The abstract and poster number 20
MALLETT, Susie
Private Practice, Conductor, Art Therapist,
Publisher
Nürnberg, Germany, email – small66711@aol.com
When conductive pedagogy becomes conductive lifestyle
(Poster)
‘Pedagogical logic is determined by
educational goals, and these are not immutable but change as society changes.’
(1)
Introduction. Some families who discover
Conductive Education recognise that they have found something that will enrich
the life that they lead with disability.
Aims. These families embrace
Conductive Education wholeheartedly and along with it the conductors who work
alongside them, beginning a shared life-long journey.
These
journeys become virtuous spirals that branch off spontaneously to become all-encompassing,
so that every aspect of the family’s life, both near and further afield, becomes
conductive.
Materials and methods. It
has given me much pleasure to have been involved in several such journeys, with
some families still taking their first tentative steps in developing a conductive
lifestyle and others travelling, with me alongside them, for up to twenty-five
years.
The model
of long-term Conductive Education is becoming a more common phenomenon. As
children become young adults looking for possibilities to live independent,
active lives they need mentors and motivators to share their lives and assist
them to overcome the next challenges. (2)
Results and conclusions. In my own conductive life, mentoring from
art teachers and later from conductors still plays an important role in my
artistic and conductive careers. As a conductor I continue in my role as
mentor, advisor and motivator for the parents but also, and increasingly more
so, for their children – once upon a time four-year-olds now twenty-four-year-old
adults embarking on their own careers.
They
too need mentors to guide them in their ever-changing conductive lives just as
I have always needed someone in mine.
(1)
Makarenko, A.S. (1951) The
Road to Life, Part One, Moscow, Foreign Languages Publishing House, page
xxvi
(2)
McDowell, G.
(2013) George's Travelogue, Nürnberg, CN Press
The abstract and poster number 21
MALLETT, Susie, Arnold, Julia
Private Practice, Conductor, Art Therapist,
Publisher
Nürnberg, Germany, email – small66711@aol.com
The
road to a conductive music group
(Poster)
‘Man
must have something joyful ahead of him to live for. The true stimulus in human
life is the morrow’s joy… In the first
place the joy itself has to be organised, brought to life, and converted into a
possibility… To educate a man is to
furnish him with a perspective leading to the morrow’s joy.’ (1)
Introduction. When I first applied to train to be a
conductor proof of musical ability was required. I had none so was not
accepted. I reapplied when this requirement was dropped.
Both my
conductive and musical education began on moving to Hungary. I heard more music
during those four years of training than in all my previous life, on the stairs
at the Pető
Institute and at the many musical events that I attended in the city.
Aim. Visual art comes easily
to me, it bringing joy to my soul when I play with paints; I know how to
transmit this joy to my clients to help create activity in their lives. I have
enjoyed adopting the written word to do the same. (2, 3) I have always recognised the potential to also
do this through music.
Method. My musical education has continued since
becoming a conductor, with the help of conductor colleagues and from music
teacher and conductor Kati Őrfalvy,
through my love for Tina Turner and using her music in walking programmes –
most importantly through experiences with children and adult clients. Using
music to teach speech in stroke groups has been particularly motivating. I have
always had a great desire to use music in my work; alone however, I have not
had sufficient skills.
Outcome to date, work in
progress. At last
I have found a talented musician, Julia Arnold, with compatible goals and
values to collaborate in bringing to life my dream of a conductive music group.
[1]
Makarenko, A.S. (1951) The
Road to Life, Part One, Moscow, Foreign Languages Publishing House, page
xxvii
[2] Mallett, S.
(2013) Abstracts, 8th World CE Congress, pages 126-127, 309
[3] Conductor
Nürnberg (2010-2013) Four books, in English, German and Chinese, CN Press
The ‘Music Box’ is a conductive
music group that came into being through the shared ideas and passions of Julia
Arnold, social pedagogue/musician and Susie Mallett, conductor, art teacher and
art therapist.
The road to a conductive music group
‘Man must have
something joyful ahead of him to live for. The true stimulus in human life is
the morrow’s joy… In the first place the joy itself has to be organised,
brought to life, and converted into a possibility… To educate a man is to
furnish him with a perspective leading to the morrow’s joy.’ [1]
Everybody knows the power of music. It touches us, joins us
together, it causes thought and exploration and presents new possibilities. In
the world of harmony and rhythm it makes no difference whether one has a
physical disability or not. When one
takes an active role in music-making for the first time, whether it is singing
in a round or solo, there are hurdles for everyone to overcome. Everyone needs
to learn how to listen and how to develop a feel for beat and melody when
entering this new territory.
People with disability face extra challenges, but with
each new challenge there opens a door of opportunity – opportunity for change, to
set new aims, to expand personal possibilities and to overcome inhibitions.
The Music Box was formed with the aim of helping people
with physical disabilities to develop social skills, cognitive skills,
emotional expression, and of course all types of movement, while at the same
time enabling them to strengthen their creative, musical ability.
[1]
Makarenko, A.S. (1951) The Road to
Life, Part One, Moscow, Foreign Languages Publishing House, page xxvii
Published by Susie
Mallett Conductor - Nürnberg
Text by Julia Arnold
2016, translated from German by Susie Mallett
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