Music and Health Research Institute Conference 2023
Percussionists Ben Brown, Vancouver, and Jesse Stewart, Ottawa. Ben operated Jesse’s motion sensitive gong array while Jesse himself played the waterphone.
The dates of May 3-5, 2023 were pivotal for music and health in Canada. uOttawa’s new Music and Health Research Institute held its inaugural conference at The Royal, with attendees from across Canada and beyond. Radical Connections was proud to partner and participate with organizing and presenting. For those who attended, it felt like we were part of a movement that was going to bring change and improve lives.
The theme was Music on Prescription, with several areas of focus:
Therapeutic benefits of music learning for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Music making with older adults for improved health and wellbeing
Making music more accessible for people with disabilities
Mobilization for music making and mental health
Music appreciation and experiences of people with hearing loss
Practices and effects of singing on health and wellbeing
Physical and mental wellness of musicians
In addition to being inspired by the research and ideas that were presented, there were many opportunities to enjoy musical performances and to connect with others working at the intersection of music and health. The Royal was an excellent host, both with logistics and catering, as well as active participation in the conference. They invited people to tour their MRI facilities and announced the creation of a program incorporating music into mental health treatment.
Dr. Carol Wiebe on piano and Alexandre Sylvestre (gifted violinist with cochlear implant)
Carol’s highlights:
Opening and closing musical performances with Jessie Stewart, Ben Brown, and Richard Marsella
Active participation of non-musician physician researchers (not only did they participate in the panels; they returned to attend the wrap-up session, excited and committed to including music in research for mental health and aging)
Objective MRI evidence showing benefits both with reducing performance anxiety and with singing
Collaboration and collegiality – fostered between community music schools, as well as previously competitive methods promoting musicians’ wellness
Performing the Barber Violin Concerto with Alexandre Sylvestre (gifted violinist, born profoundly deaf, now making beautiful music with the assistance of a cochlear implant)
Final session – Dr. Gilles Comeau wrapped up the conference with an impassioned presentation summarizing the need for standardized evidence-based research on the specific impacts of music on health. With that research, we will then be able to advocate for funding and programs to make effective initiatives available as Music on Prescription.
Jenny’s highlights
Seniors’ Junction-An entrepreneurial start-up who works with health and technology. They conduct mixed-methods analysis to determine what motivates people. They understand that it is important to satisfy intellectual needs by making things intellectually challenging. Many become shut-ins because these needs are not met by typical programming.
Bird Song New Music Foundation- Presenters Margaret Konopacki, Allan Kinney, Ashley Bell, Bryant Didier. Bird Song helps youth with mental health issues become singer/songwriters, find music venues as well as record and publish their own music.
Singing and Mindfulness animated by Nicola Oddy and Nicole Stanson - Environmental Vocal Exploration (EVE) refers to the use of improvisatory singing as a listening practice. It has been applied to training for people with performance anxiety. It involves Soundwalks (Environmentally Engaged Music Therapy) which helps to transform relationships with environments.
Social Prescription presentation by Natasha Beaudin (Alliance for Healthier Communities) - How linkworkers help members of the community find programming and groups to inspire them and break patterns of depression and isolation. Ask not “What's the matter with you?” but “What matters to you?”
Us of course! Radical Connections presented on the Unmasked Connections project and participated in the partner’s fair.