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As a certified music therapist (MTA), I received a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Arts at the University of Toronto in Music and Health Sciences. I am a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies in the Aging, Health, and Well-Being stream.
My work as a music therapist focuses on older adults living in the community and long-term care. During my time at Laurier and the University of Toronto, I worked in long-term care, where I developed a comprehensive music therapy program and an in-house music studio for residents and care partners. Currently, I lead music programs for the Bitove Method, an organization that supports the relational capabilities of older adults living with memory loss through the arts. As a Canadian Music Therapy Fund board member, I am committed to advancing music therapy practice and research in our communities.
My doctoral research draws from music-centered theories and approaches of music therapy (i.e., community, resource-oriented, and feminist music therapy) to advocate for the relational capabilities of persons with dementia. Specifically, I use collaborative songwriting to highlight the continued capabilities of persons with dementia to challenge stigma and harmful discourse associated with dementia.
- SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship (2022)
- Faculty of Health Teaching Assistant Award (2022)
- University of Toronto Fellowship (2018)
- Canada’s Walk of Fame/RBC Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Prize (2013)
- Canadian FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) Grant (2011)
Kurta, T. (2022) An Essential Service: The role of music therapy in the dying process during COVID-19. Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 28(1), 39 – 43
Kurta, T. (2022) An Essential Service: The role of music therapy in the dying process during COVID-19. Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 28(1), 39 – 43
As the first non-classical student to be accepted into the Bachelor of Music Therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University, I am immensely grateful to the faculty and staff for making space for me to flourish. Though taking classical music courses without any classical background proved immensely challenging, the faculty at Laurier met me with excitement, enthusiasm, and conviction that non-classical musicians should be able to become music therapists.
The commitment to inclusivity, different ways of knowing and doing, concern for student safety, and willingness to expand beyond Western classical music inspires my love for teaching and fuels my excitement to teach at Laurier.
Law, S. (Producer) with Dupuis, S.L., Gertin, R., Kurta, T., Kontos, P., & Marland, H. (2022, January) “Let’s Reimagine” Song and Video, a co-created song and video project for ReImagining Dementia: A Creative Coalition for Justice.
- Song and Video: https://youtu.be/rDTsb7VUZSE
- Short Trailer: https://youtu.be/auMqx9uBhU8
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