Colin Lee. - Music at the edge the music therapy experiences of a musician with AIDS

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MUSIC AT THE EDGE

Through the words of the therapist and the words and music of the client, Music at the Edge allows the reader to experience a complete music therapy journey. Francis, a musician living with AIDS, challenged Colin Lee, the music therapist, to clarify his feelings about living and dying within the therapeutic process. In doing so he helped the therapist to discover aspects of this particularly demanding form of therapeutic work and to question the framework of the therapeutic relationship in palliative care.

Music at the Edge is a complete music therapy case study. After an introduction outlining the practice of music therapy in palliative care, the author relates Franciss particular history. There are two types of music incorporated in this project: notational examples in the text, to give an indication of the intricacies of the musical content to readers and musicians, and the enclosed CD containing extracts from the sessions themselves.

The CD is a central part of the book, allowing readers to hear extracts from Franciss improvisations which illuminate the text and provide the musical voice of the client. These extracts are a unique insight into the therapeutic process when working with death and dying. Transcribed music allows all those able to read music to follow and play selections from Franciss improvisations.

This unusual and very moving book offers anyone who is working with, or facing, illness and death an opportunity to understand how the transcendent power of music can enable expression of feelings more accurately than words.

Colin Lee is a music therapist working in palliative care and in postgraduate education.

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The music therapy experiences of a musician with AIDS

Colin Lee

London and New York

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First published l996
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

Routledge is an International Thomson Publishing Company

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004.

1996 Colin Lee

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
Lee, Colin
Music at the edge: music therapy experiences of a musician with AIDS/Colin Lee.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 163) and index.
1. Music therapyCase studies. 2. AIDS (Disease)Palliative treatment.
3. AIDS (disease)Case studies. I. Title.
ML3920.L42 1996
616.9792065154dc20 9525782

ISBN 0-203-36022-2 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-203-37698-6 (OEB Format)

ISBN 0-415-12463-8 (Print Edition)
0-415-12464-6 (pbk)

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