University of Houston Welcomes Leader for Advanced Music Therapy Initiative
Music and science have always been big parts of Ed Roth’s life. However, it wasn’t until college that he realized that in addition to his passion for performing music, he discovered a deeper interest in music’s ability to help and heal others.
“I didn’t know much about music therapy, but I found something resonant about it, approaching it humanistically as both a musician and a scientist,” Roth said. “I continued exploring music therapy for several semesters, and it was during a research course in the psychology of music that I realized the depth of the field.”
Now Roth is bringing his passion and more than 30 years of clinical, research and teaching experience to the University of Houston as the Alice and Fletcher Pratt Endowed Professor and Aspire Initiative Endowed Director of Music Therapy. The new, four-year degree program, a collaboration between the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts, the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and the Texas Medical Center, will give graduates a foundation in music as well as clinical experiences enabling them to work in over 40 settings including hospitals, school districts, out-patient clinics, private practice and other capacities.
“Ed Roth has been a leader in the field of music therapy for three decades. He has the highest qualifications, and his research accomplishments put him at the leading edge of the discipline,” said Andrew Davis, dean of the McGovern College of the Arts at UH. “We are thrilled to have him leading our new program – the first in the city of Houston. He was the perfect choice for this position.”
Music therapy is an allied health profession that utilizes evidence-based, therapeutic music interventions to affect changes in neurological, psychological and physiological health. Houston is among the cities that employ the most music therapists in the country, but in recent years demand for music therapists has outpaced the number of graduates nationwide.
The UH program aims to help fill that gap.
“His extensive experience and passion for integrating music and medicine will greatly enhance our ability to train future professionals in using music as a therapeutic tool, ultimately improving patient care and well-being across diverse populations.”
-Dr. Stephen Spann, Dean of the UH Fertitta Family College of Medicine
“Ed Roth’s appointment as director of the Music Therapy program represents an exciting step forward for our interdisciplinary efforts,” said Dr. Stephen Spann, dean of the Fertitta Family College of Medicine. “His extensive experience and passion for integrating music and medicine will greatly enhance our ability to train future professionals in using music as a therapeutic tool, ultimately improving patient care and well-being across diverse populations.”
An anonymous $1 million gift funds Roth’s appointment. The gift established an endowed professorship to support a full-time, tenure-track faculty member to serve as the program’s director. Combined with matching funds from the “Aspire: The $100 Million Challenge” and the state of Texas, the $1 million gift will have a total impact of $3.5 million.
The Aspire Challenge is a transformational $50 million matching fund established in 2019 by a gift from another anonymous donor. It is designed to propel UH’s academic enterprise to unprecedented levels of distinction through philanthropic investment in UH’s research and scholarship. It has enabled UH to increase the number of endowed chairs and professorships, including this new position.
Before arriving at UH, Roth taught music therapy for more than 20 years at his alma mater, Western Michigan University. His work in evidence-based practices and harnessing the potential of music therapy to enhance the well-being of families and children with neurologic and mental health needs is recognized nationally and internationally in the fields of music therapy, health care and neuroscience.
“This position entails a balanced commitment to teaching, research and administration with a notable focus on building connections with the College of Medicine and the Center for Performing Arts Medicine in the Texas Medical Center,” Roth said. “The Moores School of Music at UH will train students in musicianship and foundational clinical skills, including assessment, planning, treatment and evaluation. Collaborating with other city-based clinical partners, the TMC will offer real-world clinical practicum experiences to prepare students for their internships and early-stage careers as therapists.”
Roth holds a B.M. in Music Therapy from Western Michigan University, where he also trained as a percussionist; a M.M. in Neurologic Music Therapy from Colorado State University; and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a specialization in music neuroscience from Western Michigan University. He is board certified in music therapy, with advanced training in neurologic music therapy from the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapists.
“I am excited to be joining UH because of its standing as a Tier One research university with multiple areas conducting neuroscience research, its robust academic ecosystem and its commitment to serving students from diverse backgrounds,” Roth said. “I am a first-generation college graduate and look forward to immersing myself in the dynamic environment at UH and making meaningful contributions to both developing student music therapists and music therapy research.”