The Institute brings together academics and community members from various disciplines who work towards the objective of producing and mobilizing knowledge, ensuring its transmission to different audiences, and mentoring students. The diversity of members attracts individuals with backgrounds in music, education, health sciences, psychology, cognitive sciences, neurosciences, audiology, kinesiology, rehabilitation sciences, health sciences, medicine, mechanical engineering, bio-medical engineering, and computer sciences. Our members are categorized into two groups based on the type of engagement they have with the institute.
Regular members | Affiliation | Research interests |
---|---|---|
Namrata Bagaria | PhD candidate, uOttawa; Co-founder and CEO, Seniors Junction | Music and aging |
Lee Bartel | Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and special education; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Effects of Music as sound and vibration |
Jillian Beacon | Ph.D. Candidate, Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa; Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner; Piano Teacher-Moving through Music | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music in health care; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Tammy Beaudoin | Director, Clinical Research Administration, The Royal | Music and mental health; Music and aging; Music in health care |
Chantal Bergeron | Médecin de famille en CLSC , Bac spécialisé en études anciennes, U. d'Ottawa | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture; Music and aging; Music, health, culture and society; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
James Bonaparte | MD, MSc, FRCSC, Associate Professor Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, uOttawa | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Dana Boyd | Body Mapping Educator | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music in health care; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Matthew Breaden | Research Officer, School of Education, Western Sydney University, Australia | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music therapy |
Heather Campbell | President, Alexander Technique Canada; Secretariat, Alexander Technique Affiliated Societies | Music and cognition; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Adrian Chan | Professor, Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University; Adjunct Professor, School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa; Affiliate Investigator, Bruyère Research Institute | Music and aging; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Musical biomechanics |
K. Jean Chen | OHRI, University of Ottawa, RCM, TOH | Music and mental health; Music in health care |
Amy Clements-Cortés | Assistant Professor, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto; Applied Music and Health Sciences; Contract Academic Faculty, Wilfrid Laurier University; Music Therapy | Music and mental health; Music and aging; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music performance anxiety |
Annabel Cohen | Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Prince Edward Island Adjunct Professor, Graduate Studies (Psychology), Dalhousie University | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and/as medicine |
Gilles Comeau | Director, Music and Health Research Institute; Professor, School of Music, University of Ottawa | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music hearing loss; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Jean-François Desrosby | Professeur adjoint, Université de Sherbrooke | Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Katie Dinelle | Administrative Director, Integrated Brain Imaging Centre, The Royal Ottawa Hospital and Institute of Mental Health Research | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine |
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick | Full Professor, Director PhD Program, School of Rehabilitation Sciences; Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and special education / music and autism; Music therapy |
Stuart Fogel | Associate Professor, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa; Director of Sleep Neuroscience, Sleep Unit, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and aging; Music and/as medicine |
Cynthia Friesen | BC Brain Wellness Program; St. James Music Academy | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music and/as medicine |
Tara Gaertner | Adjunct Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupation Therapy, University of British Columbia; Resident Doctor, Psychiatry Research Track, University of British Columbia | Music and mental health; Music and/as medicine |
Peter Gouzouasis | Full Professor, UBC, Curriculum & Pedagogy-Music Education | Music and cognition; Music, health, culture and society |
Jessica Grahn | Associate Professor, Dept of Psychology, Western University | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and aging; Music in health care |
Christopher Gunter | Assistant Professor, Élisabeth-Bruyère School of Social Innovation, Saint-Paul University | Music and life enrichment for adults |
Christine Guptill | Associate Professor, School of Rehabilitation Sciences; Cross-appointed, School of Music; University of Ottawa | Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing; Musical biomechanics |
David Hartell | Consultant and Principle with Hartell Consulting | Music, health, culture and society; Music and/as medicine |
Jean Daniel Jacob | Directeur de l’École en sciences infirmières | Music and mental health; Music therapy |
Jennifer Johnson | Designated Teacher Trainer, Body Mapping for Musicians (ABME) | Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Cheryl Jones | Music therapist, Private practice | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine |
Gertrude Létourneau | Musiciennne thérapeutique à Perley Health | Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Music in health care |
Lauren Michelle Levesque | Assistant professor, Director, Providence School of Transformative Leadership and Spirituality, Faculty of Human Sciences, Saint Paul University | Music, health, culture and society; Music performance anxiety |
Cheng-Feng Lin | Graduate of the Diplôme supérieur de l’Institut Jaques-Dalcroze; trainer at Dalcroze Canada | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Françoise Lombard | Professeure diplômée en Rythmique Jaques-Dalcroze; formatrice à Dalcroze Canada | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging |
Megan Lummiss | University of Ottawa; Leadership, Evaluation, Curriculum and Policy Studies | Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music performance anxiety |
Jerry Maniate | Associate Professor, Department of Medicine & Department of Innovation in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine uOttawa; Founding Director, Equity in Health Systems Lab | Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine |
Richard Marsella | Executive Director, Community Music Schools of Toronto | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care |
Ari Mazzeo | Senior innovation researcher | Music and mental health; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music performance anxiety |
Paul Merkley | Professor emeritus, musicology, uOttawa; Co-founder and COO, Seniors Junction, a small business providing high music education quality music education to seniors | Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music |
Rory McLeod | Executive and Artistic Director, Xenia Concerts | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and aging; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments |
Tram Nguyen | Research Facilitator, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music therapy; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Georg Northoff | Michael Smith Chair in Neurosciences and Mental Health and Canada Research Chair for Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics; University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research | Music and cognition; Music and mental health |
Nicola Oddy | Music Therapist, Part time professor, Carleton University and Concordia University | Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music therapy; Music performance anxiety |
Janet Olds | Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine; Psychologist, Cochlear Implant Program, CHEO; Research Associate and Clinical Investigator, CHEO Research Institute | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and special education / music and autism; Music in health care; Music therapy |
Erin Parkes | Founder and Executive Director, Lotus Centre for Special Music Education | Music and cognition; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and community health / community music; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments |
Roxane Prevost | Associate Professor, School of Music, University of Ottawa | Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society |
(Linda) Ardelle Ries | Professor of Music, University of Alberta | Music and mental health; Music and special education; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Jessica Roda | Assistant Professor; Georgetown University | Music and mental health; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society |
Ryan Rourke | Doctor; Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa; CHEO Department of Pediatric Surgery; U of O Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; CHEO Research Institute | Music and cognition; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and special education / music and autism; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music therapy |
Donald Russell | Professor, Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University; Associate Dean (Governance), Faculty of Engineering and Design, Carleton University | Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety |
Jeffrey Sabo | Lotus Centre for Special Music Education, Professional Development Coordinator | Music and special education / music and autism; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Rena Sharon | Professor of Collaborative Piano, UBC School of Music | |
Debra Sheets | Professor, School of Nursing, University of Victoria | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music |
Andra Smith | Full Professor, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Nicole Stanson | Education and Outreach Coordinator, Music and Health Research Institute | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Jesse Stewart | Associate Professor; School for Studies in Art and Culture: Music; Carleton University | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music in health care |
Ursula Stuber | Eutonie Professeure titulaire retraitée, Fac musique Université Laval | Music and special education / music and autism; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Heidi Sveistrup | Full professor, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, U Ottawa; Investigator, Bruyere Research Institute | Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music in health care; Musical biomechanics |
Mikael Swirp | Research Associate, MHRI and Piano Pedagogy Research Laboratory, uOttawa | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Neil Thomas | Cognitive Neurologist, Bruyère Memory Program, Bruyère Continuing Care; Affiliate Investigator, Bruyère Research Institute; Assistant Professor, Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa; Member, University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and aging; Music in health care |
Caroline Traube | Full professor, Faculté de musique, Université de Montréal | Music and cognition; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Guillaume Tremblay | Nurse Practitioner/Researcher | Music performance anxiety |
Felipe Verdugo | Professeur invite, Faculté de musique, Université de Montréal | Music and cognition; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Lisa Walker | Clinical Neuropsychologist, The Ottawa Hospital; Clinician Investigator, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Assistant Professor, Medicine, uOttawa; Adjunct Professor, Psychology, uOttawa | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health |
Carol Wiebe | Executive Director, Radical Connections; Lecturer, Department of Family Medicine, uOttawa; Researcher, Bruyère Research Institute | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Anna Zumbansen | Assistant professor, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa; Associate director, Music and Health Research Institute, University of Ottawa | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music therapy; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Affiliated members | Affiliation | Research interests |
Marcel Nazabal Amores | Research Assistant / Mitacs Intern, MSc Candidate (Occupational Science), Dalhousie University; Faculty/Instructor, Halifax Institute of Traditional and Early Music | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and hearing loss; Music and special education; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health; Sensory friendly concerts; Music in health care; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Rebecca Barnstaple | York University; Chigamik Community Health Centre | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Adaptive concerts; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety |
Sarah J. Bartolome | Associate Professor, Music Studies Co-Lead, Music for Childhood Wellbeing Initiative Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA | Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine |
Caroline Blouin | Chirurgien -Dentiste, Propriétaire Associée CDC, membre Performing Arts, Medecine Association, Musicienne | Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Ben Brown | benbrownsounds | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Louise Campbell | Musician, teaching artist and cultural mediator | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and special education; Music and aging; Community music; Music, health, culture and society; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Brigitte Caron | Director /teacher at the Montreal School of the Alexander Technique | Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Thierry Champs | Professeur, Département de musique, Université du Québec à Montréal | Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Carolyn Christie | N/A | Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Stephen Clift | Professor Emeritus, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK | Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine |
Mélina Dalaire | Professeure à temps partiel en éducation musicale et en pédagogie du piano, Université d’Ottawa | |
James Deaville | Professor, School for Studies in Art and Culture: Music, Carleton University | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and aging; Music, health, culture and society; Music and/as medicine |
Ludovic Dubé | Black American music Expert / Vocal Coach | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline; Music and mental health; Music and hearing loss; Music and special education; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Florence Dzierszinski | President, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health at the Royal (IMHR) | Music and mental health; Music and aging; Music in health care |
Leanna Falkenhagen | Alexander Technique teacher (private practice) | Musical biomechanics |
Benjamin Ferland | Professeur agrégé, École d’études politiques, Université d’Ottawa | Music, health, culture and society |
Stephen Fisk | Director of Operations, Sarah McLachlan School of Music | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Marie-Eve Girard | Conseillère à la recherche, Faculté d’éducation, Université d’Ottawa; Vice-Présidente, Grand Orchestre Grande Rivière (GOGR) | Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Arla Good | Chief Researcher, The SingWell Project, Toronto Metropolitan University | Music and mental health; Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music and/as medicine |
Jane Gosine | Professor (musicology) School of Music, Memorial University and Community Health and the Humanities, Faculty of Medicine (cross appointed), Memorial University; Better Breathing Choir, St John's | Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy |
Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring | Dr. / Paris Lodron University Salzburg, University Mozarteum Salzburg | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline; Music and special education; Music and aging; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Amy Hillis | Helen Carswell Chair of Community-Engaged Research in the Arts; School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design, York University | Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health / community music |
Tyler Scott Jorgensen | Assistant Professor of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin; Board-certified Emergency Physician | Music in health care; Music and/as medicine |
Amineh Koravand | Associate Professor, University of Ottawa | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music therapy |
Emma Lassiter | Choir Director | Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and special education; Music and aging; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Chantal Lessard | Manager/Professional Practice Leader; Audiology/Auditory-Verbal Therapy/Cochlear Implant Program/Clinic for Augmentative Communication, CHEO Development and Rehabilitation | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology |
Chi Yhun Lo | Dr. Research Associate, Toronto Metropolitan University; Honorary Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Health Innovation; Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline; Music and mental health; Music and hearing loss; Music and special education; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Adaptive concerts; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Lucas Marchand | Artistic Director - Sounds Of The Next Generation (SONG) | Music and mental health; Music and special education / music and autism; Music and community health / community music; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Dapne Mercado | Registered Physiotherapist | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and special education; Music and aging; Music and community health; Adaptive and assistive musical instruments; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Dave Miranda | Associate Professor, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa | Music and mental health; Music, health, culture and society |
Flora Nassrallah | Research associate at CHEO and the University of Ottawa | Music and Deaf culture / music and hearing loss /audiology; Music and aging; Music in health care |
Larry O'Farrell | Board Chair, Canadian Network for Arts and Learning; Professor Emeritus, Queen's University | Music and mental health; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Ariana Pedrosa | Doctor in Music Performance | Music and cognition; Music and mental health; Music and aging; Music and community health / community music; Music in health care; Music and/as medicine; Music performance anxiety; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
Jenna Richards | Director, Artistic Planning and Community Engagement (Ottawa Chamberfest); PhD Candidate, Interdisciplinary Research in Music (University of Ottawa) | Music and special education / music and autism; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Sensory friendly concerts / adaptive concerts; Music in health care |
Octavio Santos Solano | Neuropsychologist at The Ottawa Hospital; Clinician Investigator at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Affiliate Investigator at Bruyère Research Institute; Member of University of Ottawa and Mind Research Institute | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia |
Samarpreet Singh | Music and cognition; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and community health / community music; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musical biomechanics; Musicians’ health and wellbeing | |
Leigh VanHandel | Associate Professor of Music Theory and Music Cognition, University of British Columbia | Music and cognition; Musical biomechanics |
Renate Ysseldyk | Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University | Music and cognition; Music and cognitive decline / dementia; Music and mental health; Music and life enrichment for adults; Music and aging; Music and community health; Music, health, culture and society; Music in health care; Music therapy; Music and/as medicine; Musicians’ health and wellbeing |
The Music and Health Research Institute is fortunate to have a number of diverse and accomplished partners very dedicated to the mandate of the Institute. The partners are enthusiastically participating in the Institute's activities.
Interested in becoming a partner? Click here to submit a partner organization application form
Or, contact us at [email protected] to find out more about becoming a partner organization.
Alliance for Healthier Communities
The Alliance's vision is equitable health and wellbeing for everyone living in Ontario. To achieve this, they advance comprehensive primary health care and advocate for changes in Ontario’s health and social systems to address inequities. They believe deeply in advancing health equity and embrace collaboration and partnership to influence change.
ArtsAbly
ArtsAbly offers help to artistic structures to improve their accessibility to performers with disabilities, and conversations about disability and accessibility in schools and university classrooms. By engaging and exchanging, our aim is to improve awareness about accessibility in the arts and create an open dialogue between performers, students, and artistic ensembles.
Association Québécoise des personnes Aphasiques
Founded in 1982, the AQPA was the first association for people with aphasia to emerge in Quebec. The founders sought to provide a service beyond rehabilitation for people with aphasia where they could break their isolation and continue to develop their autonomy.
Birdsong New Music Foundation
Birdsong The David Martin New Music Foundation is a national charity dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians with mental illness. Our mission is to help, inform and inspire Canadians through new music, small local community concerts, promotions and awareness campaigns to change the existing belief system about people with mental illness. We offer production money and support to musicians with mental health diagnoses to publish their original music with top industry professionals. Our vision is to creatively change the existing stigma attached to the diagnosis of mental illness and change the way society speaks about people living with mental illness. BIRDSONG FOUNDATION IS ABOUT HOPE; IT'S ABOUT AWARENESS; IT'S ABOUT THE POWER OF MUSIC FOR HEALING.
Bruyère Research Institute
The Bruyère Research Institute (BRI) focuses on research to improve the care of aging Canadians and vulnerable populations. BRI research contributes to relevant and practical knowledge to build a more responsive health care system that delivers the best care to patients and families so they can recover better, return to work earlier, and have more productive, higher quality lives.
CAMMAC
CAMMAC is a non-profit organization – our mission is to encourage people of all ages to experience the joy of making music together in a welcoming, supportive environment. Located in the Laurentians, the CAMMAC Music Centre offers summer retreats for musicians of all ages & abilities, with additional activities throughout the year. Programs take place in a relaxing, non-competitive environment: make music, meet people who share your passions, learn from dedicated teachers & discover new repertoire.
CAMMAC is also present in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa-Gatineau: unique regional activities contribute to a lively amateur music-making scene throughout the year. The Musical Sundays Concert Series features 8 concerts throughout the summer, welcoming internationally renowned artists to the CAMMAC Music Centre.
CAMMAC ONLINE brings high quality online masterclasses, workshops, lectures, online concerts, private classes & more to our community.
Canada's National Ballet School
For more than 30 years, research and evaluation has increasingly informed program development and health and well-being initiatives at Canada's National Ballet School (NBS). The Research Institute at NBS seeks to continue the School’s leadership in evidence-informed practice across all programs, and contribute to a growing body of research on the life-changing impacts of dance. NBS’ Research Institute aims to understand and lead research in human flourishing through two research priority areas:
- Dance for health and wellness - the ways in which dance supports individual and community health and wellness as well as effective implementation of dance opportunities for this purpose.
- Dancers’ health and wellness - ways to optimize dancers’ health and wellness while maximizing their potential as dancers.
Canadian Network for Arts and Learning
The Canadian Network for Arts & Learning strives to increase access to meaningful arts experiences for all Canadians, laying the foundation for the strengthening of social, cultural, health and wellbeing, and economic vitality. Their mission is to unite local, regional and national arts and learning communities in a network for exchange, research and collaboration, cultivating a more creative, innovative, healthy and prosperous Canada.
Canadian Network for Musicians’ Health and Wellness (CNMHW)
The CNMHW is a network of collaborators within the Canadian music and health community coming together to: increase knowledge and understanding of musicians' health through research; advocate for healthy and ethical practices in music performance and education; develop evidence-informed resources for educating and promoting the health and well-being of musicians; promote sharing of knowledge and research among musicians' health researchers and educators; and build bridges between interdisciplinary network members of varying backgrounds.
Carleton University
Carleton University is a community of talented, committed and enthusiastic faculty and staff, dedicated to excellence and to supporting the education and research that distinguishes Carleton as Canada’s Capital University.
CHEO
Dedicated to the best life for every child and youth, CHEO is a global leader in pediatric health care and research. CHEO provides exceptional care and advance how children, youth and families obtain it through partnership, research and education.
Community Music Schools of Toronto
Community Music Schools of Toronto is all about kids thriving through music. Expanding from the Regent Park School of Music, it is a community music school that gives 1,000 kids a year a rich and rewarding music education, by removing the financial obstacle. For over 22 years it has seen that the study of music allows young people to flourish creatively, personally and academically enriching their lives and future prospects.
Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau
The Conservatoire is a high-level teaching institution whose musical tradition has been a feature of the city of Gatineau since 1967. From the age of eight, the Conservatory offers highly personalized training programs in performance that extend to the graduate level.
Conservatory Canada
Conservatory Canada offers a modern and flexible range of musical instruction and evaluation programs to suit the individual needs of students and teachers. From their Flex Exams to Contemporary Idioms syllabi, they strive to be progressive and innovative in everything they offer.
Dalcroze Canada
Dalcroze Canada is a registered charity dedicated to the purpose of advancing education by promoting and developing the artistic and pedagogical principles of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze in Canada. It offers the only accredited Dalcroze Certification Training in Canada. The Dalcroze method, which integrates music and body movement, has shown positive effects on psychosocial wellbeing of various group populations.
The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County
The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County provides compassionate support, tailored coaching and practical education for everyone impacted by dementia while building a dementia inclusive community.
Equity in Health Systems (EqHS) Lab
The Equity in Health Systems (EqHS) Lab is a transdisciplinary team of theoretical and applied researchers, frontline health care professionals, and learners from diverse professional and academic backgrounds, and academic and health care institutions, who are seeking to make an impact on the community and health system with the work they are engaged with. Their method is to bring together a diversity of people and perspectives to create social change in our health system by creating space for critical conversations without borders and beyond traditional structures.
The Glenn Gould Foundation
The Glenn Gould Foundation honours Glenn Gould’s spirit and legacy by promoting creativity and helping to transform lives through the power of music and the arts. It reflects the universal power of the arts to bring diverse people together in a spirit of harmony, compassion, and mutual understanding.
Le Grand Orchestre Grande Rivière (GOGR)
Grande-Rivière High School in Gatineau, Quebec, has been offering music instruction throughout the school year for many decades. Today, the school offers a program of study with a concentration in music, allowing students who choose it to begin learning this discipline. At the end of their high school studies, the program leads them to the knowledge and performance necessary for admission to graduate studies in music, both in university music faculties and at the Conservatory.
The Helen Carswell Chair in Community-Engaged Research in the Arts
Established and supported by the Carswell Family Foundation in 2016, the Helen Carswell Chair supports research that explores community cultural development. With a focus on fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the Jane and Finch community, the Helen Carswell Chair is proud to have a long-term partnership with Regent Park School of Music (RPSM) Through their work with RPSM and other Community Arts organizations, they seek to disseminate new knowledge and research to community-based groups in the Jane and Finch community and in other high-risk neighbourhoods around the world.
Institut du Savoir Monfort
Since its creation in 2015, the Institut du Savoir Montfort (ISM) has established itself as a Canadian leader in francophone research and education. Its unique model, based on the collaboration between researchers and teachers, facilitates the creation and transmission of knowledge. The ultimate goal: to improve the world of healthcare and the healthcare for the world.
Lotus Centre for Special Music Education
Lotus Centre is a registered Canadian charity which was founded by Erin Parkes to meet a community need for specialized music education. The Lotus Centre believes that every child has a right to appropriate education in any endeavour they choose to pursue. This means working with a teacher who understands the nature of the student’s needs and constantly strives to meet them, while creating a nurturing and fun environment.
MASC
MASC is an Ottawa-based community arts organization that brings the arts and culture alive for over 150,000 children, youth, and seniors each year. MASC offers schools and communities arts experiences led by professional artists that awaken the creative process, deepen cultural awareness, encourage engagement, and give vivid demonstration of Canada’s diversity.
National Art, Culture & Well-being Community of Practice (CoP)
The National Arts, Culture, and Well-being Community of Practice is a volunteer-run network connecting individuals and organizations who have a vested interest in the intersection of arts and health, social prescribing, and other initiatives that explore how arts and culture can impact well-being. This group provides a space for arts & culture workers and healthcare professionals to expand their network, collaborate and share resources, and maintain a connection to the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (CISP).
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre (NAC) is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams—the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety—and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada.
Opéra de Montréal
Well-established in Montreal, at the crossroads of North American and European culture, the Opéra de Montréal acts as a catalyst for the city’s artistic creativity and celebrates Quebec and Canada’s rich vocal heritage, showcasing opera at its most diverse and daring. From great classics of the opera repertoire and new works from home and abroad, to a training program for the finest young Canadian singers and a strong commitment to the community and to education, the Opéra de Montréal offers unforgettable operatic events at which everyone is warmly received and feels welcome.
Ottawa Chamberfest
Changing lives through music. Ottawa Chamberfest has been sharing music since 1994. What began as an annual summer festival has grown over the years to include a popular concert series and a wealth of community engagement and education programming.
Radical Connections
Wellness, for all, involves the opportunity to play, create and make choices. People in care need those same opportunities. Participation in the arts brings joy and connection; it demonstrates that people receiving care are much more than their medical conditions. Elder care needs radical transformation. Radical Connections ensures that aging is a time when people can share their wisdom and enjoy arts and culture.
Royal Ottawa Place
Royal Ottawa Place is a long-term care home with 64 beds, located on the grounds of the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. Royal Ottawa Place supports and enhances the quality of life for adults with stable mental illness and/or physical limitations, and others who may benefit from a home-like environment.
Sarah McLachlan School of Music
SOM is a high-quality community music program offering lessons at no cost for over 1000 students per year. SOM gives long term connection that nurtures trust and personal development; the SOM is a place where young people develop the confidence they need to pursue goals and overcome challenges.
Seniors Junction
Seniors Junction offers high quality music education for retirees to prevent dementia and promote social connection. Through their website they offer group and private music classes, music appreciation and history courses, and discounts for live performances. Their goal is to help seniors engage with music and thereby stay sharp, feel connected, develop confidence and learn new skills.
SingWell
The SingWell project considers group singing as a meaningful social activity for people living with communication challenges that appears to have potential to support communication function. While other effective interventions already exist for supporting communication deficits in communication challenges (CC), they tend to be costly to deploy, not widely available in remote communities, and generally not effective with regard to combating social well-being issues related to CC. Thus, group singing for CC appears to be an important complementary intervention worthy of further consideration from scientific, practical, economic, and ethical standpoints. Their mission is to understand, inform, and inspire choirs for individuals living with communication challenges.
SONG
SONG provides free musical education for children and youth in Northumberland County. Through music, SONG members learn social engagement and development, inclusiveness, and leadership, opening doors and helping them achieve brighter futures.
University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health at the Royal (IMHR)
Through dedicated research focused on incubating innovation, improving treatment interventions, and advancing prevention strategies, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) is bringing significant hope to people living with depression and related conditions.
uOttawa
Brain and Mind Research Institute
Since its establishment in 2012, the University of Ottawa’s Brain and Mind Research Institute (uOBMRI) has been committed to advancing interdisciplinary research excellence on the brain and mind for greater impact. The uOBMRI’s strength is in its unique virtual model to promote collaborations — across disciplines; across our affiliated research hospitals, between researchers and knowledge users; and across the Ottawa region and internationally.
uOttawa Library
The library is an essential partner in fulfilling the research, teaching and learning mission of the University. The University of Ottawa Library is composed of 3 main libraries - the Morisset Library (Arts and Science), the Brian Dickson Law Library and the Health Sciences Library - in addition to a number of specialized research collections. It has 161 employees, including 48 librarians, serving the students, faculty and employees of the University.
Professional Development Institute
The Professional Development Institute (PDI) is the proven leader in growing professional expertise and building workplace knowledge. Every year, thousands of public sector professionals and private sector leaders benefit from a variety of continuous professional development activities.
Vanier Community Service Centre
The Vanier Community Service Centre is a francophone organization offering a range of services in French and English to improve the quality of life for citizen of Ottawa-Vanier and surroundings.
Xenia Concerts Inc.
The mission of Xenia Concerts Inc. is to offer high quality music and arts performances, presentations, and educational programs, in an environment that welcomes those who might not have access to such events and activities due to physical, mental, or financial barriers. Their vision is re-imagining music and arts events and activities to make them inclusive, relevant, and accessible to all members of society, thereby improving quality of life and promoting the enjoyment of the arts.
Zamar Music Academy
Zamar Music Academy offers affordable music mentorship and education programs in a wide variety of instruments including Voice, to students of all ages. They seek to remove the financial obstacles that are often present within our underserved and marginalized communities, so that more students, especially those in our BIPOC communities, can have access to quality music education.
Become an MHRI Student Member and to enjoy full member benefits
We invite any post-secondary students at the undergraduate and graduate level interested in research related to music and health to fill out the following short membership form to become Student Members of the MHRI. Becoming a Student Member of the MHRI allows students to connect with a cross-Canada network of researchers, performers, health professionals, and community workers dedicated to research projects investigating musicians’ health and how music can be integrated into the delivery of health and wellness services targeting a variety of populations.
Student Members may participate in the following MHRI opportunities for training and mentorship:
- Student Research in Focus Colloquia: These 20-minute online presentations occur several times a semester and offer students an opportunity to share their research with other MHRI members, while receiving constructive feedback from MHRI professors.
- Music and Health Research Toolbox Webinars: Expert researchers from the MHRI lead workshop-style presentations on specific methodological techniques and issues facing interdisciplinary research.
- MHRI Annual Conference: Each year Student Members are invited to attend the MHRI spring conference and the Annual General Assembly Meeting. This conference gives members of the MHRI from across the country a chance to share presentations and research posters, and to participate in round-table discussions and workshops from music and health practitioners.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Student Members can volunteer to participate in MHRI working groups or to help support student events.
- Social events: Build social connections with other students from across the University of Ottawa campus and the country.
Once you fill out the membership form you will begin receiving emails from the MHRI informing you about upcoming events and opportunities. Be sure to check the website frequently for more information about the research and events taking place at the MHRI! We look forward to welcoming you!
Interested in becoming a member? Click here to submit a student/postdoc membership application form.
“It is clear that the interdisciplinary and highly original research and training programs developed by the MHRI strongly align with The Royal’s IMHR vision and mission.”
Florence Dzierszinski
— President, IMHR and Vice-President of Research, The Royal