Abstract

Music therapy researchers and theorists throughout the field are calling for collaboration with ethnomusicologists (Ansdell, 2004; Bright, 1993; Bruscia, 2002; Chiang, 2008; Moreno, 1995; Rohrbacher, 1993, 2008; Ruud, 2010; Stige, 2002, 2005). Through autoethnography research, exploring and describing my own narrative of hybridization, bringing ethnomusicology into music therapy, I hope to illuminate some new understandings relevant to the discussion of theoretical integration. This research highlights perceived differences in academic culture between the two disciplines, in particular the uncritical academic environment of music therapy and the hypersensitivity to cultural issues in ethnomusicology that may contribute to philosophical hesitation towards ‘doing something’ with music, as music therapy of course must do. Relevant theoretical activities and approaches are identified, possibly expanding the view of ethnomusicology’s role in music therapy as being beyond one of simply providing cross-cultural information.