3rd World Congress of Music Therapy, Puerto Rico, 1981
[Editorial note] Voices wants to thank Dr. Gabriela Wagner for her kind assistance with translating, editing, and collecting information for this interview.
Because we could not make contact with Dr. Rafael Col髇,[1] who organized the 3rd World Congress of Music Therapy, we are grateful to Teresa Scanavino, who was involved with the congress and early plans for a world federation, for this information.
Barbara Wheeler: How was the 3rd World Congress of Music Therapy organized?
Teresa Scanavino: The 1981 Puerto Rico 3rd World Congress of Music Therapy was organized by the Asociaci贸n Portorrique帽a de Musicoterapia. Dr. Rafael Rivera Col贸n (President), Jose Garrido (Coordinator), and Teresa Otero (Secretary).
Dr. Colon and Jose Garrido (Unknown woman).
Dr. Rafael Rivera Col贸n
Dr. Col贸n聮s collaborators in organizing this conference were members of one of the psychiatry associations of Puerto Rico.
BW: Who attended and what was included on the program?
Teresa Scanavino: The exponents were from America and Europe, a very positive aspect. The program included various topics. In those sheets you will find information about a statistic related with the groundwork of the presentation, which was included in one of my thesis, regarding the line of work of the MTs in the world (either sound or corporal expression).
From one of the seminars. Dr. A. Saj贸n, the one with the dark beard is Dr. Rafael Rivera Col贸n. Second line: Clementina Nastari from Brasil, Guido Bufoli form Italy, Gerard Ducorneau from France, Angel Garijo, Ana Giller from Argentina. On the chair Rolando O. Benezon.
BW: Were discussions of the World Federation of Music Therapy held at this time?
Teresa Scanavino: About the Music Therapy Federation, it was organized in Puerto Rico in 1981, requested by those in charge of the Congress, who determined that the Argentinians Benenzon, DiCesare, and Scanavino were in charge of the organization, which was established formally at the 1985 Congress in Genova. (Please see Dr. Rolando Benenzon聮s reflections on this history at http://www.voices.no/mainissues/mi40009000315.php.)
BW: What has happened to those who organized the congress? Have you had further contact with them?
Teresa Scanavino: In regard to Rivera Col贸n, I interviewed him in Puerto Rico in 1992, for the last time and I don聮t have information about him anymore since then. Another reference is about a friend of Rivera Col贸n, the psychiatrist Toyos, who participated in the congress. He lives in San Juan of Puerto Rico 聳 Ponce 聳 Valle Real. But unfortunately, I don聮t have anymore information about him.
Lunch after the Congress
Note
[1]Dr. Col贸n attended the World Congress in Vittoria-Gastiez, Spain, in 1993. Nobody who was contacted has been in touch with him since that time.
