Abstract

This research considered the cultural and value systems of children from Chinese immigrant families to make a case for the adaptation of a music therapy improvisation within a context of music lessons, to enhance emotional skills and to promote parent- child relations, of children in this population. The purpose of this research was to examine the questions: Why is music therapy improvisation, provided by a credentialed music therapist to children of Chinese immigrants, better applied within music lessons that embrace the Suzuki music education philosophy, than through clinical music therapy sessions? In what ways will this develop a child’s emotional skills and promote parent- child relations for this population? Philosophical inquiry was used to explore these questions and to evaluate the underlying positions. Information central to support the positions was found using three main strategies: investigating traditional Chinese family values and related issues; examining the Chinese traditional role of music and Suzuki music educational philosophies; and evaluating the theoretical concepts and techniques of improvisational music therapy, all of this framed by the researcher’s experiences with children of Chinese immigrants in Montreal. This study required a literature review that spanned many areas and disciplines, across two cultures and languages. These are understood by the author’s experiences as a Chinese mother/music teacher/music therapist living in the Western culture, which might have influenced her direction of thinking when drawing the conclusion. Findings revealed that when collectivism is present in a cultural context, to enhance the emotional skills and parent-child relationships of children of Chinese immigrants, music therapy improvisation provided by a credentialed music therapist could be better applied in Suzuki-based music lessons than in the clinical setting. Study limitations and implications for future music therapy practice and research were identified.