In order to generate cutting-edge knowledge both in using the power of music for the benefit of patients, and in elucidating mechanisms of injury in musicians, Peabody faculty members are collaborating with interdisciplinary teams of scientists from various divisions of Johns Hopkins University on important research projects, including:

Peabody Smart Instrument Series and Smart Guitar: aims to quantify finger force production on the fretboard/fingerboard of stringed instruments during performance. Patent application was submitted March 2018. Next-generation prototype design and production has recently been picked up by the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Whiting School of Engineering.

Side by Side Singing: funded by a 2016 Discovery Award, this study tracked measures of closeness and quality of life for mild/moderate dementia patients and their caregivers at the Broadmead retirement community in a 10-week side-by-side singing activity.

Dystonia Project: aims to describe the current pedagogical retraining methodologies available to musicians with dystonia as well as the effectiveness of these approaches in functional gains and motor normalization on the instrument.

GuitarPD: funded by Dean’s Incentive Grant, this project aims to assess the feasibility of non-traditional guitar group instruction in individuals with Parkinson’s disease and the impact of this instruction on upper limb motor function and quality of life. Due to demand for continuing guitar classes, the Preparatory has added a PD Strummers class to its current ACE offerings.

Brain Virtual Reality Project: funded by a 2018 Discovery Award, this project aims to create a virtual reality environment of the brain cortex in a depressive brain with brain activations converted to sound using a unique harmonic mapping schema of the cortical and subcortical structures.

Additional research is conducted through the Johns Hopkins Center for Music & Medicine.