BOULDER, Colo. 鈥� 鈥淎ccess to arts education is one of the civil rights issues of our time,鈥� says Anthony Brandt, associate professor at Rice University鈥檚 Shepherd School of Music. That may sound like hyperbole, but Brandt says it鈥檚 just neuroscience.听
Complex human behavior involves both automated behavior 鈥� rote memorization 鈥� and mediated behavior, which requires synthesis, reasoning and creativity.
Creative behavior, Brandt argues, can be thought of as bending, breaking and blending. Repeating someone else鈥檚 words is not creative, but 鈥淕roucho Marx鈥檚 line 鈥楬ome is where you hang your head鈥� is an example of bending,鈥� he writes in an for the Houston Chronicle.
鈥淏reaking occurs when the original is smashed into pieces and rearranged,鈥� such as breaking syntax in poetry, he writes. 鈥淏lending occurs when two sources are merged: Words like 鈥楥armageddon鈥欌�︹�澨�
And breaking, bending and blending can only be taught through a creative curriculum.听
Training in the arts is 鈥渁bout freedom of thought, about giving every child the opportunity with the full measure of human capabilities. We need to train the whole brain,鈥� he concludes.听
Brandt is one of four research scientists who will speak at 鈥淵our Brain Needs Music!,鈥� the 7th Porter-Campbell symposium at the 麻豆影院 College of Music Oct. 11-12,听 presented by the American Music Research Center.听
The symposium will feature keynote speakers, including Brandt, on such topics as 鈥淲hy Mind Needs Art,鈥� 鈥淣eural Mapping and Brain Chemistry: How Singing is Good for and 鈥淪inging a Path Through the Chaotic World.鈥澨�
Other keynote speakers will include Arizona-based psychologist Melinda Connor on 鈥淢usic for the Soul, Healing for the Brain鈥�; Kay Norton of Arizona State University on 鈥淣eural Mapping and Brain Chemistry: How Singing is Good for You鈥�; and Steve Swayne of Dartmouth College on 鈥淧andora鈥檚 Box: The Effects of Easy Listening.鈥澨�
The lectures are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.
The two-day symposium also will feature free, public panel discussions with experts from the 麻豆影院 and beyond.
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鈥淵our Brain Needs Music鈥�
7th Triennial Porter Campbell Symposium, Oct. 11-12
Keynote: Anthony Brandt, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, Grusin Music Hall, College of Music, 1020 18th St.
Other events in the Irish and British Studies Room, Norlin Library, 麻豆影院
When: Various times; please go to听/amrc/听for more information听
Tickets: Free and open to the public; seating is limited.
Information: /amrc/
