Parkinson's is a neurological condition which impacts the brain, with symptoms becoming worse over time. There is no cure. Over 150,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson's, which is 'the fastest growing neurological condition in the world' (Parkinson's UK). This talk will discuss research undertaken over the last 20 years into how music features in the lives of people with Parkinson's (PwP), and will focus on my recent research with a team of international collaborators. I will outline findings of a survey with 300 PwP into the ways that they value and use music, and discuss findings such as the importance of music for mood management, and as a personal anthem. I will also discuss new creative approaches to raising awareness of music's role in social prescribing for PwP, such as a concert that we staged with RNCM performers, 'Playlist for Parkinson's LIVE!' I will finish by discussing my latest project - I worked with RNCM composers (staff, PhD researchers and students) to share mine and other research around music and Parkinson's, following which 7 of these composers worked with PwP to create 7 new pieces of music. These new works will be premiered on 30^th January 2025 (Music for Parkinson's (Relaxed Performance) - Royal Northern College of Music). This is the first time that new music has been created with and for PwP, acknowledging that music is always individual and personal, and there is no one size fits all.

Unlike research into the role music can play for those living with Dementia, the study of the way that music features in the lives of people living with Parkinson's is relatively new. We know that music with a strong beat can help to stimulate the amygdala in the brain and hence aid movement, but our recent research shows that there is a much broader place for music in the everyday lives of PwP, and there is much work to be done in this area.

Michelle is a Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology and Head of Enterprise (Academic) at the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, UK). Her research interests include audience response to live and recorded music, neurological response to music listening, music and time, perception of contemporary music, entrepreneurship, and music and Parkinson’s. Michelle’s research on ‘what makes live music special?’ was recently featured in UK Research and Innovation’s series ‘101 jobs that change the world’. Recent publications include a co-edited volume entitled ‘Music and Time: Psychology, Philosophy, Practice’. Michelle founded the Music, Audiences, Neuroscience, Cognition and Society (MANCS) research centre, which is a collaboration between scholars at the RNCM, University of Salford, University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University. Michelle is Joint Editor in Chief of the journal Psychology of Music. Michelle completed her PhD (funded by a Domestic Research Studentship awarded by the University of Cambridge) under the supervision of Professor Ian Cross, Centre for Music and Science, University of Cambridge. Michelle has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, ITV News, BBC News online and ITV Granada Reports. She recently worked with the Science and Industry Museum on their ‘Turn It Up: The Power of Music’ exhibition.