Masterclass

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Eran Natan and Maayan Salomon-Gimmon

Voice, sound & the living memory

Along their life journey, people collect memories which reshape their character – of significant others, unforgettable places or experiences. Memory also encompasses voice, sound and melody; the voices of our parents, acquaintances, our human surroundings, the playlists of our life – all these become inherent vocal memories in our body and soul. The cultural, historic, political atmosphere also affects both individual and collective memories. Life experiences, encounters, traumas, journeys and passions are all symbolized by various vocal textures, some more accessible than others.

Past memories are fluid: their intersection with day-to-day life is a source of constant change, awakening numb parts of our consciousness and encouraging us to revisit them.
Voice and vocal expression can be a great tool for exploring and expressing memories, alongside bodily sensations related to them. Yet for some clients this is not a simple task: some are facing traumas preventing them from vocally expressing feelings of pain or loss; while others were told their voice is not important enough to be heard and are ashamed expressing it, fearing criticism.
In the workshop we combine techniques from the fields of music therapy and dramatherapy to investigate ways to spontaneously express our voice together, thus awakening and exploring meaningful memories. We will practise breathing techniques, movement, play, singing and metaphorical enactments, and try to bring together our mind, voice, music and sound to creatively revisit past memories.
Another focus in the workshop is finding different resonances in our body, as well as creating soundscapes to transform group energy into resonating memories, both individual and collective, while embodying them in the shared workspace.
In addition, we will discuss the infinite possibilities in which these tools can enrich the therapeutic field, providing vivid examples from the worlds of dramatherapy as well as music therapy.

Eran Natan

Eran Natan is a dramatherapist, voice practitioner & supervisor. Head of a Creative Arts Therapy unit in Kfar Tikva, a center for people with learning disabilities in the North of Israel. Eran has a particular interest in the way voice can be integrated in dramatherapy as a nonverbal way of self-expression. Has run various voice workshops in Israel and abroad. Works in a private practice with children and adults with various emotional needs. Previously, facilitated Arts based therapy groups in 'Assaf', aid organization for refugees and asylum seekers in Israel.

Recent Publications & Presentations

Natan, E. (in print). Making soup out of buttons: thoughts about community, culture and creativity with people with special needs. In Accompanying the lifelong journey of people with disabilities. Ach publishing house (to be published in 2021).

Natan E. (2017) Primal and Pre-Lingual Voices. In: Hougham R. & Jones B. (eds.) Dramatherapy. Macmillan Pub.

2015: Voice workshop: ECArTE conference, Palermo, Italy
2013: Voice workshop: ECArTE conference, Paris, France
2013: Voice workshop: Art As Therapy conference, Caesarea, Israel
2011: Voice workshop: ECArTE conference, Lucca, Italy

Maayan Salomon-Gimmon

Maayan Salomon-Gimmon is a music therapist, PhD candidate, and lecturer at the School of Creative Arts Therapies in the University of Haifa, Israel. She works with children and adults with developmental and emotional difficulties and facilitates voice workshops in Israel and abroad. Previously, she worked with multicultural communities at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. Her research interests include music therapy and ASD, voice work, and recovery-oriented mental health programs.

Recent Publications and Presentations

Salomon-Gimmon, M. (2019). Congress Report-The 9th Nordic Music Therapy Congress, Come Together: Body and Mind, Heart and Soul. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary journal for Music Therapy.

Salomon-Gimmon, M. & Elefant, C. (2018). Development of vocal communication in children with autism spectrum disorder during improvisational music therapy. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2018.1529698

Salomon-Gimmon, M., Orkibi, H. & Elefant, C. (2019). Process and Outcomes Evaluation of a Pre-Academic Arts Program for Individuals with Mental Health Conditions: A Mixed Methods Study Protocol. BMJ open. (29 pp.)

Elefant, C., & Salomon-Gimmon, M. (2020). Colors of Us: Early childhood Music Therapy in Israel. Imagine 11(1).

Oren, R., Orkibi, H., Elefant, C., & Salomon-Gimmon, M. (2018). Arts-based psychiatric rehabilitation programs in the community: Perceptions of healthcare professionals. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/prj0000325.

Conference presentations
2020: 1. Combining arts-based and voice work techniques in multicultural contexts.
2. Music and Arts Program for the Recovery and Community Integration of Individuals with Mental Health Conditions- A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Study. 16th World Congress of Music Therapy. Pretoria, South Africa.
2019: 1. Music and Arts Program for the Recovery and Community Integration of Individuals with Mental Health Conditions. 2. Workshop: Voice work and body drumming. 11th European Music Therapy Conference. Aalborg, Denmark.
2019: Music, Voice and body - multicultural connections.10 Years Jubilee School of Creative Arts Therapies. Haifa, Israel.
2018: Workshop: Voice work and body drumming- a multicultural workshop.
Presentation: Vocal interactions with children with autism. 9th Nordic conference of Music therapy. Stockholm, Sweden.
2016: Workshop (co-presenter): Sounds from within. Art As Therapy conference. Caesarea, Israel.