How does music shape our brains? What kind of benefits can we gain from music training? Does starting early help and do those changes persist?
Our inaugural symposium took place April 23 to answer these questions and learn more about the growing body of research that links early musical involvement with beneficial changes in our brains that can improve the way we think, act, and behave.
For the first Marilyn Thomson Early Childhood Education Centre Neuroscience Symposium, we brought together neuroscience experts from across Canada to discuss the various psychological and neurological factors that are influenced by early exposure to music. In other words: we talked about how early exposure to music positively influences the development of children's brains.
Our guest scientists talked about their own research on topics such as music perception in infancy, the brain's response to musical training, and the long-term benefits of childhood music experiences. The discussion and concluding Q&A was hosted by The Royal Conservatory's own neuroscientist in residence, Dr. Sean Hutchins, who presented the ground-breaking research he is conducting with our Smart Start early childhood curriculum.
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