Musicking Together: Affective, Cognitive and Physical Aspects of a Music Therapy Group Work

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and discuss the affective, cognitive, and physical events that occur when people gather to make music. Using a theoretical framework derived from community music therapy and sociology of music, this work focuses on the experiences and perceptions of five women who participated in music therapy group work. Structured observation was used to register the participants’ affective, cognitive, and physical manifestations during the group work. Results suggested that music therapy collective music making stimulated participants to interact and develop different forms of feeling, thinking, and acting. Making music together encouraged participants to think about their feelings, roles, and judgments, reflecting that the collective experience promoted positive changes in their lives.