IFMR Awards $232404 in Grants to Support Scientific Exploration of Music Education and the Effects of Music in Human Development

The International Foundation for Music Research (IFMR) announced $232,404 in new grants today, continuing the organization’s mission to fund scientific research exploring the relationship between hands-on music making and human development. The new grants were awarded to worthy scientific projects whose outcomes could ultimately be used to defend school music programs, create more music makers and increase demand for music products.

“Music is core to our social values, and our support of research is critical to advance our knowledge of music and to fortify the importance of music making in our schools, economy and the health and well-being of individuals of all ages,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director, IFMR. “The music products industry is recognized as a catalyst in the advancement of the ‘idea research and development’ that continues to expand knowledge about the impact and benefits of music to further our mission of creating more music makers globally.”

• A $100,904 grant was awarded to Dr. Ellen Winner of Boston College and Harvard University’s Project Zero. The project, “A Comparison of the Effect of Music Vs. Language Learning on Children’s Brain and Cognitive Development,” will explore relationships between the study of violin or piano with individual second-language lessons; it seeks to distinguish the effects of music training from other forms of intensive one-on-one training.

   

• An $8,000 award in the area of music education was made to the Research Center for Learning through Music, with the New England Conservatory of Music. This project, previously funded at $30,000, was awarded the new funds to extend support for the continued assessment of the impact that hands-on music learning has on core curriculum through the “Music Ventures in School” program. These projects are funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help further study the effect of music on education.

   

• Two awards were in the area of convening scientist and educators regarding critical issues in music research. The first award for $20,000 went to the 8th International Conference on Music Perception & Cognition, focusing on an interdisciplinary discussion and dissemination of new, unpublished research relating to the field of music perception and cognition. The second award, for $3,500, will be matched with funds from NAMM, the International Music Products Association, to the International Society for Music Education Early Childhood Commission Conference, to support a gathering of leaders engaged in music research regarding infancy and early childhood development.

   

• An award in the area of dissemination of music research to the public for $100,000 supports the production of The Music Instinct: Science and Song, a three-part public television series revealing the startling new connections between music, the human mind and body, the natural world and the cosmos. This project has already secured pledges of funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. “The IFMR is thrilled be a partner with these professional authorities that share in our commitment for the advancement of knowledge about the effects of music and hands-on music making, and the importance of music in education,” said Glen Holtz, chairman, IFMR.
   

About IFMR
The International Foundation for Music Research (IFMR) was founded in 1997 to support scientific research to explore the relationship between music and physical and emotional wellness, with particular attention to the elderly population, the impact of music making on at-risk youth, and music education and the effect of music and music making. IFMR also convenes scientists, educators and others around critical issues in music research and disseminates research through its publication, IFMR News, and various online research referral services and archives. For more information about IFMR, interested parties should visit www.music-research.org.