For those of you who missed it, or have only just discovered us, the event was a conference, held in Robert Schumann's 200th anniversary year, which explored the relationship between his music and his mind. The occasion brought together a dynamic collection of scientists, musicians and health specialists, as well as many other delegates with an interest in the relationship between music and the brain. This provided a stimulating and enjoyable environment for both intellectual discussion and musical appreciation.
Speakers included Prof. John Cox, Prof. Michael Trimble, Prof. Nigel Osborne, Dr. Jessica Grahn, Prof. Stefan Koelsch, Dr. Katie Overy, Stephen Johnson and Ian Ritchie. Delegates were treated to some superb performances by Ian Brown, James Gilchrist, Anna Tilbrook and the Sacconi Quartet. The musicians were also involved in the discussions, allowing the audience a privileged insight into the experience of music as a professional musician. All the speakers and musicians were very generous in providing examples of how music affected their lives and well-being, which allowed for a very penetrating analysis of the field in question.
All biographies can be found on The Musical Brain website.
This first event, under the leadership of The Musical Brain, has certainly provided a tantilising foundation for what is to come. Many thanks to The Musical Brain for providing this excellent opportunity and we look forward to continuing the relationship.
We were very pleased to have received excellent press coverage for the event. A more detailed review of the 2010 conference can be found in Nature.
