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For Immediate Release:
July 12, 2001
Contact:
Jim Doughty (jdoughty@giles.com)
Giles Communications
(914) 422-3800, ext. 113
The Royal Institution
Presents New Research At First Public Conference on "The
Musical Brain"
–London Gathering Marks Turning Point in Field of
Music-Brain Science–
LONDON—Scientists from the United Kingdom and North
America convened today at the Royal Institution, London
(Ri) to take part in a day-long public forum on one of the
most rapidly developing fields of human research. Systematic
inquiry into the relationship between music and brain function
has been going on in earnest for only about a decade, and
"The Musical Brain" represents a crossroads in
this young discipline.
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| Professor
Carol Krumhansl of Cornell University discusses the
psychology of music perception as part of “The
Musical Brain,” a worldwide conference held July
12 at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London,
England. |
At the conference, researchers presented the mounting evidence
that music is not merely a cultural phenomenon but a biological
fact of human life—as demonstrated by infants who are
too young for even informal music training, yet distinguish
consonance from dissonance and recognize tunes even when
their timing or pitch has been altered. Among the potential
applications of this new understanding are therapies for
brain injury, protocols to alleviate anxiety without medication,
methodology to enhance children’s learning and development,
and more, and the presenters offered dramatic evidence of
their progress in these areas.
For example, Professor Michael Thaut demonstrated a specific
rhythm protocol that helped stroke patients with severe
uncoordinated walking abilities to gain immediate benefits
in orientation and gait. "Through the use of rhythm,
we can stimulate the improvement of neurological processing
and cortical reorganization in the injured brain,"
Thaut commented. "This technique is proving to be more
effective than conventional physiotherapy."
Visit
The Conference
The conference included presentations by seven leading
music-brain experts, extensive public discussion, and special
musical performances by young artists from The National
Youth Orchestra and The Orpheus Centre. For the first time,
the general public (including musicians, music educators
and music therapists, as well as those with a more general
interest in music) entered into dialogue with leading researchers
in this intriguing new field. It has been made possible
by the kind support of the International Foundation for
Music Research (IFMR) and the Kohn Foundation.
The day forum was presented by Baroness Susan Greenfield,
Director of the Royal Institution and leading expert in
the field of neuroscience, and Dr Lawrence Parsons, Director
of the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at the National Science
Foundation (US).
Dr. Gail Cardew, Head of Programmes at the Royal Institution,
commented on the event, "The Musical Brain was a perfect
example of what the Royal Institution does best, bringing
together people from different communities—in this
case scientists, musicians, therapists, teachers and people
who simply enjoy music—to discuss science research
and its impact on society. We will look back on today as
a historic moment, both for the Royal Institution and for
the development of this fairly young scientific discipline."
IFMR Executive Director Mary Luehrsen said, "Today’s
conference demonstrated that there are many more questions
waiting to be answered building on current work, and there
is intense interest from the general public for ways that
this research will trickle down to practical applications.
The conference also demonstrated the enormous talent and
conviction of people working in this new field; knowledge
and dedication that will no doubt inspire future work."
The evening program commenced with a world premier performance
by the National Youth Orchestra (NYO), presented by Jill
White, Director of the NYO and Evelyn Glennie, the internationally
acclaimed percussionist. The event drew to a close with
a second performance by the Orpheus Centre’s inspiring
blend of disabled and non-disabled young musicians, introduced
by Richard Stilgoe.
The presentations included:
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The Brain Basis of Music Experiences
and Skills
Dr Lawrence Parsons, Director, Cognitive Neurosciences
Program, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences,
National Science Foundation, USA
-
Scientific Foundations for Music in
Medicine and Therapy
Professor Michael Thaut, Co-Director, School of the Arts,
Chair, Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance, Professor
of Music, Director of Center for Biomedical Research in
Music, Colorado State University, USA
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The Art and Science of the Musical
Mind
Professor Paul Robertson, Leader of the Medici String
Quartet, and Visiting Professor in Music to the Department
of Education at Kingston University and Visiting Professor
in Music and Medicine to Bournemouth University, UK
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How the Brain Can Enhance the Performance
of Music Students
Professor John Gruzelier, Imperial College of Science,
Technology, and Medicine, UK
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The Psychology of Music: From Basic
Abilities to Special Skills
Professor Carol L. Krumhansl, Department of Psychology,
Cornell University, USA
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The Musical Infant
Professor Sandra E. Trehub, Department of Psychology,
University of Toronto, Canada
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Music Education in Childhood: The Development of Musical
and Non-Musical Abilities
Professor Eugenia Costa-Giomi, Faculty of Music, McGill
University, Canada
Associated with the forum, there was an exhibit of art coordinated
by Dr. Trudy Prescott, the Ri’s Curator of Iconographic
Collections. Ri Artist in Residence Annie Cattrell (funded
by the Leverhulme Trust) displayed her works-in-progress,
and NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology &
the Arts) Fellow Andrew Stones mounted a preparatory study
for an audio installation, drawn from and inspired by lectures
at the Ri. Works on the theme of music and madness by Royal
Academician Tom Phillips, produced over a 30-year period,
were seen together for the first time.
Members of the general public may listen to the audio component
of The Musical Brain by visiting www.rigb.org/musicalbrain
online beginning July 19.
END
The Royal Institution
The Royal Institution has a reputation established
over 200 years for its high calibre events that break down
the barriers between science and society. It acts as a unique
forum for informing people about how science affects their
daily lives, and prides itself on its reputation for engaging
the public in scientific debate. It has a rich history of
scientific discovery, which continues to this day. It was
here that Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday and William and
Lawrence Bragg, to name but four, made such seminal scientific
discoveries as sodium, the electric generator and the atomic
structure of crystals, many of which have exerted a profound
influence on society. For more information please go to
www.rigb.org.
The International Foundation for Music
Research
The International Foundation for Music Research
(IFMR) was founded in 1997 to support scientific research
to explore the relationship between music and physical and
emotional wellness, with particular attention to the elderly
population, the impact of music making on at-risk youth,
and music education and the effect of music and music making.
IFMR also convenes scientists, educators and others around
critical issues in music research and disseminates research
through its publication, IFMR News, and various on-line
research referral services and archives.
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