STEM Program

Music as Medicine: The Connections Between Musical Sound and Science

Faculty Advisor: Former Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine; Fellow of the Royal Society of Music; Fellow of Royal Society of Medicine

Research Program Introduction

It is often said that music and math go together. However, connections between music and science go even further. For instance, some doctors use music as a form of recreation. In contrast, some health professionals use it in their work, treating repetitive injuries, which are common among musicians, or exploring the therapeutic potential of music for treating patients with mental health and other problems.

Students in this program will have the opportunity to develop special interests, perhaps centered around the instrument of their choice. They will explore the nature and properties of sound and/or how it impacts human beings. Students will develop their research skills and draw on a variety of sources, both audio and written. There will also be scope for students to apply themselves creatively and academically.

Students will also learn general and subject-specific research and academic writing methods used in universities and scholarly publications. Students will focus on individual topics and generate their own work products upon program completion.

Final Deliverables

  • In the final session, students will present a summary of their findings, giving a PowerPoint presentation to the group, which could include a (pre-recorded) musical performance. 

  • The individual assessment at the end of the program will be based on this presentation and a written research paper (3000 to 4000 words).

Possible Topics For Final Project

  • How does music have a positive effect on people’s mental health?

  • To what extent does playing a musical instrument help to alleviate stress? 

  • How are injuries and illnesses affecting musicians commonly treated?

  • The scientific properties of sound and the mechanisms that enable people to perceive and react to sound

  • Music is a form of communication. To what extent is music universal as opposed to culturally and socially determined?

  • Other professor-approved topics in this subject area that you are interested in

Program Details

  • Cohort size: 3 to 5 students

  • Duration: 12 weeks

  • Workload: Around 4 hours per week (including class and homework time)

  • Target students: 9 to 12th graders interested in medicine, biology, music, and/or psychology. Musical talent is helpful but not essential.