Exploring the Power of Music: Inaugural Music & Health Conference

How does music affect our cognitive health and well-being? Can it reduce depression and anxiety, helping people manage stress and prevent burnout? What is its impact on our nervous system, and can it reduce pain?

These are just a few of the topics that will be explored during the inaugural Music & Health Conference on Sept. 22, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. The event aims to unite musicians, scientists and clinicians, focusing on the intersection of music and health outcomes.

“I’m most excited about the interdisciplinary nature of this event,” says Sean Young, PhD, the UC Irvine professor of emergency medicine and informatics organizing the conference. The goal is to foster collaborations and research that promote using music as a tool for health and behavior change, blending Young’s personal and professional interests.

In college, Young studied ethnomusicology and worked signing bands for a record label. “I have been excited to return to my music roots for the past few years by studying the effects of music on health,” he says. Young is particularly excited about integrating art and science. “The scientists I’ve pitched this to often haven’t understood the value of musicians in this research. I’m looking to change that!”

By showcasing multidisciplinary talents, with researchers presenting their work and musicians expressing their art through performances, Young aims to encourage innovative conversations in how we approach healthcare.

“This is a new field, and bringing together health researchers, neuroscientists, musicians, music therapists and professionals working in music and health has the potential to make science and medicine more exciting and impactful for the general public,” says Young. “Building on discussions from the conference, we plan to organize future working groups, paper topics, grants and other collaborative opportunities.”

With funding from the National Institutes of Health, as well as from a private donor, the conference will feature presentations, expert panels and live musical performances, showcasing how music can improve our well-being and mental health.

The topics of the three main sessions will cover:

• music and mental health,
• neuroscience and cognitive health, and
• applied music, technology and innovation.

The last session will touch on some of Young and his team’s research into pain management using music — particularly jazz and reggae.

He hopes the conference sparks a new approach to healthcare that involves prescribing sound and music to patients, helping them heal and positively impacting their well-being.

Learn more about the featured conference speakers and register for the event today!