In this episode, the first of my new podcast series, I talk to Dr Anita Collins, an educator, researcher and writer in the field of brain development and music learning, based in Australia. You can listen now below, on Spotify (search for the name), and soon on iTunes. Or read the transcript here.

About the Music for education & wellbeing podcast

Listen in each month to get ideas, inspiration and practical advice from people involved in music education, community music, music therapy and more. Learn how you can break down barriers to music, through communications, advocacy and inclusive practice.

The music for the podcast was created by Otis Hynds, a young person working with Noise Solution. Noise Solution delivers one-to-one music mentoring programs with people facing challenging circumstances.

• Contact me if you’d like to be on the podcast.
• Subscribe to my enews to hear about future episodes (and get free downloads – see below).
• Visit Music Education Works to read and search for research evidence of the impact of music education.
• Listen to another great music education-related podcast – the Youth Music podcast from UK music charity Youth Music.

What’s in this episode?

You may know Anita from her TED Ed lesson, How playing an instrument benefits your brain, and her TEDx talk, What if every child had access to music education from birth? And more recently, she’s starred in the Australian version of a British TV show, ‘Don’t Stop the Music’.

We talk about:

• why Anita is so passionate about this area of work and her early childhood struggles with reading.
• the three main areas where music can have an impact on brain development in children
• how music can help young people in challenging circumstances
• how we can use neurological research to advocate for music in education
• what are the ingredients for music programmes that create cognitive change
• and we finish with three pieces of practical advice for people advocating for music education

Scroll down for the transcript of the podcast.

Links for this episode

Questions from the online community:

Tone deafness – Article So you think you’re tone deaf? |  Oliver Sacks on the rare condition of Amusia 

Drumming & wellbeing, drumming & literacy research – drumming studies on Music Education Works,
Nina Kraus The Brain Volts Laboratory

Early years music and cognitive development longitudinal research – University of Toronto Infant and Child Studies Centre (Sandra Trehub); Macmaster University LAB (Laurel Trainor), other early years music research on Music Education Works

Anita Collins:

[VIDEO] TED Ed lesson – How playing an instrument benefits your brain

[VIDEO] TEDx talk – What if every child had access to music education from birth

[VIDEO] Interview with Anita Collins by Russell Torrance on Australian radio station ABC Classic

Anita’s Bigger Better Brains online training resource

The Bigger Better Brains Facebook community

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As a thank you, you’ll also get six tip sheets, templates and checklists for: social media, communications strategy, getting more traffic to your website, copywriting, blogging and annual reports. You’ll also hear each time a podcast episode is published, and receive an occasional digest of my blogs, plus tips, advice and signposting to useful information and resources.

Need some help with a particular aspect of your communications, or your communications strategy? Contact me.

Transcript

Read the Music for education & wellbeing podcast [1] TRANSCRIPT: Dr Anita Collins