Clive Robbins obituary

educator and pioneer of music therapy for children with disabilities

with composer and pianist Paul Nordoff, Clive Robbins British teacher, who died at 84 years, founded the Nordoff Robbins approach to what they call "creative music therapy." During his 16 years of the association, which demonstrated the ability of music to reach many children development and multiple disabilities. They did this by developing strategies for improvisation for children to be more communicative, social awareness, expressive and emotional balance.

The couple met in 1958 when he visited the women's house Sunfield Nordoff children in Stourbridge, West Midlands, where Clive worked. At that time, Sunfield has been considered a cure "learning community" following the principles of the imagination and creativity promoted by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. They began their work of experimental music with the children there, many of them profoundly disabled, in 1959-60. Captivating melodies, rhythms and harmonies are tailored to each child, which could respond by playing a hand drum and cymbals, the sessions were recorded and transcribed. Clive's contribution was in establishing a musical direction of your partner, which documents the work and looking for a language to communicate their ideas to other professionals.

After traveling and lecturing throughout Europe and America have received a research grant of five years from the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States. They then became colleagues at a conference of the American-Scandinavian Foundation (1967-1974), development of technical training for musicians, publication and participation in television documentaries. Nordoff Robbins centers and training programs were implemented in Britain, Germany, USA and Australia, and individual therapists have worked around the world.

Born in Handsworth, Birmingham, Clive came from a family of bakers. His parents were not married, and only at the age of 17 he learned his "sister" was actually his mother. Interrupted his early years left in search of a sense of purpose, the compensation being sent to live with foster parents during the Second World War was that it could take piano lessons and learned to love classical music. When I was 18 and in the Royal Air Force, a gunshot wound caused partial paralysis of his left hand and arm, so his game to an end.

technical and mechanical skill, and creativity, photography by Clive explored. This led to the painting, with two years of study in London, but after the disappointment and inconsistent employment including work as a lighting technician in two London theaters. In 1950 he went to the family bakery in Smethwick. Then, while working as a truck driver for a lumber company, where he met his first wife, Mildred, who bore him two children, Tobias and Jennifer. Mildred worked as a nurse in Sunfield, and when Clive also has a place there, the family lived in a small trailer on the school grounds.

Towards the end of their collaboration, relations between Nordoff and Clive became strained. The American died three years later, in 1977. Clive's first marriage ended in divorce. He married his second wife, Carol, in 1975, and worked at the State School for the Deaf in New York until 1981. In 1981-82 the couple was visiting professor of music therapy at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and lived until 1989 in Sydney, Australia, where a Nordoff Robbins Association was created. He then became the founding co-directors of the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Centre at the University of New York.

return to Britain, Sandra Beresford-Peirse established a practice of Nordoff Robbins in South London in 1971, and a training course in 1974. This activity was developed in 1976 in the charity Nordoff Robbins United Kingdom, with special support from the rock music industry. Sybil was director until his retirement in 1991, through which the work of two pioneers have played an essential role in the development of the profession in the UK.

met Clive in 1982 during training. His charisma, compassion, discipline, skill and belief in the power of music therapy were an inspiration for me weight and many other professionals. He became a mentor and a friend, and I did Sybil as director of the British charity, which is now a leading provider of services, training and research. People of all ages with a variety of illnesses and disabilities to play and sing the music you know, improvised music on the fly, moving to music, write songs, or to test and make stories based on the music.

Clive remained active until his last year of teaching, writing, teaching and support to institutions worldwide Nordoff Robbins, especially in Japan and other parts of the Far East. After Carol's death in 1996, he married Kaoru, also a music therapist, originally from Japan, but living in the United States some time. He is survived by her and her two children.

Find best price for : --Sybil----Mental----West----Sunfield----Robbins----Nordoff----Clive----Paul----American--