Welcome to the official website of the Association for Music Therapy (Singapore) AMTS!
欢迎您浏览新加坡音乐治疗协会网页!
Thank you for your interest in Music Therapy. We would like to hear from you.
Email: musictherapy.sg@gmail.com
感谢您对音乐治疗的支持。若有任何疑问或意见，请留言至我们的评言格 或电邮至musictherapy.sg@gmail.com。
What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is the use of music and musical activities by a qualified Music Therapist in a process designed to meet individualized physical, emotional, social and cognitive needs, within the context of a therapeutic relationship. Music Therapy is about making music (singing/playing instruments/moving to music) and not only listening to music. Live music is preferred, though recorded music may be used.
何谓音乐治疗？
音乐治疗是透过音乐与音乐活动, 以期帮助个体达到生理, 心理, 情绪, 社交, 认知等方面的治疗效果。这一切都需在一个治疗的环境与关系之下, 由合格音乐治疗师来设计, 执行或监督。音乐治疗不只是静态的聆听音乐而已。音乐治疗是以个体积极参与音乐的创作及表达为主, 这包括了歌唱, 乐器弹奏, 音乐律动等。虽然音乐治疗师会使用录制之音乐来进行治疗, 但现场演奏来进行治疗的方式仍是音乐治疗师之优先选择。
What is the Association for Music Therapy (Singapore) AMTS?
Formed in September 2007 by 11 professional Music Therapists, AMTS seeks to increase public awareness of Music Therapy in Singapore and serve as an organizational agency for locally-based Music Therapists.
何谓新加坡音乐治疗协会？
新加坡音乐治疗协会(AMTS)成立于2007年9月, 由11位会员组成。成立此协会的目的是希望能在新加坡提高公众对音乐治疗之认知, 并成为一个在地之音乐治疗师社团组织。
Who benefits from Music Therapy?
Music Therapy serves individuals and groups of various impairments and conditions at all ages, from neonates to the elderly. You do not need any music background to benefit from Music Therapy! The only requirement is to have interest in music. However, Music Therapy is NOT a miracle cure-all.
谁方能受惠於乐治疗？
音乐治疗能帮助生理, 心理, 情绪, 社交, 认知等方面有需者。一般人并不需受过音乐训练方能受惠於音乐治疗。接受者唯一条件仍是喜爱音乐。但是接受者需明白音乐治疗并非可以立即药到病除。
Who are Music Therapists?
Persons who complete an approved college Music Therapy programme in the country of training, e.g. Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. Also, U.S.-trained Music Therapists have a current MT-BC credential.
谁才可被称为音乐治疗师？
完成经认证核可之大学音乐治疗相关课程之专业人士。例如美国训练之音乐治疗师除需有大学或硕士与博士之学位外, 尚需通过音乐治疗认证考试考取 MT-BC证照。英国及澳大利亚训练之音乐治疗师则需有本科以上之音乐治疗大专证书或硕士之学位。
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Please email us to verify the credentials of a Music Therapist
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若需要音乐治疗师的资格认证, 请电邮至此协会。
Download our AMTS Brochure for more information.
若需更多有关音乐治疗的质询, 请下栽新加坡音乐治疗协会之手册: AMTS Brochure
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If you would like us to give a talk on music therapy at your organization/school/centre, please email us. Our professional Music Therapists will be happy to do so at a charge or work something out with you!
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若您希望我们提供音乐治疗讲座，请电邮我们。
© Copyright 2007 Association for Music Therapy (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.
Association for Music Therapy Singapore (AMTS) Blog 
Hi,
My name is Grace and I’m a Singaporean currently studying nursing in Melbourne. I was reading Dec 12 2007 article on music therapist and I just want to say how exciting this is. 4 years ago, as a student waiting to enter NUS, i helped out at Margaret Drive Special School, bringing the children for their music therapy classes and saw how amazing some of the responses were of the kids.
With a background in music and singing, I have often wondered whether it was possible to integrate my training in music and nursing together. I was wondering whether i could contact Dr Patsy Tan as well as have the opportunity to sit in on Dr Patsy Tan’s sessions in SGH.
Kind regards
Grace Tan
Hi Grace, sorry for tardy reply.
Well, in order to become a Music Therapist, you will need to undergo training, which in U.S., is a full-time 4-year degree course at the Bachelor’s level. You’ll need to have proper training (and certification) in order to be a Music Therapist. Presently, there is no local training programmes for Music Therapy, only introductory level electives at NAFA and the foundational course at LaSalle. You will need to go abroad for training. For US-training programmes, check the website of American Music Therapy Association: http://www.musictherapy.org. Go to this website that lists all the accreditated schools in the US and Canada: http://www.musictherapy.org/handbook/schools.html. As part of the educational requirements of a music therapy degree programme in the US, you will complete a 6-month internship when you’ve completed your academic work. For UK training, go to: http://apmt.org/MusicTherapy/ANewCareer/tabid/71/Default.aspx. You can find out more about the requirements at the abovementioned websites.
I had worked with very supportive RNs during my training, and saw how important it is to have other (allied) health professionals work together with Music Therapists. peace, WF
Hi, it sounds interesting! Is there any university or institution in Australia provide recognize music therapy certificate? Any study exemption for student who has degree graduate in music?
Hello Doris,
Basically any training programme accredited by the country’s MT association will be good! A degree in music will give you a headstart, but you will still need to take all other courses that the MT training requires (e.g. abnormal psychology, music therapy principles, psychology of music, preclinicals, etc). Do check with the school’s advisor directly. Thanks for your interest in MT!
peace,
WF
A week ago i found out about Music Therapy from the library, it is quite interesting and meaningful! Is there any course i can study here in Singapore to become a Music Therapist?
Wendy
Hi! Just wondering if there are diploma programmes that would complement a degree in social work so that as social workers we can use music therapy techniques in our case work? So essentially, we are still social workers, not music therapists? Or will this be professionally not viable as social workers and music therapists are mutually exclusive?
Thank you for your comment, Sharon! There is no diploma level Music Therapy (MT) training programme in Singapore – BUT there will be an equivalency MT programme starting in 2011 – details are still being finalized. Very exciting development – as this accredited programme will lead to the MT-BC credential (USA). As for your query about the SW+MT dual professional identity, there are SW who receive further MT training (at degree level though, and not diploma – as UK is phasing out postgrad dip level training and only focusing on Master’s level training). And in fact, some train first as MT, then go on to study SW. Not very common but has been done before. Another way to look at this is that the the social worker and the music therapist can work together on the same multidisciplinary treatment/educational/rehabilitation team! Regardless, the entry requirements for MT training entail proficiency on at least one instrument (some schools more than one instruments) – so, some music background is required. And it is not possible to just learn “music therapy techniques” without any well-rounded training as MT is MORE than any specific techniques. Hope this helps.
-Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
AMTS President
There are in fact quite a few Music Therapist that are trained in other fields first – e.g. nursing, Social work, OT, Speech Pathology. All these allied health are not mutually exclusive. In fact, it is a very useful thing to have knowledge in other fields. For courses overseas, you may be accepted at a Master’s level if you already have a degree. Of course you will have to prove your level of musical attainment. You will still need an audition but in some cases, you may be able to apply for exemption from some of the subjects that you may have covered before.
Thanks for your comment Eudora! Yes, indeed the Allied Health Professions are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I know of one music therapist who trained as a medical doctor first. However, such individuals tend to be relatively rare.
best,
Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
Hi, I’d like to enquire if AMTS are conducting any courses on musical therapy.
Many thanks.
Mike
Hello Kwan Wei,
AMTS does not conduct any course on Music Therapy. We are an organization that aims to promote the awareness of Music Therapy in the community through public education initiatives, etc. In Singapore, there is currently NO training programme available. We hope that in the near future, this will be available.
peace,
Ng Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
on behalf of AMTS
Hi, I’m doing a psychology degree in one of the local universities and would like to find out more about the entry requirement of the local MT training. Does one need a bachelor’s in music to enrol into this program? Or would some music background be sufficient as mentioned earlier? If so, what is the level of music proficiency that one should possess?
Dear Fayne, Singapore’s first MT training programme will tentatively be launched sometime next year. The contact person for this is Ms Tan Hui Linn . To the best of my current understanding, you need a Bachelor’s degree in music in order to enrol – but do email her and get more details.
Yes definitely you will need solid music background to become a music therapist. You will need to audition using one or more major instruments, to demonstrate your proficiency even if you enrol in MT programmes abroad, e.g. USA, UK, Australia. Part of the training involves taking college level principal instrument classes.
best,
Ng Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
Hello Penny, Thanks for your interest in Music Therapy!
Well if you are asking how to apply for training, you will need to contact schools that offer Music Therapy. At present, there is no training programme in Singapore. There are plans to introduce one in the near future.
If you want to apply to be a member of our association, you can download our membership form and follow the instructions there. Thank you.
peace,
Ng Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
AMTS Treasurer
Hi, my name is Kin Mei. I have been looking for music therapy couse few years ago, and currently i am a degree honours holder of psychology (HELP University College Malaysia)…and i am also passed in ABRSM grade 8 piano. May i know what should i do in the next step? Will i need to take another music degree course?
Dear Kin Mei,
Maybe you were hoping to get training in Singapore since we have been “working to introduce local training in the near future” for the past few years. However, we are still working on it. Once we have local training, we will announce. We do get a lot of enquiries about this, which is great as it means many are interested in becoming professional music therapists!
To answer your question, you do NOT need to take a music degree before you go for the music therapy degree. Hence, the direct way ahead is to get enrolled in a music therapy degree programme. You can consider the following countries for training: Australia (www.austmta.org.au), NZ (www.musictherapy.org.nz/), USA (www.musictherapy.org) or the UK (http://www.bamt.org/) for more information. Definitely your psychology degree gives you an excellent background and headstart into music therapy. Please email us again if you have further questions. Good luck and keep in touch. If you can, do join us at our public events.
best,
Ng Wang Feng, MMT, MT-BC
on behalf of AMTS