Conservatory fosters healing through harmony

As China expands interdisciplinary education by adding art therapy to the Ministry of Education's 2026 undergraduate program catalog, the Wuhan Conservatory of Music in Hubei province is emerging as one of the country's leading institutions in cultivating music therapy professionals through an innovative model that integrates artistic training, clinical practice and scientific research.

One of China's earliest institutions to establish an undergraduate music therapy program, the conservatory has spent more than a decade developing a comprehensive system that combines music performance, psychology, medicine and social service.

Since the major's launch in 2011, the school has expanded to graduate-level education, built specialized research facilities and established partnerships with hospitals, schools and community organizations to provide students with real-world therapy experience.

"Art therapy is not about simply 'making people happy'," said Xu Fengping, head of the Music Therapy Department at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. She said that music, dance, visual arts and drama therapy provide nonverbal channels for emotional expression, cognitive development, behavioral guidance and holistic rehabilitation.

"Art can bypass verbal defenses and touch a person's deepest emotions and inner world," Xu said.

The conservatory's training model guides students from classroom observation and assisted practice to independent therapeutic work. Facilities such as the Music Therapy Experimental Center and the Neuro-Music Therapy Laboratory support both teaching and research, while collaborations with Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology and other institutions enable students to participate in clinical and community-based practice.

The school's approach reflects a broader transformation in higher arts education in China. The inclusion of art therapy in the Ministry of Education's 2026 undergraduate program catalog signals a shift beyond traditional artistic training toward cultivating professionals who can integrate art with healthcare, technology and public service.

As part of this educational philosophy, the conservatory regularly presents public performances that demonstrate how music can serve both artistic and therapeutic purposes.

On May 26, nearly 500 audience members attended the "Life Like Summer Flowers: Vocal Music Therapy Special Concert" at the conservatory's concert hall. The 90-minute performance featured 12 vocal works, combining vocal music with therapeutic concepts to create an immersive experience intended to promote emotional well-being.

More than 50 undergraduate students majoring in music therapy and music education participated in the concert.

According to instructor Qiu Shuhan, the concert was both a showcase of student learning in the course "Vocal Performance and Application" and a pilot project for developing clinical practice skills in collaboration with Tongji Hospital.

"Every melody has been carefully crafted to carry the aesthetic power of music education and the healing core of music therapy," Qiu said. "Our goal is to convey love, warmth and youthful vitality through clear, expressive vocals and dynamic stage presence."

As demand grows for professionals who can bridge the arts and healthcare, the conservatory hopes its graduates will contribute not only to artistic excellence but also to improving public mental health and quality of life through music-based interventions.