წაიკითხეთ ეს ქართულად.

Aliona Tutunjyan is one of our Georgian Partners who initially participated in our Introdcutory Training delivered at Public School #198 by Music Therapists Jenny Laahs and Isabel Bedford in 2011. At that time, Aliona was the music teacher at the school; and fast forward fourteen years later Aliona is using music theraputically everyday at Public School #198, a palliative clinic and the Music Therapy Centre located at another Partner setting called The Parent’s Bridge. Aliona alone works with over a total of 150 beneficiaries from all of her places of work.

Below you can read Aliona’s story of her journey with using music which she answered through a series of questions we asked.

Let’s go back to the beginning. You have been a Partner of ours for some time, but we realise your journey with music may have started before then. So how long have you been using music?

Although I have been your partner for 10 years already and work as a therapist using music, I have been in touch with music since birth, because I was born in a family of musicians (mother-pianist, father-cellist). Then I studied at a music school from the age of 6. I studied for 12 years – in the “Decade of Talents”, and then at the conservatory (5 years master’s degree + 3 years post-graduate – doctor’s degree). In addition, I performed the piano parts of the symphony orchestra named after Evgeni Micheladze in the orchestra. (Department of Music), we are a member of “Trio Bravo” and I was also a Teacher of the 10th art school named after Khachatryan.

Having a very musical background from such a young age and from using music with others for a very long time, what about music inspires you to continue its use to this day?

I am motivated and inspired by the fact that I can see the happy faces and eyes of my students/beneficiaries and their parents/representatives for a short period of time, that is the main thing for me personally.

After using music for so long, what changes do you notice in the beneficiaries that weren’t there when you first started using music in your work?

Beneficiaries/students become more organized and communicative, their confidence factor is increased, they know what I have to do during the sessions/lessons with them, and if they don’t know, they wait with great interest for news from me.

Thinking about your use of music, how has your understanding and practice of using music evolved / developed over time?

In the process of working to connect with beneficiaries using music as therapy, it was necessary to go through the initial stages, and then, as you know, to create a safe environment where I could engage the attention of beneficiaries of various difficulties through musical activities. Over time, with the help of these techniques, those social skills were strengthened and developed, which include the formation of awareness and gratitude, as well as the formation of order-keeping, listening and leadership skills towards other members of the group.

You would have led many music sessions over the years. Is there a particular memory / experience of using music that you return to that keeps you motivated? When times are tough, what’s the thing that keeps you going?

I am motivated by my musical resources and acquired techniques of ‘’music as therapy” to help my clients, as well as the results clients experience after the sessions. As I have worked with beneficiaries with almost all diagnoses over the years, I have somewhat developed specific methods based on experience. Depending on the students’ skills and abilities, every case is individual and requires a special approach. A Practical case example: according to the parent of a beneficiary V.N., he is so happy after the sessions that his emotional state improves throughout the day and becomes more sociable, calm and predictable, in addition, communication with his mother is improved.

This gives me an incentive to start all over again with new beneficiaries, or to continue working with an already well-known/unknown beneficiary. It’s the challenges that keep me going over the years and keep me motivated to hold sessions.

From the many years of being motivated to using music, what are you most proud of from your journey and/or achievements?

I am very proud of my four beneficiaries over the years who have formed into musical groups (three members with autism and one member with a mental disability). These four beneficiaries independently play and make music on musical instruments (I have never personally heard of such a case anywhere, I may be wrong, but I am proud of these beneficiaries). Motivation is when the student or students are happy and satisfied at the end of the session because they know what they did and what they didn’t. They especially love to be praised, it is the biggest source of inspiration

And what is the biggest learning from your journey of using music?

This activity has shaped me a lot of qualities, and the main thing is that my beneficiaries have taught me special love, because they themselves are very sensitive and tender.

I know you gone on to advocate for the role of music within care, for example by talking about music as therapy on TV. What made you choose this direction for further development as the most relevant and meaningful for you?

I realized that helping these children works best for me and I believe that I should help them as much as possible. When using music, such social changes were revealed: (waiting, patience, keeping order, working in a group , improving communication and other unusual qualities)

You would have had a huge audience throughout Georgia watching you on national TV. Thinking about Georgia as a whole, what is your ideal vision for the future on a national basis for the use of music and the various client groups you work with? What would this vision look like to you?

Due to the fact that our center is territorially located in Tbilisi, people from other regions and cities throughout Georgia do not have the opportunity to systematically attend sessions in Tbilisi (I had a case where the beneficiary was attended from the city of Rustavi and the city of Gali).  It would be desirable to expand the network of our music therapy center and our services should be accessible nationwide to all beneficiaries in the regional context (Batumi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe, Zugdidi, Mestia, Gori, Telavi, Ozurgeti).

Music as Therapy International is proud of its longstanding relationship with you. Can you describe how the relationship with Music as Therapy International has developed and enabled you to achieve the progress you have?

I am happy that I had the opportunity to get to know your organization, I will always remember Jenny and Isabelle with great gratitude. Thanks to Mrs. Teona for giving me the opportunity to develop and creating all the conditions so that I and the beneficiaries feel comfortable in the working environment.

We have Partners all around the world, some in similar positions, many in earlier stage of their journey. What would you say to someone who is considering taking their use of music further?

Don’t be afraid of anything and accept new challenges with great joy.