Reflections on art, aesthetics, and therapeutic context in music therapy

Aesthetics in music therapy is a somewhat controversial subject. Varying models and theoretical foundations for music therapy value aesthetics differently. Depending on the way in which music is utilized, different aspects of aesthetic reflections might seem significant. The debate about aesthetics in music therapy has been rooted primarily in traditional ways of thinking about the arts and, therefore, aesthetics. It includes only a few links to contemporary art achievements, which have challenged previous beliefs of aestheticians and shed new light on the criteria of artistic and aesthetic objects, values, and experiences. The relationships between contemporary music, selected aesthetic trends, and music therapy can be reflected on to promote mutual inspirations. The article presents considerations on phenomena such as beauty, aesthetic and artistic value, artification/aesthetization, and aesthetic experience. It reflects on chosen perspectives of contemporary aesthetics and discusses implications for music therapy. This article does not provide exhaustive literature review on this subject, nor an in-depth analysis of current achievements of music therapy and aesthetics. Instead, the authors hope that it will stimulate discussion among different domains and pose questions, which may open further interdisciplinary inquiries.