Atonality

Abstract

Atonality is a key element of music therapy improvisatory practice. Its ability to be inclusive and accessible closely aligns with my work as a social justice activist, and the parallels are grounded in the ideal of holding a client’s therapeutic material, no matter how chaotic or dissonant it may be. It is in these spaces that free association resides, with both therapist and client able to explore what emerges, incorporating everything each person brings into the space; the material that brings the dyad together, as well as their intersecting and divergent cultures, associations, biases, and everything else that shapes how we interact with each other. This chapter explores the ideas and constructs of atonality within its historical context to position its importance to music, music therapy, and the use of music in therapeutic connections.