16th November 2000

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A creative musical response to trauma in the community is the theme of an international one-day conference on Music, Music Therapy and Trauma being held in the Dalriada complex at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown on Saturday, 25 November commencing at 9.15am.

In the first conference of its kind in Northern Ireland, experts from all over Europe will analyse how music can help people cope with trauma in their lives, whether physical or mental; how music therapy can help ameliorate behavioural disorders among children, and reflect on international issues in the field.

Speakers include experts from

* Bosnia (the Pavarotti Music Centre)
* England (National Foundation for the Care of Victims of Trauma)
* Northern Ireland (Dr Marie Smyth of the University of Ulster and the Cost of the Troubles Study and Mrs Hilary Bracefield of the Music Department)
* South Africa (Dr Mercedes Pavlicevic, Research Fellow of the University of Pretoria).

Issues which will be covered include working in a post-war environment, recovering one’s power after victimisation and re-examining the concepts of ‘healing’, ‘growth’ and ‘therapy’ in the context of communities affected by violence.

The conference has been made possible by a Millennium Award to University of Ulster researcher Julie Sutton, one of the UK’s leading music therapists.

“This will be a vital information session for social workers, health professionals, community workers, musicians, clinicians, psychologists, students and anyone interested in the problems of violence in the community and the role of music and music therapy,” she said.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk