Music therapist

Music therapists use sounds and music to help people with physical, mental, social and emotional difficulties. Through music, people can explore their personalities and experiences, communicate feelings and develop confidence. Therapists work with their clients either one-to-one or in groups.

Work activities

Music therapists help people with physical, mental, emotional and communication difficulties to express themselves, overcome problems, and increase their potential and sense of self-esteem. Music therapy can help people understand themselves and their experiences, and form connections with the world around them. Music therapists work with a wide range of people, of all ages. People who can benefit from music therapy include those with:

Physical or learning disabilities.
Mental health problems.
Addiction problems, for example, to drugs or alcohol.
Experience of being abused.
Dementia.
Problems with stress or anger.
Speech and language difficulties.
Long-term or terminal illness.

When the therapist first meets a client, they will listen and talk to them, assessing their problem, focusing on their potential, and then deciding on a therapy programme. Depending on the methods they choose to suit the client’s needs, therapy could be with small groups or one-to-one. Music therapists are part of a wider health and social care team. To assess a client, they might work with people such as psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, teachers and social workers. The music therapist must create a close, trusting relationship with the client, and a non-threatening environment in which the client feels free to experiment with music.

Music therapy is not about teaching music or judging the client’s musical ability. Instead, it is about using music freely to explore and express feelings. Generally, the client and therapist play, sing and listen together (depending on the client’s abilities). Clients mainly use percussion instruments, and, if possible, their own voices. Some clients find it difficult to interact through speech. Music enables them to communicate in a non-verbal way, relieving feelings of frustration. Playing instruments and moving to music can help clients to improve their co-ordination, listening skills, memory and concentration. Music can also help people to overcome social problems. For example, group work on a shared piece of music can improve each client’s understanding of how they relate to other people, and their ability to build friendships. Music therapists work in lots of places, including hospitals, special schools, day centres and prisons.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a music therapist, you’ll need:

To be a highly skilled musician with the ability to support clients in their music making.
A warm, friendly and supportive personality.
Tact, patience and empathy.
Strong communication skills, to work with clients and professionals such as doctors and psychologists.
Problem-solving skills to assess clients and decide on the therapy programme.
Organisational skills to plan each therapy session.

Pay and opportunities

NHS employees are paid on a rising scale within defined bands on the Agenda for Change payscale, according to their skills and responsibilities. Music therapists start on band 6 on the Agenda for Change, earning £35,392 and upward (as of November 2023).

Music therapists usually work a basic 37.5-hour week, which might include some evening and weekend work. Many music therapists have a range of part time jobs.

The NHS and, occasionally, local authority social services departments, employ music therapists. Some charities and trusts also employ them. Music therapists also work in hospitals, day centres, adult mental health units, child and adolescent mental health teams, prisons, schools and hospices. It’s common to have more than one workplace or a main day job with extra private clients. Opportunities for music therapists occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

There are opportunities for music therapists to work as self-employed independent practitioners in private practice.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Jobs website and on specialist job boards, for example, for health and social care jobs. The British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT) provides a monthly bulletin which advertises vacancies.

Entry routes and training

To become a music therapist, you must achieve registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). To register, you’ll need to have completed a postgraduate qualification in music therapy that is recognised by the HCPC. For a full list of courses, please check the HCPC website. To enter a postgraduate course, you’ll usually need a degree in music. However, some universities accept graduates in other subjects, for example, education, nursing or psychology, as long as they have achieved a high standard of musical performance. It might be possible for non-graduates with a high standard of music ability and substantial relevant work experience (see below) to enter courses. Please check with the university you’re interested in. Universities might ask you to have some relevant work experience (including voluntary work). This could be in a hospital, day centre or special school, for example, working with some of the client groups that can benefit from music therapy, for example, people with learning disabilities or mental health issues. Observing a music therapist at work is also very useful. For entry to some courses, you’ll need to pass an audition.

A level 7 (degree) apprenticeship is available in the role of arts therapist, but according to the NHS Health Careers website, opportunities are limited at the moment. On the apprenticeship pathway, you will train in the workplace while studying at university or college on block or day release.

You could progress to a supervisory, management, research or teaching post. It is also possible to set up your own practice.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

To enter a postgraduate course, you’ll usually need a degree in music. However, some universities accept graduates in other subjects, for example, education, nursing or psychology, as long as they have achieved a high standard of musical performance. It might be possible for non-graduates with a high standard of music ability and substantial relevant work experience to enter courses. Please check with the university you’re interested in. For entry to a degree in music, the usual minimum requirements are:

Two to three A-levels, including music.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check prospectuses carefully. Applicants are usually expected to attend an audition before securing a place.

To get onto a degree apprenticeship, you’ll need:

Two relevant A-levels. Music would be a good choice.
GCSEs in maths and English.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some of the approved postgraduate courses are available part-time. You can search for these on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) website. It might be possible for non-graduates with a high standard of music ability and substantial relevant work experience to enter courses. Please check with the university you’re interested in.

Entrants to postgraduate courses usually fund their own studies. However, it’s sometimes possible to get sponsorship from employers or to apply for financial help from relevant medical charities and trusts.

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