MU 545 - Composition for Music Therapy Practitioners

Students have the opportunity to explore their own composition and improvisation skills as they relate to facilitating music therapy sessions. We explore topics in music theory, composition, and improvisation, and incorporate those concepts into our own compositions and improvisations. Music recording technology is also explored in this course.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students are able to:

• improvise and compose music that facilitates functional objectives.
• use composition to facilitate movement, speech and language, and other functional skills.
• develop creative music skills including musical play, melodic improvisation, harmonic improvisation, and playing in different meters and styles.
• record compositions utilizing computer programs.
• generalize learned techniques into clinical practice.

Section 801

Optional

• Improvisation: Methods and Techniques for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators, and Students (2004)
  Wigram, Tony
  ISBN: 978-1843100485
• Songwriting, 1st Ed.
  Baker, Felicity & Wigram, Tony (eds.)
  ISBN: 978-1843103561

Textbooks and materials can be purchased at the CSU Bookstore unless otherwise indicated.

Additional readings posted on Canvas or in CSU Library Electronic Reserves.

Students are required to have access to high-speed Internet and a web browser. Students must also have a method for recording mp3 or mp4 files.