Music and HIV/AIDS communities : perceptions, expectations, implications for music therapy

Abstract

This dissertation is a qualitative interview study conducted with staff and residents at Sparrow Rainbow Village, an HIV/AIDS community. The purpose of this research was to explore the perception of the role of music held by members for their community, and specifically its role in creating a sense of community, as well as to investigate the implications these perceptions might have for setting up a community music therapy project. The interviews revealed a struggle with establishing a community identity that embraced health, as well as feeling isolated from the greater community. Music was seen as a means of bringing people together both within the community and serving to bridge the gap with the wider community and in so doing, empowering both communities simultaneously.