Since 2005, the Music in Human and Social Development (MHSD) Research Group has brought together researchers, theorists and practitioners from multiple disciplines including music, psychology, philosophy, medicine, physics, sociology, education and neuroscience, in order to explore the complex and powerful role of music in human experience.
Currently directed by Prof. Katie Overy and based in the Reid School of Music, Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), we are actively engaged in the research and implementation of therapeutic, educational and social development programmes involving music and are keen to support innovation in these areas. Our work is based on strong links within the community including with schools, orchestras, hospitals, prisons, care homes, local authorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
We have supported 40+ PGR students and postdoctoral fellows to date, and we host regular interdisciplinary, international seminars, workshops and conferences around original themes of shared interest, such as ‘Interactive Minds’ (2005), ‘Rhythm, Time and Temporal Organisation’ (2006), ‘Music, Language and Movement’ (2007), ‘Dance, Timing and Musical Gesture’ (2008), ‘Music, Pattern and Mathematics’ (2010), ‘The Neurosciences and Music IV: Learning and Memory’ (2011), ‘Rhythms in Scotland’ (2012), ‘The Child’s Curriculum’ (2010-2013), ‘The Diverse, Musical Brain’ (2019), ‘Participation’ (2022) and ‘Music and Dementia Care: Future Directions (2025)’.
Our research, events, staff and students have been funded by a range of institutions and charities to date, including the AHRC, ESRC, Royal Society of Edinburgh, Creative Scotland, Chief Scientist Office, EC Marie-Curie PF7 programme, EC ERASMUS+ programme, EC Comenius programme, Wellcome Trust and the University of Edinburgh.
To learn more about our people, events, projects and publications, please see the link below.
