Dr. Ayat bint Nasser Al-Matani
Head of Music and Musicology Department
On Monday, 1 December 2025, the familiar rhythm of lectures and practice rooms at the Department of Music and Musicology shifted into something entirely different. Instead of heading toward their usual studios, a small ensemble of students, led by myself and Livie Kolmanova, Lecturer in Music, walked together toward the Children’s and Oncology Ward at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.
The visit, organised as part of the Sociology of Music course, offered students a unique, real-life experience of how music can function as a form of emotional support, human connection, and compassionate care.
The corridor leading to the ward was quiet, broken only by the soft hum of hospital machines. In the students’ hands were instruments rather than books: Livie Kolmanova and Dhuha Al-Hinai carried their cellos; Mohammed Al-Ajmi held his oud; Reem Al-Toubi and Waad Al-Salami brought their violins; Abdul Bari Al-Maamari carried his flute; Asad Al-Rusheidi walked in with his guitar; and Al-Jabri and Murtadha Al-Ajmi held a set of gentle percussion instruments.
Alongside them, students Zulfa Al-Hinai, Fatima Al-Maqbali, Maryam Al-Ghaithi, Marwa Al-Balushi, and Noora Al-Rahbi carried small toys, simple treasures meant to bring comfort and joy.
Quietly, they entered the ward, knowing that each room held a story of treatment, courage, and fatigue. Some children were sitting up in bed; others rested in wheelchairs, with parents seated close by.
The first gentle notes of the cello and oud brought an almost imperceptible shift to the room. Faces drawn with tension began to soften. A young boy tapped his fingers on the side of his bed, matching the rhythm. A girl, still connected to her IV line, lifted her hand in a delicate imitation of a violinist’s bow.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a melody change a child’s face,” one student later reflected.
“We always discuss music therapy in class, but today it felt real.”
Between musical pieces, students spoke softly with the children and their families, asking what songs they enjoyed or inviting them to hum or clap along. The flute and guitar added a playful lightness, while the percussion instruments created heartbeat-like patterns that helped even the shyest children join in.
One of the nurses remarked quietly:
“Every day we see these children in moments of pain and fear. Today, your music gave them a small holiday. Those smiles you saw, that is its own kind of medicine.”
Beyond the emotional warmth of the visit lies a strong scientific foundation. A growing body of research demonstrates that music therapy provides measurable benefits for patients, especially children facing long-term or severe medical treatment.
A study published in Children reported that music therapy significantly improved quality of life for children with cancer, helping to manage pain, reduce stress, and stabilise heart and breathing rates. All of which are signs of deeper relaxation (Fedhila et al., 2023).
Research on chemotherapy patients similarly found that music-based interventions reduced anxiety and depression while improving overall wellbeing. The authors emphasised that music therapy is a safe, non-pharmacological treatment that can easily be integrated into routine clinical care (Nguyen et al., 2022).
Further studies show that music therapy reduces the intensity of ongoing pain while alleviating associated emotional distress such as anxiety and depression (Chen et al., 2025).
Together, these findings confirm that music does not replace medical treatment, but serves as a powerful companion, easing emotional strain, reducing the perception of pain, and making the hospital environment feel more humane. This effect is especially profound for children, who naturally respond to sound, play, and imagination.
The Sociology of Music course enabled students to witness how music functions socially: as a bridge of connection, a source of hope, and an act of care that extends far beyond the performance stage. The visit taught them how to interact professionally and empathetically with patients and families, choosing suitable music, managing sound levels, observing room conditions, and maintaining the privacy and comfort of each child.
One student summed up the experience with poignant clarity:
“Today we learned that playing an instrument isn’t just about showing skill. It’s about taking responsibility. Every note can be either noise, or a gentle hand on the shoulder of a child in pain.”
That Monday did not solve the challenges of illness, but it illuminated a path where artistic expression, scientific research, and healthcare practice meaningfully intertwine.
For the students, the experience revealed a new academic and human dimension to their musical studies. And for the Department of Music and Musicology, it reaffirmed its mission: to use music not only for performance, but as a form of service, enriching community wellbeing and bringing moments of light into spaces that need them most.