Editorial

Italian music therapy emerged from the 70s on; the first music therapy course was set up in 1981. Since then, music therapy has become a well-known practice, spread throughout the nation and accredited on a scientific level. This growth has without doubt benefited from the proliferation of music therapy associations mainly set up between the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s.

 

In 1994 Conf.I.A.M. (Confederazione Italiana Associazioni di Musicoterapia – Italian Confederation of Music Therapy Associations) was founded, setting itself the goal of coordinating the various Italian situations. Among the various aspects taken care of by Conf.I.A.M., training is central; the work carried out to define and specify the educational protocol of music therapists has led to the creation of a professional association that takes care of pro-fessionals after they have attained their diploma.

 

The A.I.M. (Associazione Italiana professionisti della Musicoterapia – Italian Association of Music Therapy Professionals) was thus estab-lished in June 2002 with the aim of promoting the recognition of the professional competence of those who operate in this field and safeguarding correct practice. The Association intends to safeguard, develop and promote the diffusion of music therapy at a national and international level, to protect the professional interests of music therapists and also to establish, maintain and raise the professional and ethical standards of Italian music therapy professionals.

 

In the pursuit of these aims a National Register of Music Therapists has been set up, containing three sections named "List of Music Therapists", "List of Educators in the Field of Music Therapy" and "List of Supervisors"; access to the Music Therapist Register is possible after passing a national professional qualifying exam. A ‘Collegio dei ProbiViri’ has also been appointed which takes care of verifying that the registered professionals observe the regulations set out in the Code of Conduct.

 

Finally, Conf.I.A.M. and A.I.M. intend to promote research related to areas of music therapy and to support the organization of scientific and technical meetings, conferences, debates, conventions, events, publications, public projects and whatever else is deemed necessary for the cultural development of the profession to increase the exchange of music therapy knowledge, also on an international level, and to establish a relationship with European and international music therapy (E.M.T.C., W.F.M.T.).

 

On the theoretical and applicative fronts, Italian music therapy shows considerable vivacity. In order to offer some examples we have made use of the Italian journal Music and Therapy, published since ’92, selecting from it the most appropriate essays to give a representative view of the diversity, complexity and professionalism of Italian music therapy. Three areas of intervention, preventive, rehabilitative and therapeu-tic, have been identified.

The theoretical position that emerges from the papers refers above all to conceptual contributions from Dynamic Psychology, Daniel Stern among others; as far as the aspects strictly related to music therapy are concerned, the theory of Rolando Benenzon seems to be a sort of common denominator from which an Italian music therapy school has developed.

 

Lastly, although they are not seen in this publication, we should also remember the theoretical contributions of humanistic origins related to Nordoff-Robbins’ creative music therapy, as these are also present and applied in our country.