Setting an Agenda for Neuromusical Research
January 21-23, 1993
For three days, a group of scientists and musicians discussed neuromusical research, the study of the interrelationships among music, the brain, and behavior. Discussions focused on theoretical and philosophical issues, affective issues, cognitive issues, psychomotor issues, applied/clinical issues, and interdisciplinary education issues. Neuromusical research has implications for the fields of music education, music therapy, music medicine, and music psychology.
Increased knowledge about music, brain, and behavior interactions may lead to:
- A better understanding of and appreciation for the role music plays in the lives of all human beings.
- Greater recognition that music, more than being just a pleasant diversion, has a significant impact on human physiology (e.g., heart rate, brain waves, or blood chemistry) and psychology (e.g., enhancing or creating emotional responses such as joy, grief, and love).
- An awareness that music, in certain circumstances and in combination with other factors (e.g., personality types, presence of drugs, and peer influences), can have significant effect positive or negative, on human behavior.
- Increased efficiency in education people musically.
- Increased efficiency in preparing performing musicians and in dealing with performance-related injuries.
- Better use of music in enabling handicapped individuals to have a higher quality of life.
- Wider use of music in medical/clinical conditions as disparate as childbirth, brain-injury, or chronic pain.
The overriding goal of neuromusical research is to better understand the phenomenon of music and to use this knowledge for the betterment of humankind.
Participants were:
Scientists
Dr. Manfred Clynes. Center for New Music and Audio Technologies, University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Peter Fox. Director, Research Imaging Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Dr. Terry Mikiten. Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Dr. George Moore, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California.
Dr. Karl Pribram, Center for Brain Research. Radford University.
Dr.med. Ralph Spintge. Executive Director, International Society for MusicMedicine.
Dr. Frank Wilson. Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Matthew Witten. Associate Director, Center for High Performance Computing, University of Texas at Austin.
Musicians
Dr. Dale Bartlett. Professor of Music Therapy, Michigan State University.
Dr. Charles, Eagle. Head, Music Therapy and Music Medicine Department, Southern Methodist University.
Mr. Norm Goldberg. President, MMB Music, Inc.
Dr. Donald Hodges. Director, Institute for Music Research, University of Texas at San Antonio.
Dr. Joe Scartelli. Chair, Performing Arts Department, Radford University.
Dr. Joe Stuessy. Director, Division of Music, University of Texas at San Antonio.
Image of Neuromusical Research Team (47K)
