Research essay plan.

I have chosen the question of what is the role of art in society and have narrowed the question to
look into music as a therapy, how music has been used as a therapy, the therauputic aspect of
music. I chose this question as I am deeply interested in how world can be perceived musically. Being
a musician myself I am naturally curious of the role that music has had in a therauputic form and
wish to know more about why this is so.

What is the connection between music and therapy?

a) Analysis of the question:

This question is asking me about how music has been used as a therapeutic device.

b) Thesis statement: This essay will explore the connections between music and therapy, music
as a therapy.
c) Essay plan:
The history of music used as a therapy
Research into the effects of music as a therapy
The importance of music as therapy in a wider context, social, cultural,
identity, wellbeing etc.

Topic sentences:

1. Music therapy has been defined by Dr Kenneth Bruscia as a goaldirected process on which
the therapist helps the client to improve, maintain, or restore a state of wellbeing, using
musical experiences and the relationships that develop through them dynamic forces of
change. (Macdonald, Hargreaves and Miell, 2017).
2. Music has been used as a therapy for centuries, numerous examples of trhe curative and
healing aspects have been recorded by different cultures. (Wigram, Pedersen and Bonde,
2002)
3. Man was considered a musical instrument in classical thought, thus he could be said to be
out of tune or finely tuned. The harmonic proportions of music being related to the human
body.
4. The therapist in the music therapy context can be seen as a neo parental figure, encouraging
self discovery, how the self relates to others and the capacity for the person to experience
meaning and pleasure through the use of music. (Maratos, Crawford and Procter, 2011).

1. a) The purpose of this article is to give some clarity to how music therapy is defined, thus
giving a foundation to explore.
b) This article is linked to my thesis question by making implicit a definition of music as used
as a therapy, thus showing that a connection between music and therapy is the use of music
as a Dynamic for of change.
c)
 2. a) The purpose of this research is to give an introduction into how music has been used as a
therapy historically and culturally.
b) This article is linked to my thesis statement signifying the historic and cultural usage of
music as a therapeutic tool.
c)

3. a) This article outlines classical thoughts of man and his relationship to music, the body being
likened to a musical instrument, that can be in tune or out of tune.

b) This is linked to my thesis statement of exploring the therauputic aspects of music by

describing classical ideas of music as a therapy. Humans as essentially musical creatures.

c)

4. a) This article describes some other attributes of music as therapy, As a neo parental figure
encouraging growth and the ability to form meaning and experience pleasure.

b) This article is linked to my thesis statement in describing some more features of how
music is used as a therapy, emphasising growth, meaning making and the abilty to experience
pleasure.

c)