Music and the Sound Mind
Thursday 15th February 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Making sense of sound is one of the sophisticated jobs we ask our brains to do.
Dr Nina Kraus, Northwestern University professor, director of the Brainvolts Lab, and author of the book Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World examines the partnership of sound and brain, showing that the processing of sound drives many of the brain’s core functions and leaves a fundamental imprint on who we are as human beings.
Our hearing brain interacts with what we know, with our emotions, with how we think, with our movements, and with our other senses. Dr Kraus explores the power of music for healing as well as the destructive power of noise on the nervous system.
She describes why musicians—defined here as anyone who has played an instrument regularly at any point in their lives—have measurably better sound minds for decades. The sounds of our lives shape our brains, for better and for worse, and help us build the sonic world we live in.
Dr Nina Kraus
Dr Nina Kraus is Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences, Neurobiology and Otolaryngology at Northwestern University. As a biologist and amateur musician, she thinks about sound and brain health.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
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In this course, we will take an introductory look at what prosody is and consider its functions in natural everyday dialogue. Prosody refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. It's the musicality of language that helps convey meaning, emotion, and emphasis in conversation!
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2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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The Feldenkrais Method® is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve physical and mental functioning, including singing and speaking. Since we are not always aware of the source of tension or discoordination, it is difficult to make the necessary adjustments to ensure optimal use of the voice!