Introduction: Principles and Overview of Music Therapy and Music-Based Interventions

While melody and rhythm perception are not unique to humans [1], music is a profoundly human activity. It can uplift us during life’s most difficult moments, immerse us in the here and now, inspire us to excel at work or exercise, and drive us to cooperate with others. Traditionally, the study of music has been grouped with the Humanities, but recent decades have seen the flowering of Music Neuroscience. This has been bolstered by the advent of study tools such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, which have enabled a better understanding of how our brain perceives music in all its forms [2]. In turn, there has been a burgeoning of research and clinical activity utilizing melody and rhythm to enhance health—in particular, neurological health and wellbeing. In line with increasing public attention to the potential health benefits of music, the National Institutes of Health recently established the Sound Health initiative and its associated funding program, and the music therapy field has been gaining increasing recognition. This Introduction describes the background and outlook of the book’s editorial team (Devlin, Kang and Pantelyat), reviews the structure of the book chapters, and briefly highlights the content of each chapter. We conclude this Introduction by inviting the reader to consider multi-faceted approaches to clinical music therapy and community music practice. We hope that readers will find meaning in reflecting on the different ways in which the role of Music-Based Interventions (MBI) in neurology can be conceptualized, and consider with us the tension—and possibility—that exist when we acknowledge that there is no such thing as a “right” way to experience music.