Music Psychology

I was intrigued by the title of the third symposium on the first day of Music and Neurosciences IV. “Cultural neuroscience of music” – fascinating I thought; finally, some research on the different world of cultures that exist within World music and the different ways they might affect both our brains and bodies. And I was not disappointed. They may be small first steps but it is great to see a wider view being taken of the World’s music and its people. The symposium was chaired by Steven Demorest who I first met last year when he was the head of organisation behind ICMPC 11, in Washington. And it appears…

After the first symposium of Day 2 I retired to the very grand coffee/tea room for a warm beverage and a catch up with a few friends. It is really lovely to be able to see colleagues at these conferences, and to find out how everyone is doing with their work. It sounds like even though funding times are tough for academia music psychology is still managing well, with many people completing exciting moves to new labs, publishing work or getting grants. Overall, the mood was buoyant and positive. Boosted by a mild dose of caffeine we all headed back into the main Hall for symposium 2 which had been…