| During the 1980's, Sharon had been fortunate enough to
go to America to study for a Master's degree in music and music therapy.
Part of her training had been in the prisons of Philadelphia, and it was
here that she first began developing her specialized ways of understanding
and working with the victims and perpetrators of violence.
At about the same time, South Africa was erupting in violence resulting from the brutalities of the apartheid regime. When Sharon returned home, she began to use her training and experience as a music therapist to help people cope with the effects of apartheid. She worked with children who had watched their parents being beaten and their homes bulldozed; with youth who had been raped and had dodged gunshots; and with young adults who had taken to gangs to protect themselves. Using music to give them constructive outlets for expressing thier feelings, Sharon earned a reputation for "converting gang members into band members." Sharon now travels the world, teaching her techniques to other therapists
and community leaders. From the Pan-African Conference on Music and Healing,
to the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, to the violence-torn schools
and communities in the US, Sharon is developing a global Peace Train movement.
|