A young violinist believes music cured her of a debilitating illness. Now she's inspiring others through music. Chen Nan reports.

Anna Avdeeva grew up in an environment well cared for by her successful parents, who expected that she would have a career in business. She studied international economics at the Financial University under the Government of the Russia Federation in Moscow but didn't worry much about her future.

"I grew up with my grandparents because my parents were busy working," recalls the 23-year-old. "My parents decided on my major at university and they wanted me to 'do business' after graduation. My life then was aimless."

In 2009, however, when she was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer, she decided to reconsider her goals. She gave up medical treatment and instead spent her time listening to and creating music.

"Doctors couldn't guarantee I would be able to walk properly, but now I'm dancing tap. So, after music cured me, I felt indebted to it and wanted to help and inspire others through music," says Avdeeva, who has studied violin since she was small.

Inspired by what she'd experienced as music's healing power, Avdeeva discovered that music therapy was a little-known but quite established discipline. The idea of music as a healing influence that could stimulate health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. Modern music therapists, the young Russian learned, use their art to assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities and cognitive skills through musical responses. They design music sessions for individuals and groups by combining improvisation, listening sessions and performances.

So she opened a company in Moscow to provide treatment for children suffering from autism and cerebral palsy.

The young violinist then made a decision to step out of her parents' shadow and pursue a life of her own.

She applied for a half-year program at Dalian University of Foreign Languages in the winter of 2011. She didn't tell her parents until she received the scholarship offer.

It was not easy at the beginning. She lived in an old dormitory that was scheduled for demolition in a matter of months. Anna hardly got any sleep, because she was combining her studies with a part-time job in a Chinese company, violin classes and a volunteer job as a vocals teacher for a Dalian folk choir. Her poor Chinese-language skills at the time meant everything she wanted to do took triple the time she expected.

The next thing she did was write a letter to Gao Tian, the director of the Institute of Music Therapy of the Central Conservatory of Music, expressing her wish to study with him.

Gao studied under the renowned US music therapist Dr Kenneth E. Bruscia and other leaders in the field. He graduated from Temple University and received his master's degree in 1994.

The Institute of Music Therapy of the Central Conservatory of Music was established in 1996, offering programs of teaching, academic research and clinical therapy. The only professional music therapy institute in China, according to the school's website, the institute currently enrolls 10 to 15 undergraduate students and about three graduate students every year.

"Anna impressed me with her persistence and passion for music therapy," says Gao. "She enjoys what she learns and always keeps a positive spirit. I can see a promising future for her."

Now a certified music therapist, she has worked with Chinese kids with cerebral palsy and she hopes to open her own clinic one day. She says music can help children, adolescents, adults and the elderly - people of any age - with mental-health needs or developmental and learning disabilities.

In 2012, she became the music director of Beijing Playhouse, the capital's oldest amateur English-language drama troupe. After months of rehearsing, they are bringing their latest Christmas musical comedy, The Wizard of Oz, to the stage through Dec 22.

"We rehearsed four times a week. Most of the actors are volunteers and they are happy with the show. I love creating something that brings joy to those who join in," Avdeeva says.

In her spare time, she is also the drummer of a band called Daily Prophet, which has members from five different countries.

The band has been performing bossa nova, folk and rock at live house venues in Beijing since last December.

Avdeeva says that her economics training, which helps her manage different jobs, complements her passion for music. She's getting training in filmmaking and directing, and has music-video projects scheduled for January next year. "Since I came to China, I love the Chinese phrase, kaixin, which means happy. Literally, kaixin means opening the heart, which is exactly what I experienced in China," she says.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn.

Mike Peters contributed to this story.

Anna Avdeeva, a certified music therapist, believes music can help people of any age with mental-health needs or developmental and learning disabilities. Zou Hong / China Daily

(China Daily 12/22/2013 page5)