Main content

Music Therapy and Mental Health

Presented by Sara Mohr-Pietsch. Including the latest research into music therapy for mental health, opera director Tom Cairns and a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

Presented by Sara Mohr-Pietsch.

As Thomas Ades' opera The Exterminating Angel opens for its UK premiere at the Royal Opera House, Sara meets its director Tom Cairns. He reveals just how intense the rehearsal process has been for an opera with a uniquely starry ensemble cast, which includes Anne Sofie von Otter, Christine Rice, John Tomlinson, Thomas Allen, Iestyn Davies and more. Cairns also explains why he finds endings so difficult.

As part of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's Minds Matter season, Sara looks at some of the latest research into music therapy for mental health, as therapists Kate Jones and Catherine Carr share their findings from research into children with selective mutism and on acute psychiatric wards. Sara also talks to Grace Watts from the British Association of Music Therapists, and visits a long-running community music project by the mental health charity SMART, meeting its current leader Sarah Wilson and founder Gary Ansdell, who reveals his findings from 10 years of research into the project's impact on patients in recovery.

Musician and teacher Adam Ockelford explains his theory for how music works, based on his experience over 40 years working with children who are partially sighted and on the autism spectrum, which is the subject of his new book, Comparing Notes: How we make sense of music.

Plus, opera singers Renee Fleming and Angel Blue on the unique voice of Ella Fitzgerald, in the week of centenary celebrations for the American jazz singer.

Available now

45 minutes

Chapters

  • Tom Cairns and The Exterminating Angel

    Duration: 12:05

  • Music Therapy and Mental Health

    Duration: 15:33

  • Adam Ockelford

    Duration: 08:55

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    Duration: 05:32

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch
Interviewed Guest Tom Cairns
Interviewed Guest Kate Jones
Interviewed Guest Catherine Carr
Interviewed Guest Grace Watts
Interviewed Guest Sarah Wilson
Interviewed Guest Gary Ansdell
Interviewed Guest Adam Ockelford
Interviewed Guest Renee Fleming
Interviewed Guest Angel Blue

Broadcasts

  • Sat 22 Apr 2017 12:15
  • Mon 24 Apr 2017 22:00

Knock on wood – six stunning wooden concert halls around the world

Steel and concrete can't beat good old wood to produce the best sounds for music.

The evolution of video game music

Tom Service traces the rise of an exciting new genre, from bleeps to responsive scores.

Why music can literally make us lose track of time

Try our psychoacoustic experiment to see how tempo can affect your timekeeping abilities.

Podcast