Exploring the Musical Skill Set Required to Enter the Music Therapy Field

The field of music therapy encompasses multiple schools of thought, each possessing its own unique philosophy. These philosophies yield different approaches as to how therapists leverage music to achieve therapeutic goals.

Source: cdn2.psychologytoday.com

Dr. Suzanne Sorel, a renowned music therapist and professor at Molloy University, emphasizes that her approach is grounded in humanistic principles and focuses primarily on emotional and behavioral concerns. Her practice is rooted in the work of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins, particularly their pioneering explorations into the clinical use of improvised music.

Dr. Sorel relates that her clients respond best when therapists take into account musical elements such as key, tone color (timbre), and volume (dynamics). She believes that strong musicianship is the foundation of music therapy training. The graduate program she founded emphasizes piano and guitar skills, consistent with accrediting requirements of the American Music Therapy Association, and prospective students must pass an audition in order to be admitted to the program.

However, some music therapists argue that music therapy programs can teach the musical skills students need after they are admitted. Dwyer Conklin, a music therapist who advised Dr. Markind while writing his book, suggests that programs would do well to consider accepting students without music degrees because they can bring valuable knowledge and expertise from other fields, such as the biological sciences.

Dr. Sorel recognizes that music therapy programs may be isolating themselves by being housed within music departments. She is open to the idea that positioning music therapy more clearly as a health care profession could help bring it further into the mainstream of the healing arts. She also acknowledges that giving priority to piano and guitar may be too narrow a focus; for example, given the value of rhythm to music therapy, percussion skills might deserve greater recognition.

The question of how much—and what kind of—musical training should be required to enter a music therapy program will remain a topic of discussion within the profession. Dr. Sorel’s insights and experience highlight the importance of balancing the musical and therapeutic aspects of music therapy.

In a recent conversation, Dr. Sorel shared her knowledge and experience with Dr. Markind, broadening his understanding of the field of music therapy and its diverse currents. The dialogue also shed light on the ongoing debate about the musical skill set required to enter the music therapy field.

References:

• Visit https://www.molloy.edu/academics/schools/arts-sciences/graduate/music-therapy/ for more information about the program. Molloy University is located in Rockville Centre, NY.
• Dr. Suzanne Sorel is the author of Becoming a Music-Centered Therapist. Barcelona Publishers. 2022. ISBN: 9781945411687.
• Carpente JA. Individual Music-Centered Assessment Profile for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (IMCAP-ND): New Developments in Music-Centered Evaluation. Music Therapy Perspectives. 2014: 32(1); 122–129. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu005.
• Markind S. Music Between Your Ears. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2025.
• Visit https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/nordoff/the-practice/history for further information.
• Matney B. et al. Philosophical reflections on music therapy musicianship. Journal of Music Therapy. 2024: 61(4); 318–342. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thae012.
• Meadows A. et al. Defining music therapy musicianship: An analysis of music therapists’ clinical work. Journal of Music Therapy, 2025: 62(1); Article thaf002. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thaf002.