Music and the Sound Mind
Thursday 15th February 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Making sense of sound is one of the sophisticated jobs we ask our brains to do.
Dr Nina Kraus, Northwestern University professor, director of the Brainvolts Lab, and author of the book Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World examines the partnership of sound and brain, showing that the processing of sound drives many of the brain’s core functions and leaves a fundamental imprint on who we are as human beings.
Our hearing brain interacts with what we know, with our emotions, with how we think, with our movements, and with our other senses. Dr Kraus explores the power of music for healing as well as the destructive power of noise on the nervous system.
She describes why musicians—defined here as anyone who has played an instrument regularly at any point in their lives—have measurably better sound minds for decades. The sounds of our lives shape our brains, for better and for worse, and help us build the sonic world we live in.
Dr Nina Kraus
Dr Nina Kraus is Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences, Neurobiology and Otolaryngology at Northwestern University. As a biologist and amateur musician, she thinks about sound and brain health.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Tuesday 5th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 12th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 19th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 26th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 9th June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
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Voice pedagogy has advanced significantly in the last decades in relation to knowledge of the vocal apparatus (anatomy and mechanics), acoustics, and performance psychology (to name just a few subfields) – this is a wonderful thing! Nonetheless, musicianship and the foundations of music theory are still relevant to the teaching and coaching of singers and this course aims to empower voice teachers and coaches with skills to support the fundamental musicianship development of their students.
Thursday 4th June 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Flexible Pedagogy: Teaching Singers with Dynamic Conditions
Joanne Bozeman
Marita Stryker
Is your "flexible" student actually at risk? In recent years, the singing community has seen a vital shift in awareness toward "invisible" conditions like Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), hEDS, and POTS. While hypermobility can sometimes feel like a "superpower" for range and flexibility, it often comes with a hidden cost: a higher frequency of voice disorders, respiratory challenges, and autonomic fatigue. Join Joanne Bozeman and Marita Stryker as they unpick the the special challenges and management strategies needed...
Wednesday 10th June 2026
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
In Conversation With… Amanda Flynn
Dr Amanda Flynn
Join us for the first event in our new public interview series exploring vocal health and sustainability in musical theatre performance. Free and open to all!