Music and the Brain, concert-conference.

A sound, a note, a melody and… the brain is in turmoil. But why do certain tunes bring tears to our eyes, give us goosebumps, get us excited or make us dance? Why are we moved by Beethoven’s symphonies, Céline Dion’s vocal performances, Ti-Jean Carignan’s frenzied reels or Arcade Fire’s concerts? Of course, it all starts with the ear. The sound waves produced by a piano, flute or violin enter the ear and are transformed into nerve impulses that travel to various regions of the brain.

With this show, Michel Rochon, musician and seasoned science journalist (on Radio-Canada’s Découverte and Enquête programs), takes us into the fascinating world of scientific research into the musical brain. Through well-known pieces and piano improvisations, the audience is invited to reflect, interact and discover how our brains perceive music.

After this concert-conference, you’ll never hear rock, jazz, classical, opera, traditional, rap or techno in the same way again. And there’s no doubt about it: it’s music that has made us more human!

Michel Rochon

Michel Rochon is a scientific and medical journalist. For 30 years, he has worked on several news teams at Radio-Canada, including the programs Découverte, Enquête, La semaine verte and Le Téléjournal. Today, he is a lecturer in journalism at the Université du Québec à Montréal, host and pianist.