Relationship between music, neurosciences to be discussed in a conference at Edinburgh

The conference is scheduled for June 2011 in Edinburgh

The Mariani Foundation for Paediatric Neurology announces "The Neurosciences and Music - IV: Learning and Memory", to be held in Edinburgh (Scotland, UK) from 9th to 12th June 2011. The conference is conceived as a continuation of the previous meetings on the relation between music and the neurosciences in which our foundation participated: "The Biological Foundations of Music" (New York, 2000), "The Neurosciences and Music, Mutual Interactions and Implications of Developmental Functions" (Venice, 2002), "The Neurosciences and Music - II, From Perception to Performance" (Leipzig, 2005) and "The Neurosciences and Music - III, Disorders and Plasticity". These conferences have been highly successful and have generated enormous excitement within the music neuroscience community, among both established and newer researchers. By providing the opportunity to present new results and exchange information, the meetings have contributed substantially to the growth of new research and collaborations in the neuroscience of music and to its visibility within the broader scientific community.

The central theme of "The Neurosciences and Music - IV" will be Learning and Memory. The conference programme will also be divided into 4 subthemes: "Infants and Children", "Adults: musicians and non musicians", "Disabilities and aging-related issues" and "Therapy and Rehabilitation". The conference will include Keynote Lectures, Symposia, Poster Sessions and a Workshop on child-oriented research design and new data acquisition and analysis techniques, to be held in the afternoon on 9th June. The conference will be of interest not only to neuroscientists, psychologists and students but also to clinical neurologists, clinical psychologists, therapists, music performers and educators, as well as musicologists.

Edinburgh has been selected as a most appropriate setting because of the partnership between the Mariani Foundation and the IMHSD - Institute for Music in Human and Social Development. The IMHSD was established in 2005 with the aim of bringing together music research, theory and practice from a wide range of disciplines, and with an emphasis on learning and rehabilitation. The selected dates are immediately prior to the "Edinburgh International Film Festival" (EIFF), so delegates will have the opportunity to stay on in Edinburgh to attend this event. The EIFF was one of the world's first international film festivals, born alongside the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947, and places a longstanding emphasis upon new talent, discovery and innovation.

The "Neuromusic Community" (researchers, clinicians, musicians...) is invited to submit proposals for the Symposia. These should be organized around a specific topic related to the conference theme of Learning and Memory and in relation one of to the four subthemes of "Infants and Children", "Adults: Musicians and Non-musicians", "Disabilities and Aging-related Issues" or "Therapy and Rehabilitation".. Proposals will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee and selected based on merit, interest to the research community and fit with the overall theme of the conference.

Source: Fondazione Mariani Onlus