Year 8 Discover the Power of Music Therapy
This term, Year 8 students have been exploring the incredible impact of music therapy—and how music can be used to support people’s mental health and wellbeing. Through their lessons, they’ve gained insight into the role of the music therapist and even considered it as a possible future career.
Students began by researching what a music therapist does, including how they work with people living with conditions such as dementia or anxiety. They created informative and thoughtful leaflets explaining how music can unlock memories, reduce agitation, and improve communication for those with dementia. Many students were amazed to learn how deeply music can connect with our brains, even when other forms of communication have become difficult.
As a creative extension of their learning, each student worked independently to compose their own piece of relaxing music. Using music software sibelius students wrote a piece of music for the piano using block and broken chords carefully crafting both melody and accompaniment to create calming tracks designed to reduce stress and promote mindfulness. Their final compositions were both peaceful and soothing.
By combining research, creativity, and empathy, Year 8 have not only developed their musical skills, but also gained a deeper appreciation of how music can be used to make a difference in people’s lives. Well done, Y8.
Mrs Cattanach, Curriculum Leader for Music
