"When you listen to music and play music you do something together" - A qualitative study about children's experiences of a music therapy group in school in the school time

This is a qualitative study examining how children experience a music therapy group, centered around the question: How do children in school experience a music therapy group in the school hours? To answer this question, I interviewed a group of four children about a music therapy group I arranged on their school. The method used was semi structured interview, and the material was analyzed and presented through qualitative content analysis. The results are discussed in light of literature about community music therapy, music and identity and restlessness, with a framework of music-centered music therapy literature. The findings show that the children experienced the music therapy group as an arena to perform their selves through music, experience feelings of community and enjoy musical togetherness. I discuss how music can foster feelings of togetherness, but also exclusion and feelings of conformity, and the relationship between musical resources and self-esteem.Masteroppgave i musikkterapiMUTP35