World Congresses of Music Therapy – An Introduction
Having attended almost all the world congresses of music therapy since 1983, I suppose I could be described as a ‘congress groupie’! But my attitude to these amazing forums for exchange and interaction has developed and changed over time. Like everyone, I started as a ‘nobody’ – attending two world conferences in Paris in 1983, and giving my first ever paper in a large salon with only 10 people attending, four of whom were my colleagues! I was up against a session taking place in another room at the same time with a very impressive team of US presenters led by Richard Graham – so I wasn’t surprised. But this did not put me off, and I relished every congress I attended thereafter for the wonderful opportunity to meet and mix with so many different cultures and ideas.
However these Paris congresses in 1983 were also the place were the first concrete steps were taken to form the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) which, together with the ensuing congresses approximately every 3 years resulted in exchanges between an international community of researchers, clinicians and music therapy teachers who badly needed both the congress, and a formal organisation such as WFMT to gain personal development, a feeling of community, and a place to meet ‘heroes’.
At each meeting from 1983 on, the structure and formalisation of a world federation became stronger and identifiable, and I think that during these years there was some really excellent work in building up the profile of music therapy internationally. The development of Commissions on the WFMT, promoted by Dr. Bright and then Dr. Dileo during the 1990Â’s resulted in symposia on music therapy education and music therapy research taking place at or alongside the world congresses. The very fact that WFMT meetings took place at world congresses ensured that many key figures would always give priority to the congress. In Vitoria, Spain, where the 6th world congress attracted the most ever music therapists, the Council of WFMT met for 2 days before, and we spent many happy hours developing a workable constitution for the organisation as well ambitious and enthusiastic plans for future activity.
It would take too much space to refer to all the very important and valuable contributions different people made to both the congresses and the WFMT – but they were very closely linked. I would like to say, as the 4th President of the organisation, that my past and more recent presidential colleagues – Rolando Benenzon (1985-1990), Ruth Bright (1990-1993), Cheryl Dileo (1993-1996), Denise Grocke (1999-2002), Suzanne Hanser (2002-2005) and Gabriela Wagner (2005-2008), that the work we have all contributed has included the development of these wonderful congresses, and also many attempts to develop and recommend guidelines and standards of good practice in many areas of music therapy. I wonder how the organisation will now develop under its present incumbent president, Petra Kern. Certainly other multinational groups, such as the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) and the South American Music Therapy federation are also developing, and I know from my own work in building the EMTC up from 1989- 1998 that this organisation has likewise functioned and flourished around the European Congresses of Music Therapy that began in the Netherlands in 1989, and also occur every three years. The EMTC is linked to the European Union, and under Gianluigi di Franco, and particularly Jos De Backer – the 3rd President, has developed an important political role on behalf of music therapy within the EU.
I think that what we are all realising is that the Internet and the World Wide Web have revolutionised communication. We used to send paper letters internationally in the 1980Â’s to communicate about the WFMT and the World Congresses. Gianluigi Di Franco produced an excellent Newsletter for the WFMT in the 1990Â’s that kept news circulating. Now, we can all interact within seconds through e.mail, and search engines such as Google allow us to find out very much about the activities going on in music therapy worldwide.
Will the day come when we no longer need World Congresses and the WFMT or EMTC? As far as the congresses are concerned – never! Nothing will ever replace the importance of the face to face meeting, the chance to hear our ‘heroes’ give the keynotes, the opportunity to meet others in the same clinical or research field, and the fun of the social time together. At this point, I want to mention a different type of hero that I really have a huge admiration for – the people who take a lot of risks and work very hard to host the world congresses – among others Edith Lecourt, Rolando Benenzon, Rafael Colon, Giovanna Mutti, Patxi del Campo, Hans Helmut DeckerVoigt, Andi Farbman, Mary Adamek, Al Bumanis, and the AMTA, Nigel Hartley and the UK team, Susan Coull and the Australian team – and recently Gabriela Wagner.
Will we still need the WFMT? I think the days when this organisation built up communication between peoples and countries are now over from the point of view that the Internet has taken over. Also, we realised that attempting to establish ‘world’ standards about research, education and practice would not work with the many differing levels of activity and recognition. But in developing and promoting a congress every three years, yes, the WFMT has a very distinct role.
I appreciate very much the effort Dr. Barbara Wheeler has gone to in interviewing people about the world congresses, and building up this record, because it is really a record we can all be proud of. My photograph albums are full of the serious and the funny moments in world congresses, and I have an address book (e.mail of course!) full of colleagues I have met who have become friends and supporters. It is a history we all cherish, and achievements of which we are all proud.
