Jose Urrea (he/him), M.A., M.Phil, is a PhD Candidate in Music Education with a Specialization in Music Therapy at NYU Steinhardt. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, he is a certified Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapist with additional training in the Plurimodal Approach in Music Therapy and Vibroacoustic Music Therapy. He served as an adjunct faculty in the music therapy department at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, being part of the specialization track in music therapy in education. As a clinician, Jose has provided therapeutic services across different settings and demographics, including private practice, educational contexts, neurodivergent children and adults, individuals affected by Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative conditions, and clients dealing with substance use disorder.
In his research, Jose employs an interdisciplinary approach that fosters cross-fertilization between music therapy and music education, aiming to build bridges and advance innovative practices at the intersection of music and health within higher education contexts. He also seeks to explore the influence of his social, personal, and professional identities as a Latinx musician-educator-therapist living in a cross-cultural setting. Currently, his doctoral research, grounded in qualitative and arts-based methods, investigates how music therapy-informed practices can enhance the well-being and artistic development of university music students.