Music Therapy is a relatively young profession. The use of music in hospitals was first documented after the Second World War and in the 1950’s various professionals formed a specialist interest organisation: the Society for Music Therapy and Remedial Music. This became the British Society for Music Therapy in 1967 and led to the first training course - directed by Juliette Alvin - being established at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1968.
Around this time Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins published ‘Music for Handicapped Children and Music Therapy in Special Education’ and also initiated their training course in London. Where Alvin’s method was considered to draw more on psychoanalytic theories in addition to music, Nordoff & Robbins pioneered a more music centred approach.
In 1976 the Association of Professional Music Therapists (APMT) (now British Association of Music Therapists, BAMT) was formed. It supports the development of the profession as well as acting as a central point of contact for music therapists providing information regarding music therapy, practice, training and events. It was not until 1982 however that music therapy was recognised by the NHS as an effective form of treatment and in 1996 state registration of music therapy was formally ratified by Parliament. All qualified music therapists are now required to be registered with the Health Professionals Council.
Cambridgeshire Music began introducing music therapy in schools in 1995 with two music therapists employed in five schools. Currently there are 14 music therapists in roughly 30 schools around Cambridgeshire including special schools, mainstream, children’s centres, nurseries and units attached to schools.
Darnley Smith. R. Patey, H.M. Music Therapy 2003 Sage Publications
British Association of Music Therapists website