I can only speculate at this point, but perhaps it may not always be useful, to consciously incorporate aspects of Gamelan performance into your clinical sessions. However, I can certainly see how on an unconscious level, being influenced by something like the Gamelan, can add different dimensions to your personal therapeutic processes.
I was both surprised and pleased to come across this essay by Helen Loth on the influence of the Gamelan on her work as a music therapist (2006). Having recently joined a Javanese Gamelan ensemble as well, I have often found myself wondering about the potential therapeutic effects of this exotic and complex instrumental ensemble, therefore it was quite synchronous for me to find this paper. In her essay, Loth describes a number of characteristics of traditional Gamelan music that relate to music therapy, and in my response I will examine some of these further and try to distill them to their essence, as well as explore some additional features that I think might be useful within the clinical setting.
As described by Loth, some of the Gamelan's potential therapeutic characteristics include "an emphasis on listening and responding to aural cues, group communication, the culture of inclusion and the lack of hierarchy" (2006). Having played Gamelan for a few months now, I definitely agree with her assessment. In addition, I feel like all of these attributes feed the same meta-goal of "connectedness," both within the group and possibly with some greater collective oneness, which to me is an essential component to emotional well-being. To incorporate an idea from the performance artist and psychotherapist Paolo Knill, "it is in the degree of opening to each other in communal engagement versus aloneness that makes the difference" (Knill, 1999, p. 41). This "communal engagement" is an essential part of the group music therapy experience, and playing in a Gamelan ensemble fosters this engagement in a very deep way as well.
However, I personally feel that certain other group musical experiences outside of the therapeutic setting can also foster those same feelings and effects. For most of my life I have been a choral singer, and within a chorus I have also felt this intense connective bond, group listening, and connection to something greater than myself through the music. So what, then, would be the essential difference between using choral singing as music therapy and Gamelan playing as music therapy, if any at all? I think the answer is twofold-- firstly that the instruments in a Gamelan are one step removed from the most intimate instrument which is one's own voice box, and therefore possibly more comfortable to explore for untrained music therapy clients. Secondly, as Loth states in her article, "what is particularly powerful in the Gamelan is the way that the group moves as a whole without a conductor" (2006). This is indeed true, as it still amazes me every time I go to Gamelan practice that the group manages to stay together and move through different sections and transitions so fluidly without a conductor to guide it. In that vein, for a Gamelan piece to be played well it requires careful listening, as explained by Loth (2006), but I think it also commands a certain "presence" from the players, which would also be a useful therapeutic benefit.
Another way that the Gamelan demands a player's fullest attention to the present moment is through the intricacy of the melodic rhythms. "Javanese Gamelan music is very polyphonic. In a full group, there are about twenty interrelated parts, which in general relate melodically rather than harmonically" (Loth, 2006). I have found that while playing the Gamelan if I let my attention lapse for even a few seconds, I can easily be lost in the repetitive and swirling melodies washing all around me, and find myself wondering if the phrase I am hearing is the one that appears in the third line of the music or the fourth. Therefore I have trained myself during rehearsals to stay "in the moment" as much as possible, and not let my mind wander. This is a useful practice not only for music therapists in training, who would benefit from learning how to be fully present at every moment with their clients, but also for the clients themselves as a part of their therapy.
In addition to the above mentioned possible benefits of Gamelan playing in a music therapy setting (connectedness, intense listening, and being fully present), I think there are some specific benefits that can be gleaned from the very sounds and structure of the music itself. For example, I personally find the repetitive and almost chant-like quality of the music very soothing, like being rocked or held by the resonating melodies swirling around my physical-emotional body as I play within the group. I could see how the structure and dependability of these very long and repetitious pieces (some longer than half an hour!) might provide a feeling of security to certain clients. In addition, the complex rhythms of traditional Gamelan music could be very stimulating to the brains and bodies of other clients, particularly those with developmental delays and also those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The rhythm center of the brain is one of its oldest, most primal parts, and it seems that even though "language and memory skills fail in Alzheimer's patients, the ability to respond to rhythm and melody remains robust until late in the disease. In fact, structured music programs seem to calm people with Alzheimer's, improving their mood and sleep, according to research at the University of Miami School of Medicine" (Neimark, 2004). In addition, it has also been shown that rhythmic music can be "surprisingly powerful in treating people with neurologic disorders, such as stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease" (Neimark, 2004). One study done specifically on the effects of Gamelan playing on people with mild to moderate mental handicaps showed significant gains in musical ability, rhythm production, and communication skills after 10 weeks of structured group playing (MacDonald & O'Donnell, 1994). In light of these findings, further research into the specific clinical applications of Gamelan in the music therapy setting could prove very illuminating and useful.
A few months ago, upon sitting down for my first Gamelan rehearsal, perched amid the various and at the time foreign looking instruments and bathed in their wondrous and soothing sounds, I immediately felt a strong connection between that music and the work I am doing as a music therapist in training. I felt intuitively that the Gamelan would make a multi-layered and effective tool for music therapy, and was therefore very excited to find this essay by Helen Loth exploring these very concepts. From the qualities of connectedness, intense listening, and being fully present, to the more technical applications of the musical structures themselves, it seems that the Gamelan has a lot to offer to the field of music therapy, and there is great potential here for further research into the effects of this intricate and beautiful musical ensemble.
References
Knill, P. (1999). Soul nourishment, or the intermodal language of imagination. In S. Levine & E. Levine (Eds.). Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy: Theoretical and Clinical Perspectives. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley.
Loth, Helen (2006). How Gamelan Music Has Influenced Me as a Music Therapist – A Personal Account. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from https://normt.uib.no/index.php/voices/article/view/246/190
MacDonald, R., & O'Donnell, P. (1994). An investigation into the effects of structured music workshops with adults with mental handicap. Occupational Therapy International, 1(3), 184- 197. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from PsycINFO database.
Neimark, J. (2004, March). Sound healing. Natural Health, 34(3), 70-106. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from Alt HealthWatch database.
Response to "How Gamelan Music Has Influenced Me as a Music Therapist - A Personal Account"
After reading Helen Loth's essay "How Gamelan Music Has Influenced Me as a Music Therapist- A Personal Account," I was struck by the similarities in thoughts and ideas I have often pondered on how studying jazz music has affected me as a developing music therapist. Chief among these similarities is the importance of listening, listening well beyond basic idea hearing, but as a mean of forming group cohesion. Currently I am pursuing a Bachelors of Music in Music Therapy and an additional Bachelors of Music in Jazz Performance at the University of Louisville, and although this duel degree choice has been coupled with many scheduling conflicts and various frustrations, I feel that I will be leaving for my internship with a strong foundation in the art of listening.
When listening to a jazz group, one way to know how good the performers are, is not by how many "hot licks" they know, not by whether or not they outline all the changes of a tune perfectly, or even by their technical facility on their instrument. It is by how well they listen to and communicate with each other. Although each aspect mentioned is important and requires constant practice, it is my personal belief that what really separates a good jazz group from an amazing jazz group is how well the members communicate with each other through their music. Jazz musicians communicate through their musical interactions based on different musical features ranging from rhythmic ideas, melodic ideas, dynamics, and even musical energy. Furthermore, these musical interactions act as an invisible support and bond that holds and even propels the group forward musically. When a group has mastered the art of listening and communication, it can be really mind-blowing how seamlessly the music presented by the group can alter and develop at the drop of a hat.
This idea of listening and communication is where I see the most prominent overlap between my studies in jazz and music therapy. I have found it, as I am sure we all have, to be of the up most importance to listen astutely to everything that goes on during a session. As in a jazz group, we must take what we hear and use it to support the client or clients we are working with. Through my clinical and classroom experience I feel I have been aided by my jazz training when it comes to responding to clients during a session. When improvising with a client I feel attune to what they are playing and am able to reflect back a variety of rhythmic ideas, melodic ideas, dynamics, and most importantly energy levels. I recall sessions with an individual client with multiply clinical diagnoses, including autism and bipolar disorder, where our communication relied solely on music and the quality of our communication depended on my listening.
I feel the art of listening is one of the core features of music therapy as a profession and an art. I implore us all to look at how the music style that we love, whether it is classical, hip-hop, gamelan, or jazz can influence and enhance our listening.