Music is much more than an incentive or motivation to move and concentrate – for some people living with a disability it is a connection and even therapy.

Who doesn’t love listening to music? Regardless of taste – country and western, opera, classical, heavy metal, jazz, blues pub rock, pop – if you get in the groove it does something to your brain and gives you the incentive to get stuck into the housework, concentrate on that assignment and block out the world or just chill.

Music motivates, soothes, inspires and sometimes even allows you to express yourself.

And there’s a lot of research that backs the practice of music as therapy, particularly in the disability sector, because, as Connect Ability Australia (CCA) tells us, music REACHES us, sometimes where mere words can’t.

Music comprehension is intricately linked to emotional brain functions, so music can trigger a wide range of responses well beyond the scope of simple musical enjoyment.

Music therapy, delivered by a Registered Music Therapist (RMT), has been recognised by the NDIS for inclusion under the support cluster of Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living.

According to The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) this includes assessment, recommendation, therapy and/or training (including early childhood intervention).

The therapy is aimed to increase skills for independence in daily, practical activities such as language and communication, personal care, mobility and movement, interpersonal interactions and community participation.

Music therapy can be delivered to individuals or groups.

The AMTA says music therapists work with people to make goals to be worked on in music therapy.

These goals might be communication goals, social goals, movement goals, mood and feelings goals, and/or spiritual goals. In a music therapy session people might sing, play instruments, dance, write their own songs and record them, perform, listen and talk about music.

Connect Ability Australia says music therapy is a way of helping people who are living with a wide range of conditions.

Music therapy has been successful as therapeutic intervention for people of any age with physical, spiritual, emotional, or intellectual challenges and it may play an important role in developing, maintaining and/or restoring physical function, but also for people who are elderly, people coping with pain or simply people who want to bring something more to their lives.

More than the simple act of listening to or creating music, music therapy is research-based and actively supports people as they strive to improve their health, functioning and wellbeing.

It is delivered by fully trained professionals who are registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association Inc and are therefore bound by a code of ethics that forms the basis of their work.

Music therapy has physiological, emotional, and mental effects on the client in many ways by providing sensory stimulations that positively affect the client’s physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Music therapy:

• Develops and maintains joint and muscle function
• Increases fine and gross motor coordination and control, muscle strength, and range of motion
• Improves cardiopulmonary and respiratory functioning and oral-motor skills
• Facilitates relaxation and controlled movement
• Provides an outlet for emotional self-expression and opportunities for social interaction

Music is Duncan Steward’s world.

As winner of the National Disability Leadership Organisaton’s Melbourne Disability Staff Recognition Awards 2022 Frontline Manager Award, Duncan believes in helping artists, bands and entertainment organisations maximise opportunities through innovative management, technology and career development through his company Platinum Cre8ive.

“As I have lived experience, I can relate to working with entertainment talent with disabilities,” Duncan said.

“I am honoured I get to use my skills and experience to help them achieve their goals and dreams.”

“As I also work part-time with the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, I get to advocate for people with a disability on a national scale to really make a difference in people’s lives.”

Music creation has been described as a physical experience, which can have beneficial input for people who may live with motor function challenges, according to the CCA.

This can be achieved by a therapist and the client by practising a range of motion, hand-grasp strength, and forms of non-verbal expression communication.

Similarly, musical involvement is a multi-sensory act, which may provide distraction from the pain, discomfort, and anxiety often associated with some physical disabilities.

Further benefits include opportunities to share thoughts and experiences and to enhance feelings of self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem.

Grouping these benefits with the potential music has to promote overall relaxation, it is clear to see how music therapy can be of great benefit.