Music Therapy

People with psychological problems or with a mental or motor skills disorder may benefit from music. Good music therapists can use their music skills to improve people’s health. Not only in mental health care, but also in rehabilitation and youth care, as well as in nursing homes and special education. Music therapists also work as coaches in education or the private sector. They are all-round experts that can move effortlessly between different target groups. At the same time, they possess a wide range of specialist skills and knowledge. Professional musical therapists help their clients to recover, maintain their health and develop further. They use special methods and techniques, involving music that has been specially composed or adapted, through improvisation and accompaniment on various instruments.

ArtEZ is the only school of music in the Netherlands where you can study Music Therapy. A substantial portion of the study programme, about 45%, consists of musical training – theoretical and professional/artistic. During this four year programme, ArtEZ School of Music students develop into professional musicians and musical therapists. They achieve in-depth understanding and knowledge of their chosen field, and can choose from three main subjects: Neurological Music Therapy (NMT), Mental Healthcare (GGZ) and Orthopedic Music Therapy (OPMT).

At the ArtEZ School of Music, the Music Therapy and Music in Education study programmes regularly work together. For instance, there is the Remedial Music (OPMD) specialisation, and there are collective improvisation project weeks.