Significant music events in the lives of music therapy graduate students and new professionals

Abstract

This is a phenomenological study of the significant music events (SMEs) in the lives of music therapy graduate students and new professionals. Four participants were chosen using purposive sampling, and interviewed about their experiences in music that have been significant to them in their lives. Data were analyzed using qualitative hand coding and thematic analysis as outlined by Rubin (1995) and Saldaña (2013). The researchers conducted a self-inquiry prior to data collection, in addition to conducting ongoing self-inquiry through journaling and analytic memos. Codes were grouped into categories within each interview, and then categories were compared across interviews to develop major overarching themes. The four final major themes found were connection, elements of the music, identity, and engagement with multiple levels of being. Issues related to small sample size, researcher-participant relationship, and the role of two researchers are discussed.