May 18, 2026
The USC Center for Music, Brain and Society warmly invites you to a special lecture featuring Dr. John Sloboda. There are an enormous variety of musical projects around the world focused on social as well as musical outcomes for participants. The majority of research to date has studied individual projects and the value experienced by participants. Less attention has been given to the musicians who animate these projects. Nonetheless, outcomes for participants will depend on what these musicians do in sessions, the skills, beliefs and motivations they bring to their work, and the conditions and constraints under which they operate. A recently completed 3-year international comparative research project has studied over 300 individual musicians working in such projects. This presentation will outline the rationale of the project, the way it was conducted, and some key findings. The findings suggest a commonality of professional practice rooted in values which to a greater or lesser extent challenge or disrupt music practices and pedagogies understood to be elitist and exclusionary.
This event will be held both virtually and in-person on the UPC Campus.
POSTPONED
The USC Center for Music, Brain and Society warmly invites you to a special lecture featuring Dr. Haley Kragness. Who chooses to sing, dance, or play music? Participating in musical activities has social and emotional benefits throughout the lifespan: for instance, singing, clapping, and dancing with others enhances social bonds for children and adults alike, and musical activities may have protective effects against age-related hearing loss. It is therefore critical to understand the factors shaping enthusiasm (or reluctance) to engage in musical activities throughout the lifespan. In this work, she explores several mechanisms likely to contribute to lifelong musical engagement: children’s musical abilities, their attitudes about the origins of musical abilities, and their beliefs about who should play music.
This event will be held both virtually and in-person on the UPC Campus. This event is currently being rescheduled to a new time and date. Please visit our website for updates.
Past Events
Check out various events the Center for Music, Brain and Society has hosted. We have hosted a variety of events including faculty talks, book talks and symposium around the intersection of arts, health and research.
Past Events Gallery
