Growing Cultural Competence By Cultural Consciousness (Half 1)
by Nia Imani Williams, Music Remedy Intern
As I progressed all through my music remedy examine at Sam Houston State College previous to the beginning of my internship right here at Coronary heart and Concord, I used to be pushed to look at my very own assumptions inside my tradition. One assumption that I didn’t notice I held concerned generational preferences of African-American church music – particularly, conventional hymns versus trendy gospel. For readability, conventional hymns are additionally generally known as ‘black gospel hymns’ and ‘old-fashioned gospel.’
Listed here are some examples of conventional black hymns and trendy gospel:
Conventional Hymns:
https://youtube.com/playlist?listing=PLJkEGWusTVHQj-dE1hajoGnx4rneGdVJE
Trendy Gospel:
https://youtube.com/playlist?listing=PLJkEGWusTVHST_K8x2Uctr8S6ml12ZgrI
I had at all times assumed preferences between these distinct types of black church music to be polarized primarily based on age. In my restricted view, older generations most well-liked the extra conventional, call-and-response hymns whereas the youthful generations most well-liked the upbeat, get-you-on-your-feet trendy gospel.
So, I made a decision to actively problem my assumptions and uncover completely different generations’ opinions, ideas, and emotions towards each conventional hymns and trendy gospel throughout the black church.
However why is that this vital? / Relationship to music remedy
Growing cultural competence in a world that’s ever-diversifying is likely one of the greatest issues we are able to do as individuals and a society. That is much more of a vital ability inside our position as music therapists. As said in a journal article by Kim and Whitehead-Pleaux (2015),
Music therapists should: commit themselves to studying concerning the [client’s] numerous cultural wants and musical preferences; study their very own private cultural values [emphasis added] and the way they could be in battle with these of the [client]; and develop genuine abilities in multicultural empathy. (p. 55)
Committing to fixed cultural training and being culturally-informed is a requirement for us to successfully influence our shoppers and provides them the best high quality of care. This is the reason I made a decision to really study my assumption of generational church music preferences. Having the most effective therapeutic relationship with future shoppers required that I assess my very own tradition and beliefs as a vital step towards cultural competence.
Consciousness via Self-Evaluation
One of many major steps towards cultural competence is cultivating consciousness (consciousness) via self-assessment.