YST Conservatory establishes new Centre for Music and Health (CMH)
The use of art as a means of improving health and well-being has been a rising trend, spanning various art forms including music. The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music of the National University of Singapore established the Centre of Music and Health, in hopes of promoting health and mental well-being through music, and conducting empirical research on healthy ageing. This is the first research institution of its kind in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Reported by Zhang Heyang, translation by Toh Yan Ee. Click here to read the original article on Zaobao.
Emotional and mental well-being has become a topic of rising concern in today's society, especially with the growing pressures faced by students and youth, and the increasing loneliness amongst the elderly. The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) at the National University of Singapore recently launched the Centre for Music and Health (CMH), hoping to improve the quality of people’s lives through music, in an age of the prevalent usage of medical treatment to prolong life expectancy.
The Centre for Music and Health, led by Assistant Professor Kat Agres, will conduct evidence-based research on how to promote mental health through music interventions, improve youth and student well-being, and promote healthy ageing. This is the first research institute of its kind in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Connection between Music and the Brain
Agres was born into a musical family in the United States, with both her parents being orchestral string players. Besides her love for music, her great enthusiasm towards brain and cognitive science led her to double major in cognitive psychology and cello performance during her undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University.
"I initially enjoyed studying two majors concurrently, but over time, I discovered a fascinating intersection between these two disciplines that was worth exploring," said Agres. "The knowledge of cognitive science helped me to practise the cello more effectively; and practising inspired me to think more deeply about the cognitive aspects of music. For instance, how does a musician’s performance expression influence the perception of musical affect by the audience during a performance? How is one able to identify and sing the melody of a song after hearing it? How is musical information processed in the brain?"
Agres received a PhD in Psychology from Cornell University in 2013 with a minor in Cognitive Science, followed by a postdoctoral position at the Queen Mary University of London. She was then appointed as a Research Scientist at the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), before joining NUS full time in 2020. In fall 2020, she was supported by a long-term research grant from A*STAR to participate in a study on the restoration and enhancement of brain functions through brain-computer interfaces.
Contributions to the rehabilitation of stroke patients
Agres and her colleagues previously developed a set of algorithms which analysed the emotions of listeners using electroencephalography (EEG). They developed a system which would compose music in real-time according to the listener’s emotions (based on their EEG activity), and to influence the emotional state of the listener, by generating affective music in a closed loop according to brain activity. "This research is potentially beneficial not only for the treatment of patients with depression, but also the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Beyond its emotional effects, music also impacts cognition and physical coordination,” said Agres.
The Centre for Music and Health was proposed by Agres with the strong support of Dean Peter Tornquist and the YST Governing Board. "The CMH integrates music, research and community engagement, which are among the most important areas of our work," said Dean Tornquist.
"Leading & Guiding" is a compulsory course for all 2nd year students at the YST Conservatory of Music. Students are tasked to craft and execute their own small-scale project within 2 semesters, utilising their musical talents to leave a positive community impact. Agres expressed that in the coming semester, student groups will partner with a nursing home, a school for children with special needs, and work with a group of hearing-impaired individuals.
Agres pointed out the growing trend of using art as therapeutic tool - not only through music, but also various art forms - for the improvement of health. However, many research and applied projects are relatively independent, and the field lacks cohesion. In 2021, Johns Hopkins University and the Aspen Institute jointly published the "NeuroArts Blueprint", calling on researchers in this area to jointly build an ecosystem and bring cohesion to the field.
Looking Ahead to Deeper Cross-Disciplinary Collaborations
"CMH came into being as a platform to integrate resources and coordinate research directions," said Agres. "Some 'Leading and Guiding' projects will be run in conjunction with the Centre, and provide valuable empirical data for research." In the first half of this year, Agres organised trial sessions of Movin’ & Groovin’ for Wellness, drumming and dancing sessions open to all NUS students, and has received enthusiastic responses. "We received a huge amount of interest, with more than 100 students registering from the Faculty of Engineering, the School of Computing, the LKY School of Public Policy, Medicine, etc." She said: "Movin’ & Groovin’ for Wellness allows students who lack the opportunity to participate in performing arts to develop their creative expression skills, which plays an important role in stress relief. The post-session results have been very positive.”
Agres believes that CMH has unique advantages in the field of music and health research. "YST is a world-class music conservatory in Asia, and is situated in one of the world’s top research universities. CMH has collaborated with NUS' Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, School of Computing, etc. Moreover, Singapore’s rich arts scene allows us to partner with leading organisations such as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, The Esplanade Company, and the National Arts Council."
Agres hopes that the establishment of the Centre for Music and Health will garner more awareness of the connections between music and health, and attract greater support for future collaborations with musician practitioners, healthcare researchers, and arts institutions, to conduct meaningful research projects for the betterment of society.