Advanced, Interdisciplinary Study | Music + Cognition
My independent research project focuses on the cognitive aspects of improvisation, combining the paradigms of music, memory, and speech.
My guiding questions are:
- How does improvisation come into play when the brain, operating from memory, confronts the unexpected?
- What, if any, roles do timing/beats play in moving the brain forward in social, conversational setting?
Specifically, I am interested in the ways rhythm patterns help the brain move forward through improvisation in jazz and whether there are similar processes that can be isolated and developed to help those who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and have aphasia recover their ability to speak more easily in conversation.
My hypothesis is that the brain function developed by jazz musicians and especially percussionists as they learn to improvise may be useful in retraining the brain of someone who has experienced a TBI with aphasia (loss of speech).
While it is not clear yet whether the same neurological processes are at play in both instances, I am conducting scholarly research to establish whether there is a neurological overlap.
I am also recording interviews with people who have both experienced TBIs and have a strong interest in or ability and background in jazz.
My goal is to find a way to help people improve their ability to function socially and gain confidence in speaking after a TBI by drawing on my background in jazz and drum set percussion/improvisation.
Improvisation | Community | Connection
Shared Time Jazz: Listening Sessions for People with TBI