Berlin 2024 was a hybrid event - Participants had the opportunity to took part both in person and online.
Image from Daniel Mennerich at https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielmennerich/52832572468 licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License.

The Future of Music and Arts in Medicine and Health took place in Berlin, Germany, and online, September 18-21, 2024. This hybrid event brought together medical and artistic experts, researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world, offering opportunities for collaboration and networking across continents and disciplines.  Additionally, pre and post-congress workshops, Special Interest Group meetings and other business meetings enriched the program.

Image from Daniel Mennerich at https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielmennerich/52832572468 licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License.

Speakers

Highlights and News

Music: Penicillin or Placebo?

Can music improve our well being or even more? Join Vic and Steve as they explore these and other controversial topics using bass guitars and groove as scalpels (and anaesthesia).

We're thrilled to share the exciting news of an upcoming performance/lecture by the renowned artists, Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey, in our upcoming Congress, “The Future of Music and Arts in Medicine and Health”! Their participation promises an unforgettable experience filled with music, learning, and inspiration.

Concert with Jocelyn B. Smith

Jocelyn B. Smith is a native New Yorker; a very successful and passionate singer & musician; has lived in Germany for 30 years; has performed more than 3,000 live concerts; has released more than 12 albums under her own label; has worked with artists as diverse as Lenny White, Till Brönner, Falco, Alphaville and many more. ; has received many awards, including the gold record for the theme song of the Disney film “The Lion King”; has sung in front of Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Desmond Tutu; has founded several social projects, such as a choir for the homeless, and holds the German Federal Cross of Merit.

There is another facet to Jocelyn: her spirituality, which has been an important source of her life since childhood. Her interest in mysticism has guided her deep search for understanding questions, doubts and acceptance of our spiritual greatness. Jocelyn's music and voice serve as an expression to find the common thread that connects our deepest human experiences. Through her spiritual experiences on her journey and the realization of the tremendous power that lies within our voice, her mission has been clearly defined. For Jocelyn, it is now about integrating her spiritual insight into her work to unleash its full power. She believes that our voices can create a deep connection and bring pure healing on all levels - individually and collectively.

A Dynamical Systems Model of Musically-Induced Emotions - Julian Thayer, Scott Robinson & Johannes Hamm

Julian Thayer, Scott Robinson & Johannes Hamm will enrich the first evening of our congress (Wednesday, September 18th) with a special lecture and performance entitled "A dynamical systems model of musically-induced emotions".

Dr. Julian F. Thayer is currently a Distinguished Professor of Psychological Science at UC Irvine. A Fulbright Fellow, winner of five Distinguished Scientist Awards, and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, he has produced more than 500 publications and is ranked among the top .1% of most-cited researchers worldwide. His research on music and psycho-acoustics has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Psychology Today. An accomplished bassist and composer, Julian has recorded with Geri Allen, Charlie Mariano, George Garzone, and others.

Scott Robinson is an award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist who has presented his music in nearly every corner of the globe, appearing on more than 275 recordings. He has worked with Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, Maria Schneider, Chet Baker, Henry Grimes, Ella Fitzgerald, Anthony Braxton and many more. Scott’s ScienSonic Laboratories imprint has released more than a dozen adventurous and far-reaching albums, including Flow States with Milford Graves, Roscoe Mitchell and Marshall Allen. His quartet album Tenormore was named “Best New Release” in a 2019 JazzTimes poll.

Johannes Hamm studied in Mannheim, Basel and in Salvador da Bahia in the northeast of Brasil. In 2019 he received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service, as well as from New York University to study jazz performance with drumming legends Billy Drummond, Ari Hoenig and Lenny White. After moving back to Germany he’s been performing with a wide range of artists from rock bands (Not my President) to hip-hop artists (Sarah Mokthari, Chaoze One), contemporary dance performances with composer Carlos Trujillo and of course jazz ensembles from trio to big band. As a leader he released two records, Convective Ideas in 2018 and SYNK in 2023.

Social Evening Event

Enjoy an entertaining and casual evening in exciting surroundings in a typical Berlin event location - simply stunning.

You can reach the location in about 10 minutes on foot from the congress venue. A hot and cold buffet (including vegetarian options) and drinks of all kinds await you there. There will be plenty of opportunity for informal discussions at bar tables. You can wander around the exciting location or enjoy the evening sun on the terrace. We have also prepared artistic presentations for you.

The price for the social evening includes food from the buffet and non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are available with a cash box of confidence.

 

Notice that our social evening is now fully booked! Please do not send funds to register for the social evening, these will not be refunded.

About The Conference Theme

About Our Organizations: IAMM & ISfAM

ISfAM

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The International Society for Arts and Medicine (ISfAM) was established in 2023 with the primary aim to highlight the important connection of arts and medicine. Our mission is to create a forum and hub for scientists, medical doctors, artists, therapists, as well as any individuals, organizations, and supporters working or interested in the field of arts and medicine. Our shared interest is improving and sustaining health through the arts including visual arts, music, dance, other performing arts, literature, and architecture. The International Society for Arts and Medicine (ISfAM) will foster growth, cooperation, education, policy advice, and visibility of the field.

President: Prof. Dr. Stefan Willich

IAMM

The International Association for Music & Medicine (IAMM) is a registered non-profit organization formed in 2009 to encourage and support the use of music in medical contexts including research into the benefits of music, and its specialized applications in healthcare. IAMM is a global community of multi-disciplinary professionals and learners who work at the intersection of music and medicine/health. The organization currently provides virtual seminars, events, and interactive forums, in addition to an international conference every two years.

President: Prof. Dr. Suzanne B. Hanser

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Congress Main Topics

Building upon the success of previous IAMM conferences, this year's event was driven by the overarching theme, "The Future of Arts and Music in Medicine and Health." Inspired by the innovative spirit of Berlin, a city that harmoniously blends history and modernity, our congress aims to explore the dynamic relationship between arts, music, and healthcare.

With a diverse range of topics rooted in the therapeutic potential of artistic expression, the neurological underpinnings of music, and the cultural dimensions of healing, we invite you to join us in shaping the future landscape of arts and medicine.

 

The five main topics of our congress correspond to five plenary sessions on:

Therapeutic Outcomes of the Arts

Delving deep into the transformative potential of the arts within the medical sphere, this topic will encompass the multifaceted roles arts play, from traditional music and creative art therapy modalities to the emergent field of neuroaesthetics. Studies and real-world applications will showcase how arts-based interventions can not only alleviate physical pain but also act as powerful tools for emotional and psychological healing.

Neurosciences, Cognition, and the Arts

This topic will shed a light on the intricacies of the brain and its relationship with the arts. It will provide a comprehensive exploration of how the arts influence neural activities, shape our cognitive functions, and offer promising avenues for therapeutic recovery.

Innovations at the Intersection of Arts, Medicine, Health, and Technology

The future of healthcare beckons with an exciting confluence of arts, medicine, and technology. This topic will spotlight groundbreaking initiatives that harness the power of technology to redefine patient care. We will explore how blending artistic practices with the latest technological advancements can offer tailored therapeutic strategies and foster productive interdisciplinary dialogues, ultimately driving healthcare towards unprecedented horizons.

Music and Arts-based Interventions in Medical and Health Contexts

Music and arts are not just for entertainment; their therapeutic potential is profound and far-reaching. This topic will shed light on the diverse applications of music and other art forms in various medical contexts. We will explore how tailored interventions, from rhythmic entrainment to visual stimulation, can offer solace, healing, and rejuvenation across different patient demographics and conditions.

Artistic Expression and Cultural Perspectives in Healthcare and Community

Art is a universal language, yet it is deeply rooted in cultural nuances. This topic will explore the significance of acknowledging and integrating these cultural perspectives within healthcare environments. We will seek to understand the importance of considering diverse artistic expressions in therapy, the role of cultural sensitivity in patient care, and the potential benefits of an inclusive, globally-aware approach to health and well-being.

Our Venue: Berlin Charité

Charité means charity or mercy in French. And this is exactly where the origin of the now world-famous Berlin hospital lies. Founded in 1710 as a house for plague patients, the Charité became really important when the university in Berlin began operations in 1810. From now on, research, hospital operations and teaching went hand in hand. Over half of the German Nobel Prize winners in medicine or physiology worked at the hospital, which today has over 3,000 beds at several locations in the German capital. 290 professors and over 8,000 students are involved in research, teaching and studying at the Charité. Today, a total of 13,000 employees look after the well-being of almost 800,000 outpatients and inpatients every year. World-famous and highly paid doctors such as Robert Koch, Rudolf Virchow and Ferdinand Sauerbruch worked here.

Source: https://www.dw.com/de
Image from: Imago Images/K. Hoefer
Source: https://www.dw.com/de Image from: Imago Images/K. Hoefer

Venue & Transport Information

Address

Venue Address

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Campus Virchow-Klinikum

Augustenburger Platz 1

(CVK Forum 3)

13353 Berlin

(Click here for Google Maps)

Location

Location Maps

Please use the area map to find our campus in the Wedding district of Berlin, and to find out how to get here by public transport. If you are traveling by Uber or Taxi, please direct them to the CVK Forum 3 on Weststr. The closest entrance by car is the one on Seestraße.

Entrances to the campus are marked with letters of the alphabet:

A - Entrance Augustenburger Platz 1 / Amrumer Straße (pedestrian access only)
B - Entrance Seestraße 5 (access for pedestrians, cars, and deliveries) and multi-storey car park
C - Entrance Nordufer (access for pedestrians, cars, no deliveries)

Area Map

Please use the location map for Campus Virchow-Klinikum to find the route to Forum 3 on Weststr. This will make it easier to navigate your way around what is rather a large campus. Once inside the buildings, please follow the directional signage provided.

Location Map

Transport

Public Transport in Berlin

Local public transport includes S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus. Public transport in Berlin is operated by BVG.

You can buy local public transit tickets…

  • In the app
    Buy tickets on your phone. Pay with a credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your ticket is valid 1 minute after you buy it. You need internet access to buy tickets. There is Wi-Fi at most train stations.
    • Jelbi app
      You can also rent cars, bicycles, scooters and mopeds with this app. It’s in English and German. You must create an account.
    • BVG app
      It’s in English and German. You must create an account.
    • VBB app
      You can buy tickets for Berlin and Brandenburg. It’s a little harder to use. You must create an account.
  • At a ticket machine
    Find a yellow or red ticket machine at the train station. The machines are on the train platforms, near the exits. You can pay with coins, bills, credit cards and Girocards. You can sometimes pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay. The ticket machines speak many languages.
  • On the tram
    Find a yellow ticket machine near the middle of the tram.  The new machines only accept cards.
  • On the bus
    Enter at the front of the bus, and buy a ticket from the driver. Tap your card or phone on the payment terminal near the driver. 
  • At S-Bahn and BVG service points
    Buy tickets at S-Bahn and BVG service points. There is often a queue.

For more information please take a look at the BVG website.

Uber or Taxi

Uber and taxis are available in Berlin. Direct them to the Charite Virchow Klinik, Seestraße entrance. 

Parking

Parking

There is limited free parking on campus, and we would advise against bringing your car onto campus unless you are dropping off a patient. Ample parking is available at the large multi-storey car park at No. 5 Seestraße, which is open 24/7.

Parking charges in multi-storey car park from 0:00 a.m. to midnight:

  • Standard parking charges
    - The first 30 minutes are free of charge.
    - The second 30 minutes: 2,00 Euro.
    - Each additional hour: 2,00 Euro.
    - Highest daily costs: 14 Euro.
     
  • Parking with PCard
    - The first 30 minutes are free of charge.
    - The second 30 minutes: 1,50 Euro.
    - Each additional hour: 1,50 Euro.
    - Highest daily costs: 12 Euro.

Lost tickets: 24.00 EUR

Parking charges on campus:
Free if you leave campus within 59 minutes.
After 60 minutes (After free first hour) you will be charged: 4.00 EUR
Each additional hour: 2.00 EUR

Lost tickets: 28.00 EUR

Disabled parking spaces are available on Mittelallee and are clearly signposted. All relevant documentation must be produced in order to qualify for free disabled parking. The maximum parking time is 24 hours

(last update: January 04, 2024)

Hotels Convenient to Public Transportation

Arena Inn

★★★
01 (1)

Hotel Arena Inn renovated in 2012 is located in Mitte - the fashionable district in the center of Berlin.

 

Address: Müllerstr. 163, 13353 Berlin

Mercure Hotel Moa

★★★★
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This is Berlin's second-largest conference hotel and a great option for business guests. 

 

Address: Stephanstr. 41, 10559 Berlin

Victors Residenz

★★★
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In the north-west of the capital is Victor’s Residenz Hotel Berlin-Tegel with modern rooms, a quiet location, and a relaxed atmosphere.

 

Address: Holländerstraße 31, 13407  Berlin

ABION, Spreebogen

★★★★
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The AMERON Berlin ABION Spreebogen Waterside has a view of the River Spree and a location at the heart of the capital between the West Centre and the East Centre. 

 

Address: Alt-Moabit 99, 10559 Berlin

LIME HOTEL

★★★★
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Our limehome Berlin Müllerstraße is located directly in the popular Berlin Wedding district, very close to Berlin Mitte and all of the capital's important sights.  

 

Address: 12 Müllerstraße , 13353 Berlin, DE

Alternative Booking Options

Congress Committee

Congress Co-Presidents

Suzanne Hanser -  IAMM

Stefan Willich -  ISfAM

Congress Organizing Committee

Anne Berghöfer

Margit Cree

Samuel Gracida

Vera Brandes

Jingwen Zhang

Scientific Committee

Mazda Adli
Eckart Altenmüller
Erik Bauman
Anne Berghöfer
Bussakorn Binson
Vera Brandes (Co-Chair)
Benno Brinkhaus
Ferol Carytsas
Xijing Chen
Amy Clements-Cortes
Karin Dannecker
Ayelet Dassa
Albert Dieffenbacher
Athanasios Dritsas
Jane Edwards
Calvin Eng
Mark Ettenberger
Iva Fattorini
Lukas Feireiss
Carsten Finke
Saoirse Finn
Urs Gruber

Andreas Hillert
Eva Bojner Horwitz
Yuji Igari
Sabine Koch
Bing Li
Joanne Loewy
Susan Mandel
Matt McCrary
Katrina Skewes McFerran
Melissa Mercadal-Brotons
Christiane Montag
Nsamu Moonga
Lutz Neugebauer
Benjamin O'Brien
Clare O'Callaghan
Thomas Ostermann
Katy Overy
Efthimios Papatzikis
Thomas Petschner
Adak Pirmorady
Marija Pranjić

Kezia Putri
Alison Rigby
Andrew Rossetti
Purvaa Sampath
Katharina Schmitt
Hartmut Schröder
Jalid Sehouli
Christos Sideras
Michael Silverman
Vivien Marcow Speiser
Cynthia A. Standley
Jeanette Tamplin
Patsy Tan
Julian Thayer
Patravoot Vatanasapt
Dorothee von Moreau
Cor Wagenaar
Stefan Willich (Co-Chair)
Claudia Witt
Lisa Wong
Claudia Zanini

Budget Committee

Gabriele Rotter

Fred Schwartz

FAQ

Have more questions?  get in touch with us by email.

Cooperating Organizations

Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

 

 

Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist

Since its founding in 1996, CPAM has become one of the largest and most comprehensive arts in health programs in the nation, receiving the 2023 Texas Medal of the Arts Award from the Texas Cultural Trust, “spotlighting Texas leaders who fuel our state’s economy, improve our health and well-being, and enrich our cultural heritage”, the 2019 International Hamilton Award from the National Organization for Arts in Health, “celebrating the best use of the arts in healthcare employee engagement”, and the 2017 Business Council for the Arts Award from Americans for the Arts, “recognizing the best businesses partnering with the arts in America”.

Bronze Sponsor

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Strecker Stiftung

The Strecker Stiftung is one of the largest music foundations in Germany and provides financial support through one-off contributions as well as permanent financial support and grants for musical or musicological publications. They also award scholarships and prizes.

Partnerships

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Live Presentation Translation

Thanks to the generosity of the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist and their silver sponsorship of our upcoming Congress, "The Future of Music and Arts in Medicine and Health", we are pleased to announce a partnership with Wordly.

What is Wordly?

Wordly is a leading provider of AI-powered translation and captioning services to break down language barriers and foster global communication. Wordly provides live two-way translation for 50+ languages through its state-of-the-art technology. Attendees can listen to translated audio, read translated subtitles, read same-language captions, and access text transcripts. This ensures they can fully grasp the content regardless of their native language.

This innovative partnership with Wordly underscores IAMM's dedication to fostering a truly international exchange of knowledge and collaboration within music and medicine. By removing language barriers, we can ensure all healthcare professionals can benefit from the latest research and best practices presented at our upcoming Congress.

Highlights From the Previous Conference - IAMM 2022

The previous IAMM Conference, held in 2022, was hosted in the historic city of Athens, Greece. A plethora of meetings and presentations from 140+ of the world's leading experts in the fields of Music and Medicine and Music Therapy took place, producing over 40 hours of educational content which were enjoyed live at the conference, and made available afterwards in the IAMM 2022 Conference Content Library.

Reproducibility, Transparency, and Lessons from Meta-research for Music Medicine

John P.A. Ioannidis, MD, DSc

There has been increasing interest in empirical studies to understand the replication and reproducibility of scientific research. With close to 200,000,000 published scholarly documents across science, there is tremendous potential to synthesize the available evidence and to appraise also how research practices are evolving over time...

Music and the Unconscious

Athanassios S. Fokas, PhD, MD

Visual perception is achieved via the deconstruction of a given percept followed by its reconstruction. I will refer to the unconscious reconstruction of the percept as its mental representation. About a third of second after an unconscious reconstruction, the brain informs itself of what the brain already knows. Namely, the unconscious informs consciousness of the given percept.

At this moment, the first ‘big bang’ takes place: awareness. I will refer to the conscious construction of the percept as its mental image. The generalization of this process gives rise to the first hypothesis: every conscious experience is preceded by an unconscious process....

Validation Of The Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Awareness in Disorders Of Consciousness (MATADOC) With The Coma Recovery Scale (Revised)

Dr. Wendy L. Magee, Temple University, Philadelphia

The Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Awareness in Disorders of Consciousness (MATADOC) is a standardized music-based assessment of awareness for adults with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDoC). Assessing awareness is highly complex with this minimally responsive population. Auditory responsiveness is poorly assessed by existing PDoC measure protocols. Music has been found to boost arousal, attention and cognition in PDoC patients, and yet standardized assessments of awareness in PDoC use primarily verbal interventions. The MATADOC’s performance in comparison to the criterion standard assessment of awareness....

Research Findings On The Effects Of Music Therapy On Hospitalized Preterm Infants And Their Caregivers, In A Greek Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study

Faiy An. Evaggelou & Lelouda Stamou

The presentation aims at presenting research findings on the importance of music therapy interventions in family centered prenatal care for preterm infants hospitalized in a Greek NICU. Research findings on the effects of music interventions on the infants’ vital bio-physiological functions and the emotional and behavioral benefits for both babies and their caregivers (mothers) will be analytically presented, from the first known and published research, in Greece. The effects of the....

Exploring the use of music and music therapy to address anxiety for women undergoing gynaecological and fertility treatments

Dr. Alison Short

Although focusing particularly on physical recovery, the cardiac rehabilitation journey must also address psychosocial issues for recovery and secondary prevention benefits. The music psychotherapy modality of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) effectively addresses this clinical need. Resulting from previous work, this presentation explores the way that the music itself resonates and amplifies effects within GIM practice for this clinical population. It systematically explores....

Relationships between rhythm perception and cognition in the healthy aging population

Aaron Colverson, Ph.D. candidate, University of Florida

Little is known about overlaps between aging, declines in rhythm/timing perception, and healthy cognition. Neurobehavioral function in regions associated with executive functioning (working memory, attention, inhibition, processing speed) decline as a result of age. This may include declines in precise and accurate rhythm/timing perception. This literature review highlights....