Reflections on the First Asian Music Therapy Symposium
- Introduction, by Rika Ikuno
- Development and Prospect of Music Therapy in Japan, by Rika Ikuno
- Fact Sheet of Music Therapy in Japan, by Rika Ikuno
- Things Asian Music Therapists should Learn, by Izumi Futamata
Introduction
On January 10th, 2005, The Asian Music Therapy Symposium was held in Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Kawasaki, Japan, as the 80th anniversary of the school foundation. It was the first public opportunity for Asian music therapists to meet and talk about our own path unique to Asia. This development was made realized by the great effort of Professor Yuriko Shionoya and Associate Professor Kana Okazaki who teach music therapy courses at Senzoku. For the symposium three music therapists were invited from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan to give presentations as well as Dr. Clive Robbins who gave the keynote speech. There were approximately 230 participants gathered in the auditorium, and in the intermission we also enjoyed the wonderful percussion ensemble by the college students using Asian instruments ("Three Asiatic Dances" by George Frock, conducted by Professor Tomoyuki Okada.)
As a partial report on the symposium, I offer here an edited version of the paper I presented at the conference, a Fact Sheet on Music Therapy in Japan, and the discussion paper: "Things Asian Music Therapists should Learn" by Izumi Futamata (an experienced Japanese music therapist and a lecturer at Senzoku).
