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Jeanette Milford
Regional Liaison for Australia/New Zealand
Contact: australianewzealand@wfmt.info[/caption]
Congratulations all!
Prof. Denise Grocke is retiring after 33 exceptional years at the University of Melbourne, where she developed the music therapy course from a specialization within an undergraduate degree to a Master's coursework degree. Denise also developed higher degree research programs, with 11 RMTs completing PhDs and 36 completing research Master's degrees. The course has been strengthened by research grants and collaborations with Universities internationally, particularly the Consortium of Nine Research Universities, established in 2007.
In a fittingly grand and moving celebration of Denise’s retirement, the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music hosted a free 2-day public conference with presentations by five leading international speakers: Professor Cheryl Dileo (USA), Professor Gro Trondalen (Norway), Professor Inge Pedersen (Denmark), Professor Cathy McKinney (USA), and Professor Helen Odell-Miller (UK). Fortunately, Denise is not retiring from the workforce, or from music therapy, but instead giving more time to GIM in Australia.
Congratulations go to Dr. Katrina McFerran who has been promoted to Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne and will assume the head of music therapy position. Associate Professor Felicity Baker is joining the staff in Melbourne, bringing her prestigious Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council (ARC, 2011-2015).
Also, congratulations went to Ruth Bright who was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Music Therapy Association and a Dublin Prize by the Academic Board of the University of Melbourne.
Emma O’Brien was voted number 28 in 100 “most passionate, powerful and provocative personalities of 2012” by leading Australian newspaper, ‘The Age.’ Emma is music therapist at Royal Melbourne Hospital, has completed a PhD, and has written and recorded at least 450 songs and an opera with her cancer patients.
Sad news:
We were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Robin Howat, widely respected as an inspirational leader of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia. He is very much missed by everyone who knew him.
Increasing financial pressures within the tertiary sector have led to the closure of the University of Technology Sydney music therapy course and impending closure of the University of Queensland music therapy Master’s course, leaving only 2 music therapy courses in Australia. Since its inception in 1994, the UTS program trained more than 180 graduates and made significant contributions to the development of music therapy in Australia.
Conference News:
In September 2012 the Australian Music Therapy Association enjoyed an excellent national conference in Brisbane, with inspiring keynote presentations by Dr. Annie Heiderscheit and Associate Professor Wendy Magee. Professor Graham Martin, a world-renowned authority on the prevention of youth suicide, also gave uplifting presentations on the key constructs that drive wellness and recovery – resilience, self-efficacy, connectedness, and social support.
All are welcome to the 39th AMTA National Conference which will take place on September 14th and 15th, 2013 in Melbourne under the theme “Music and Health: Evidence and Evolution.” Keynote speaker, Professor Raymond MacDonald from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, is an editor of the journal “Psychology of Music” and recently published “Music, Health and Well-being.”
Jeanette Milford
Australia/New Zealand Regional Liaison
(next month’s blog will feature news from New Zealand)
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