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James M. Gunther, Central Michigan University Helping Autistic Individuals Communicate Through Music Therapy: Implications from a Review of Literature
The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate how music therapy techniques can be used to address communication deficiencies of autistic individuals. Autism involves difficulties in communication and in social interactions. Autistic individuals deal with communication disorders of language, speech, fluency, production, and reception. Music therapy can be used to overcome barriers of communication, as music directly addresses speech issues of pitch, intonation, rate, rhythm, and stress. Music therapy also averts typical difficulties with recognizing and interpreting symbols without the presence of a physical object, and difficulties with decoding sarcastic or mixed messages, because these symbols are not used in music. Further, music therapy addresses social interaction problems. Music can be arranged in patterns much like a conversation, and improvisations can mimic communication patterns. These back and forth experiences of music may also address problems of short attention span, awareness of others, objects, or events, and inability to respond. In music therapy, the therapist becomes the messenger, the music is the message, and the autistic individual is the receiver. Further, syllables become rhythms, word phrases become patterns, inflections become melodies, timing and consistency of speech become tempo and rhythm. Conclusions of the paper show that overlaps between music and communication make music therapy an effective way to help autistic individuals overcome barriers in communication and in social situations. It also specifies areas in which further research is recommended and necessary to improve techniques in music therapy with autism.
Katie Gyhra, University of Michigan The Missing Female Band Director: A Literature Review
The disparity in the numbers of male and female band directors in American schools is not a new phenomenon. A 1980 study found that only 1.25% of all collegiate level band directors were women (Feather, 1980). While the statistics have improved over the years, the percentage of band directors who are female is not representative of the number of females who are graduating with degrees in instrumental education. Several studies have been done to investigate the lives of women band directors and discover what influences them to begin or to continue with a career in band conducting, but few studies sought to discover the factors that may be keeping women out of the profession. Without analyzing the obstacles that women face as they pursue a career in band conducting, little can be done to eliminate or alleviate this gender gap in the profession. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on female band directors and make recommendations for future investigation and possible interventions. By examining the literature, clear themes emerge regarding the obstacles women face when pursuing a career as a band director, including the culture of American bands, a lack of gender-specific role models, and the stress of family obligations.
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