Verena Clemencic-Jones is a musician who works with children who are patients at Sydney Children's Hospital. She has trained as an early childhood teacher and has specialised in the specific field of music therapy.
She says that
the best thing about being a music therapist is being able to sing for a living while facilitating creativity, self-expression, relaxation and laughter in families of children with life threatening illnesses.
The Good Weekend article shows that this vocation allows musical people to use their skills creatively to engage people in experiencing the joy of musical creation. An experienced therapist can enable a client to discover their own musical ability, which, in the 21st century, might involve a teenager composing a song using an iPad and conveting it into an MP3 which can be shared with family and friends.
There is some sadness in the job, too, because working with clients with cancer can involve losing some to the disease. Ms Clemencic-Jones says that this made the first year of the job difficult, but that therapists develop ways of taking care of themselves when they experience these situations.
This Youtube clip shows a Brisbane music therapist working with Baby Flynn.
Jammin Jenn, a New Jersey music therapist, shows how she can assist children with autism through her music therapy skills in the short film here.
Mitchell Conservatorium's Graeme Hunt and Kerrie Davies are music therapists who have worked with clients in a variety of locations, including Lithgow Correctional Centre, at St Vincent's Hospital, Bathurst as well as in the conservatorium itself.
If you would like to know some more about music therapy, whether as a career or for a music therapy client, please contact the conservatorium on 02 6331 6622 for more information.
