| Over the past two decades, the field of music neuroscience has experienced strong development, connecting science and art and opening new possibilities in research, education, and therapy. This two-day seminar provides an overview of contemporary neuroscientific findings on the impact of music on the brain and highlights their potential for educational and biomedical applications – from music pedagogy and inclusive education to prevention, rehabilitation, and the enhancement of quality of life. The program presents the connections and differences between music pedagogy and music therapy, with the theoretical framework complemented by examples from clinical practice. Participants will thus gain insight into the translation of scientific knowledge into real-life educational and medical contexts. One part of the seminar will also be dedicated to the topic of inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in music schools, in order to encourage discussion among participants about the challenges and barriers to implementing inclusive education, as well as the opportunities that emerge through innovative pedagogical and artistic approaches. In line with the vision of the masterclass, the seminar emphasizes the role of musicians not only as performers, but also as participants in a broader artistic-scientific dialogue. Music and science together open new spaces for understanding, creation, education, and social transformation. Seminar topics include: • Neurobiological foundations of music and sound processing in the brain. • Clinical applications of music: experiences from working with children with neurodevelopmental disorders, in neonatology, neurorehabilitation, and dementia care. • Music pedagogy and music therapy: similarities, differences, and possibilities for collaboration. • Neuroscience of instrumental performance: scientific and pedagogical aspects. • Inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in music schools: challenges, barriers, and new opportunities. Working methodology: Lectures will be complemented by interactive discussions, experiential workshops, and analysis of concrete cases from clinical and pedagogical practice, with open dialogue among participants. The aim is to encourage the exchange of experiences and to develop awareness of interdisciplinary opportunities for collaboration between musicians, educators, and scientists. Target audience: music pupils and students, teachers, music therapists, scientists, as well as the broader interested public. |
Biography:
| Dr. Marija Pranjić is a neuroscientist, music therapist, and pianist, currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience at Harvard University and at Boston Children’s Hospital. In addition, she is the course coordinator for Clinical Neuroscience of Music at Harvard University, which she teaches within the Mind Brain Behavior program. Her scientific research focuses on the neurocognitive mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, with particular emphasis on the impact of music and auditory perception on early brain development, as well as on the biomedical application of music in neurological rehabilitation. Marija’s scientific work has been recognized and supported by prestigious international grants, including the GRAMMY Museum Grant, the MITACS Globalink Research Award, and Harvard’s Interdisciplinary Mind Grant. Strongly engaged in education and science outreach, Dr. Pranjić leads the Med&X Accelerator initiative, where she conducts clinical and scientific training programs for Croatian students at leading hospitals and universities around the world. She has also worked as a research associate at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and as coordinator of the Visiting Artist Series, a program that brings professional musicians into hospital settings, which further enabled her to integrate artistic, scientific, and clinical approaches in researching the effects of music on the brain. |
https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/218738