Music Therapy New Zealand

11/06/2026

Join Musicwell Therapy Service at Newtown Community Centre on Sunday 21 June for a full day of celebration with music for and by musicians with disabilities.
The morning will feature music circles (vocal and percussion) run by two NZ Registered Music Therapists. The afternoon will showcase the incredible talents of musicians with disabilities. Free and open to everyone. More information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1489788286203337

10/06/2026

Come and join us at the Music Therapy New Zealand Conference 2026!

12th and 13th September, Grafton Campus, Auckland.

Early bird registrations close on 30 June 2026.

Conference details and programme are available here: https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/whats-happening/music-therapy-new-zealand-conference-2026/

01/06/2026

Congratulations to NZ Registered Music Therapist Dr Alison Talmage, who has been awarded an MNZM for services to music therapy and seniors in this year's King's Birthday Honours list. The citation talks of the work that Alison has done with the CeleBRation Choir and Sing Up Rodney choir, as well as her work on the VOCCAL Handbook - a Toolkit for Neurochoirs. Well-deserved recognition of this work!
https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/kb2026-mnzm

19/05/2026

Dr Alison Talmage, NZ Registered Music Therapist, was featured on RNZ Nine to Noon this morning, talking about the handbook that she developed for neurological choirs as part of her recently awarded PhD. Well done Alison!

The co-founder of a therapeutic choir for people with brain conditions, has developed a handbook so more choirs can be established around the country.

19/05/2026

The awesome Dr Waireti Roestenburg will be presenting a keynote address and workshop at the MThNZ Conference in September, on Taonga Ihi Orooro - Māori Sacred Sound Healing. Taonga Ihi Orooro is an integrative, sound related, wellbeing practice and developing body of knowing/knowledge that arises from the spirit, land and essence of Aotearoa New Zealand. Not to be missed!
Further details and registration here: https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/whats-happening/music-therapy-new-zealand-conference-2026/

12/05/2026

Jan McConnell (Registered Dance Movement Therapist, Arts Therapist and Physiotherapist) and Katie Pureti (NZ Registered Music Therapist) will be keynote speakers at the MThNZ conference in September, talking about the amazing work they are doing at Mauri Tui Tuia - interdisciplinary creative therapies in collaboration!
Early bird registrations now open: https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/whats-happening/music-therapy-new-zealand-conference-2026/

10/05/2026

Big congratulations to NZ RMTh Dr Alison Talmage on the award of her PhD, focussed on the development of a handbook which provides guidance for running neurological choirs 👏⭐️

A handbook on therapeutic choirs for people with brain conditions has been created by Dr Alison Talmage, a new graduate from the University of Auckland.

01/05/2026

Carlos Riegelhaupt Landreani, NZ Registered Music Therapist, presented at the Australian Music Therapy Association conference in Melbourne in 2025 on the role of music therapy in the growing field of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT). Recently, Carlos became the first NZ Registered Music Therapist to legally work in PAT in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Carlos will provide an update on this work in a poster presentation at the Music Therapy New Zealand Conference in September 2026: https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/whats-happening/music-therapy-new-zealand-conference-2026/

01/05/2026

Come and join us at the Music Therapy New Zealand Conference 2026, 12 - 13 September, in Auckland!
We have a great programme lined up and and early bird registrations are now open:
https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/whats-happening/music-therapy-new-zealand-conference-2026/