50 years of music therapy at the HfMT

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Festive meeting of the founding fathers and a look into the future:
On June 1, the Music Therapy in School Music course at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama (HfMT) celebrates its 50th anniversary with an anniversary day.

The music therapy course in school music has a long tradition at the HfMT. The first music therapy seminars for students of music education and church music began in 1974, primarily on the initiative of the then student teachers of music in special education. In its early days, the initiative received great support from the head of Faculty 4 and later President of the HfMT Hamburg, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hermann Rauhe. In 1974, Prof. Dr. Johannes Theodor Eschen, a church musician and music therapist, was recruited, who was responsible for the beginnings of music therapy in Hamburg with a focus on improvisation and, from 1976, together with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hochstein from the Institute for School Music. Eschen was followed in 1985 by the later founder of the institute and pioneer of the postgraduate music therapy course at the HfMT, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.mult. Hans-Helmut Decker-Voigt.

Prof. Dr. Jan Philipp Sprick, President of the University: "The integration of music therapy into school music education at the HfMT 50 years ago is evidence of the innovative thinking of the time. At the same time, it was the beginning of the professional institutionalization of music therapy and the inter- and transdisciplinary thinking that still characterizes the HfMT today."

Background:
Music therapy offers music education broader perspectives and scope for action. In this way, prospective teachers are individually supported, strengthened in their resilience and prepared for the challenges of everyday school life. The current range of subjects in the specialization module includes courses on developmental psychology, music and psychotherapeutic fields of action, basic concepts of psychodynamic thinking, emotions and affects from a psychoanalytical perspective, improvisation as a relationship process, psychodynamic movement, conversation techniques for music teachers and group dynamic work. The seminars can also be chosen for teacher training students at the HfMT Hamburg via the elective area of the University of Hamburg.
Further information at: hfmt-hamburg.

On June 1 from 12 noon, interested parties are cordially invited to the HfMT's JazzHall. The beginnings of the music therapy specialization module in school music will be traced in discussion rounds in order to develop a vision for the school of the future from the impulses of that time. Admission is free, please register at: musiktherapie@hfmt-hamburg.de. From 18:15 there will be a festive buffet and the JazzHall stage will open as an open stage.