Music and dance for hard-of-hearing and deaf children is not yet offered as a matter of course or as an extra-curricular activity in European schools and has not been widely documented in German speaking countries. This volume focuses on presenting diverse approaches as well as the foundations for the use of music and movement. On the one hand, the importance of music and movement as developmental support or therapy is outlined and, on the other hand, the right to music and movement or dance for everyone is upheld. Within this context, approaches and principles from Germany and Austria as well as from Italy, England, Denmark and Canada are presented.
“Hearing - Feeling - Playing” refers to acoustic, vibratory, tactile, emotional and social stimuli as well as to their perception and their active realization. The importance and the possibilities of music-making and listening for all is described in the forward by the world famous percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who, after developing a hearing disorder in her childhood, learned to use her whole body as a source of resonance. The book examines the fundamentals of each approach as well as the diverse educational and therapeutic goals and methods. At the same time vital issues in the education of people with hearing loss, in music and movement education, music therapy and inclusive education are addressed.
The first chapters “Viva la Musica!” (Bartlmä, Wilberg, Whittaker) describe individual development and experience of music with deafness and hearing impairment and personal approaches to music, music-making and its importance. Theoretical Principles (Feuser, Köck-Hatzmann, Neira Zugasti) present important developmental topics, relevant to all children but especially so for those with hearing loss, as well as insights into music perception (Stelzhammer).
Diverse European approaches from educational and therapeutic fields relevant to different age-groups ranging from pre-school to teenagers, are introduced. Educational approaches (Salmon, Benari, Friedrich, Kiffmann-Duller) are complemented by chapters on Music Therapy and Musical Speech Therapy (Bang), Music Therapy (Cremaschi Trovesi), Orff Music Therapy (Neuhäusel / Sutter/ Tjarks), Music and Auditory-Verbal Therapy (Birkenshaw-Fleming), Improvisation (Jensen) and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy (Rocca) and reports on a European project ‘Sign Language and Song’ (Friedrich / Honka), family projects (Stelzhammer / Ferner) the use of play-songs in inclusive teaching (Salmon) and inclusive dance theatre (Stange).
This book aims to address, inform and inspire specialists from educational and therapeutic fields as well as parents and those with hearing loss. The central question in practical settings remains: which approach involving music and/or movement, which methods and which form of participation - be it in education, remedial help and support or therapy - can be of benefit to the children in question?

“Overall “Hearing - Feeling - Playing” is a welcome addition and will provide music teachers with new strategies for the inclusion of students with hearing loss in music.”

Kim McCord

In: Music Educators Journal. 97 (2011) 4. pp. 22.

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“This wonderful book, with a foreword by Dame Evelyn Glennie is an addition to literature that considers the relationship of music and people who engage in it with the sense of hearing developed in a different way. (...)

This is a book that is rich with detail and practical suggestion but that also captures the heart and soul and emotion that are fundamental to different ways of hearing. It is highly recommended.”

Anne Power

In: Musicworks. Journal of the Australian Council of Orff Schulwerk. Volume 15 No. 1, 2010.

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“The purpose of this book of short essays is to introduce readers to practical approaches to music and movement with children affected by varying degrees of hearing loss, and some other conditions, supported by an outline of the theoretical principles underlining these approaches. It opens with the personal histories of three deaf musician-teachers, and closes with a series of reports of successful practice in a variety of environments with children of different ages. The Foreword is provided by the ever-generous Dame Evelyn Glennie. Teachers of children with special needs, music and speech/language therapists are likely to form the most appreciative audience for the book, but there is also much on offer for readers outside these professions, including students, parents, dancers and musicians. Originally published in German, the contributions of the 17 authors from
Austria, Denmark, Germany and Italy have been translated into English for this edition, which also includes five chapters by English-speaking writers. (...)

I have just used the word “working” but what comes over to the reader in chapter after chapter - and perhaps this is one of the most successful aspects of the book - is each author’s commitment to “playful”communication through music and movement, and the ways in which this can best be facilitated so as to enable every individual, whatever their situation, to fulfil their potential for self-expression. While the achievements of deaf and hearing-impaired musicians and educators such as Glennie, Wilberg, Bartlmä and Whittaker may be seen as exceptional, as well as extraordinary, they also provide inspiration: with appropriate guidance - such as that outlined in this collection - many more young people may come to enjoy participation in musical and particularly social activity.”


Jane Ginsborg

In: The British Journal of Music Education. Vol. 28 (2011) 1. pp. 108-111.

Claus Bang
Music therapist and audio speech therapist born 1938. Trained in Music Education and Music Therapy in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Great Britain and the United States. Head of the Music Therapy Programme at the Aalborg School and Guidance Centre for Deaf, Hearing-Impaired and Deaf-Blind Children and Adolescents, Denmark 1961–1998. 1969 co-founder of the Danish Society of Music Therapy and member of the Board 1969–1979. Head of Music Therapy Training at the Royal Danish College of Educational Studies 1973–1976. Initiator and member of the planning group for the Music Therapy Institute at Aalborg University 1977–1982. Since 1976 instructor and member of the Board of the International Society for further Training in Music Education (IGMF), Germany, and since 2004 honorary member. Vice-president and instructor for The Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children, Great Britain since 1981. Presentations and demonstrations of music therapy in 42 countries. Free-lance instructor, project leader and pensioner since 1998. Founder and chairman of The Music Therapy Foundation “A World of Sound and Music” for Deaf, Hearing Impaired and Multi-Handicapped Children and Adolescents, Denmark in 2000. Published the multimedia production (3 duallayer DVD+Rs) A World of Sound & Music – Music Therapy for Deaf, Hearing Impaired and Multi-Handicapped Children and Adolescents, material for treatment, education, training and research in 2005.

Elke Bartlmä, Dipl. Päd.
Trained as a special school teacher at the college of education in Klagenfurt, Austria and as an audio-pedagogical teacher for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Works as a supporting teacher for hard-of-hearing children integrated in primary and secondary
schools in Carinthia, Austria.

Naomi Benari, MA
Danced with Ballet Rambert and has an MA in Dance Studies. She created “Dance for Everyone”, the first dance company to be set up in Great Britain solely for work in education. The company gave performances and dance workshops in schools for many years. She taught dance to profoundly deaf children in a number of schools and units using Inner Rhythm, and also gave therapeutic dance sessions to children with learning difficulties, often employing Inner Rhythm techniques. She has written
and lectured widely on her work with deaf children.

Lois Birkenshaw-Fleming
Was for many years the director of the Orff Music Program for the Toronto Board of Education in Canada. She also directed the Orff Teacher Training courses at the Royal Conservatory of Music and York University, Canada as well as teaching courses in Special Education through Music. She has given workshops and courses throughout Canada and the USA and in many parts of Europe and South Africa. Lois Birkenshaw-Fleming has authored many articles and books on the subject of music education, including Music for Fun, Music for Learning, Come On Everybody, Let’s Sing, Music for All and she edited An Orff Mosaic From Canada, Orff au Canada: une mosaïque. Songs for Listening, Songs for Life!, Hear and Listen! Talk and Sing! and The Goat with the Bright Red Socks.

Giulia Cremaschi Trovesi
Pianist, composer, music teacher (piano and composition), music therapist, trainer and supervisor. Taught music in secondary schools, was responsible for music therapy from 1981 to 1997 at the Institute of Audiology of the University of Milan, Italy and taught on the four-year music therapy course in Assisi from 1981–2000 as well as on music therapy courses in other countries. Founded the APMM ‘Giulia Cremaschi Trovesi’ (Musical Pedagogy and Music Therapy Association) centre of Humanistic
Music Therapy in 1991, president of the APMM. Founded the I.F.M. (Italian Federation of Music Therapists) in 1998 together with a group of professionals. President to the European and world-wide Conferences of Music therapy. Has researched in the
fields of communication, music therapy, music pedagogy, LD (learning disorders), ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder). She received the national prize “Motta” in December 1989 for her work with deaf children, was awarded the prize at the 3rd International Video Congress “The New Born and the Sound”, conference for Infantile Neuro-Psychiatrists and Neonatal Pathologists and received the “Certificate of Civic Merit” in 1996 from the Mayor of Bergamo, Italy. She has published widely on her research.

Katharina Ferner, Dipl. Päd.
Trained as a special school teacher and speech therapist, qualified in the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing children, trained in Montessori Pedagogy. She is currently teaching in an inclusive class, running projects on singing and learning songs, organizing playgrounds for all the senses, teaching rhythmic-musical education and music to deaf children as well as running project weeks for families with hard-of-hearing children in Salzburg.

Georg Feuser, Prof. Dr. phil.
Trained as teacher for primary, secondary, grammar schools and special schools. Professor for “Special Education, Didactics, Therapy and Integration of children/people with cognitive disabilities and severe developmental problems” at the University of Bremen, Germany since 1978. Guest professor at the Institute for Special Education, University of Zurich, Switzerland since 2005. Developed and put into practice among other projects “Universal Pedagogy and Developmentally Logical Didactics” as well as “Inclusive Education in Intercultural Contexts”. Has published widely and was guest professor at Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and Vienna universities, Austria.

Wolfgang Friedrich
Studied Special Education at Würzburg University, Germany. After further studies he acquired his diploma as musical therapist from the Music Academy in Würzburg. He has been working as a special school teacher at the Dr.-Karl-Kroiß school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Würzburg since 1987, at present working with emphasis on hearing. Since 1993 he has lectured on the subject of rhythmic musical education for children with hearing loss at Munich University, Germany, Department for the Education of Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children. He has worked on the committee for developing the school curriculum, teaches on advanced training courses in German speaking countries and his work has lead him among other things to Ethiopia (Alpha-School in Addis Abeba). Initiator of the EU project “SiLaSo – Sign Language and Song”.

Marion Honka
Studied pedagogy for the Deaf, trained as a special school teacher and completed a Master’s degree at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. Further training in pedagogy for behaviourally disturbed children. Studied for one term at the University of Northumbria (Newcastle upon Tyne), Great Britain, in preparation for her final paper entitled “Benefits and Challenges of the Unit System for Hearing Impaired Children”. Started teaching in 2000 as a special school teacher at the Dr.-Karl-Kroiß school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Würzburg, Germany (centre with an emphasis on hearing). Teaches in classes with students of differing abilities in hearing and speaking. Director of the mobile special educational support (MSD) which advises and accompanies children with hearing loss who are in regular primary and secondary schools. Participant in the
school Comenius projects.

Kent Lykke Jensen, MA, RMT
Music therapist, member of LAM (Danisch association of trained music therapists). Worked at the Institution for the Deaf Blind in Aalborg, Denmark from 1993–1998. Studied music therapy at the University of Aalborg. Worked since 1998 at the Aalborgskolen (school for deaf children, children with special needs and children with autism). Extended his studies 2001–2003 and acquired an MA in Music Therapy from the University of Aalborg. Board member of Claus Bang’s music therapy foundation “Musikterapiforeningen” (www.clausbang.com). Founded the Tranum Music Therapy Centre where he works with brain damaged adults and refugees in music therapy and also teaches music. He plays piano, drums, guitar, bass percussion, church organ, sings and is jazz pianist in the JaDa Band.

Christine Kiffmann-Duller
Teacher for pre-school children with and without disabilities, audio pedagogical pre-school teacher, teacher, supervisor, qualification in didactics. Has worked in Austria for 30 years in early learning, with children with hearing loss, in kindergartens
for children with and without disabilities as well as on training courses and in further education. Her main areas are: integration/inclusion, co-operative education, education in co-operation with parents, interdisciplinary projects.

Sigrid Köck-Hatzmann, Dr. phil.
Studied Music, Psychology and Education at Graz University, Austria, Rhythmic Musical Education in Vienna, Austria, and Munich, Germany, and Educational Science in Innsbruck, Austria. She has over 30 years experience in a wide range of institutions (kindergartens, schools, teacher training establishments and universities) with people with and without disabilities.

Helga Neira Zugasti
Special school teacher for children with multiple limitations. Teacher of rhythmic musical education, lecturer on Didactics and Practice of Rhythmic Musical Education in Special Education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria. Director of the research project “Rhythmic musical education as catalyst for the development of cognitive functions”. Active in the further education of teachers within the special area “Rhythmic musical education as the basic method of inclusive education”. Publications in specialist journals. Handbook Rhythmik als Unterrichtshilfe bei behinderten Kindern, Wien, 1989.

Regina Neuhäusel
Diploma in Music Therapy (University of Applied Sciences), has worked at the Children’s Centre (Kinderzentrum) in Munich, Germany since 2001. Lecturer on further training courses and in the in-service training course in Orff Music Therapy.

Christine Rocca
Teacher of the Deaf and music therapist at the Mary Hare Schools for the Deaf in Berkshire, Great Britain. Director of the Nordoff-Robbins/Mary Hare Unit at the PACE centre in Newbury, Great Britain. She has worked with a wide range of children and adults in schools for the Deaf and inclusive settings, including those papers and workshops internationally on areas of the Performing Arts and Music Therapy. Publications include the DVD Music Time, a resource for those working with deaf pre-school children.

Shirley Salmon, BA (Hons), PGCE, MPhil.
Studied music at York University, Great Britain and trained as a kindergarten and primary school teacher at the Froebel Institute, London. After moving to Austria she took further training in music and movement education, music therapy, sign language and integrative education and studied Educational Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria where she acquired her master’s degree. She has worked with infants, children, teenagers and adults of different abilities in mainstream classes, in groups of mixed ability, in residential homes, kindergartens and schools for 30 years. From 1979–2000 she was employed by the county of Styria using music and movement in homes for behaviourally disturbed children and teenagers and with deaf and hard-of-hearing children while also working free-lance for kindergartens and schools and with families. She has been a lecturer at the Orff Institute,
Mozarteum University, Salzburg since 1984 teaching classes in Didactics, Practice Teaching, Theory and Practice of Music and Dance in Integrative Education and in Community Work. She co-ordinates the elective and in-service course “Music and Dance in the Community and in Integrative Pedagogy”, co-directs summer courses at the Orff Institute and has been director of the postgraduate university course “Advanced Studies in Music and Dance Education – Orff-Schulwerk” since 2006. She has published numerous articles in journals and has given courses, workshops and lectures in Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, USA, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, Denmark, Japan, Turkey and Hong Kong.

Wolfgang Stange
Founded AMICI Dance Company and is its director and principle choreographer. He was born in Berlin, Germany and came to Great Britain almost 33 years ago to train at the London Contemporary Dance School. At this time he worked with the distinguished dance expressionist Hilde Holger who became his mentor. He first appreciated the possibilities of dance as a therapeutic force whilst in Sri Lanka. After successful work with people with learning difficulties at Normansfield Hospital, Great Britain he was soon teaching classes to groups with learning and/or physical difficulties in a range of venues, sometimes including aspiring dancers without obvious disabilities. In 1980 AMICI made its groundbreaking debut at the London Roof Top Theatre. Wolfgang Stange is now known internationally for his teaching methods which stress the need to share and acknowledge each other’s abilities, whether disabled or not.

Ulrike Stelzhammer-Reichhardt, MA, Dr. rer. nat.
Teacher of Music and Dance Education. Studied Music and Dance Education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria. She has worked with deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adults, including their families, since 1992 and was involved in the rehabilitation phase for children after cochlear implantation from 1992–1996. From 1997–2002 she co-organized and ran weekly summer camps using music as therapy and education for families with hard-of-hearing children. She completed her Ph.D. on the topic of Music Perception for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing at the Mozarteum University, Salzburg. Other focuses include consulting and lecturing on elemental music education, as well as writing articles.

Ursula Sutter
Diploma in Social Pedagogy (University of Applied Sciences), Orff music therapist, psychotherapist for children and adolescents. Has worked at the Children’s Centre (Kinderzentrum) in Munich, Germany since 1992. Works as a music therapist in an inclusive kindergarten and in a centre for children with speech development difficulties, gives lectures and seminars and teaches on the in-service training course in Orff Music Therapy.

Insa Tjarks
Diploma in Music Therapy (University of Applied Sciences), psychotherapist (HPG). Has worked in the Children’s Centre (Kinderzentrum) in Munich, Germany since 1999. Also works as a music therapist in an inclusive kindergarten and in a centre for children with speech development difficulties. Gives lectures and seminars and teaches on the in-service training course in Orff Music Therapy.

Paul Whittaker, D. Litt., MA (Oxon), DipAdvStudMus (Perf), ARCO, ALCM
Born in 1964 with a hearing loss, profoundly deaf since the age of 8. After gaining a music degree from Wadham College, Oxford, Great Britain he founded “Music and the Deaf” a registered charity that helps deaf people – and those who live and work with them – access music and the performing arts. An organist and pianist, he is also much in demand as a speaker, workshop leader and sign language theatre interpreter.

Helga Wilberg
Trained teacher with practical experience working with children and adolescents with physical disabilities. Further training and diploma in Music and Dance Education from the Orff Institute, Mozarteum University, Salzburg, Austria. Music teacher in the secondary school in Straubing, Germany with special responsibility for interdisciplinary projects, hands-on learning, music and dance performances, choir and ensemble. Member of the teachers’ quartet and teachers’ band.