Research Updates
Here at Bigger Better Brains we believe that through educating yourself, you can then educate and affect positive change in your community.
With all of the research in the field of neuromusical science, our BBB Research section serves as a content hub for you. We regularly share findings and break down the latest research to educate and inspire discussion. We hope you enjoy this page on our website and share BBB news with your colleagues, parents and students.
Can Harmony Help Students Connect?
Can harmony do more than shape sound, can it shape connection? New research suggests predictable harmony may help align not just music, but people.
Is recorded music just as good as live music?
Research suggests it’s not that simple. Live music creates stronger emotional and brain responses, especially when there’s real-time interaction between performer and listener. If that’s the case, it raises an important question, how often are students actively involved in shaping music in the moment in your classroom?
Depressed? Classical music could be the unexpected remedy!
Music has always been a go-to for lifting our spirits, but did you know classical music might take it a step further by actually helping treat depression?
The surprising link between music and cognitive health in older adults
Can music play a role in healthy aging? According to new research, the answer might be yes.
Can Music Sync Our Heartbeats? This Study Says Yes!
Imagine sitting in a concert hall, completely immersed in the music, when something incredible happens—you and the people around you begin to breathe and feel the same rhythm.
Challenge your brain with different music!
This study looks at how our brains engaged with familiar and unfamiliar music. Turns out our brains sustains engagement with music that is unfamiliar.
Listening to music we prefer gets us more connected to ourselves
Why do we prefer different types of music? Why isn’t there just one type of music that everyone likes? The answer may be that we only get connected with our true selves, the part of our brain that is full of our thoughts, through music that we choose for ourselves.
How listening to music can have psychological benefits during lockdown
This article gives us an excellent summary of the ways that music listening can have physiological benefits, and it is a great reminder of the ways we can use music to improve our wellbeing.
Listening to music while exercising activates specific brain region
Have you been listening to music as you get your daily exercise in during COVID-19? Have you found yourself changing your music choices during this troubling time, maybe to lighten your mood or help you focus more on your exercise and less on these uncertain times?
Listening to self-selected happy music can provide mood-repair and a sense of connection
Researchers have wondered if “listening to comforting music, as a response to a social loss experience, provides a sense of empathic company as indicated by reduced loneliness and heightened empathy.”
Music synchronises our brain!
There is a theory called the theory of familiarity in music. It is, as described at the end of this article, the idea of an inverted U.
What is working memory and how might music learning help?
This article is a great explanation of working memory and the different ways it is affected by disorders such as dyslexia, auditory processing disorder and ADHD.
FINAL Course for 2026 - Oct 26 to Nov 13
Learn how to share the importance of your music program in a way that finally lands.
Build powerful advocacy from the inside out. The Music Advocacy Method Course helps school and music program communities craft research-informed messaging that resonates with students, parents, colleagues, school leaders, funders and policy makers. Whether you’re looking to grow enrolments, boost recognition, or build a stronger support base, this course gives you the structure, guidance and tools you need to speak with clarity and confidence.
What’s Included
3 x 30‑minute Webinars and 3 x 30‑minute Live Chats with Dr Anita Collins
Learn directly from world-renowned music education advocate Dr Anita Collins as she guides you through each stage of building an impactful advocacy campaign tailored to your own school or program.
Weekly Exercises Based on the BBB+ Advocacy Method
Hands-on tasks designed to help you identify misconceptions, map your key audiences and craft messages that work.
Downloadable Workbook and Planning Templates
Structured resources to guide your thinking, shape your language and develop your strategy.
Access to Webinar Recordings for 3 Months
Revisit each session in your own time to reinforce your learning and refresh your message development.
3 Months of Premium BBB+ Membership
Gain full access to the entire BBB+ library of over 500 evidence-informed advocacy tools and resources to support your work during and after the course.
Certificate of Completion
Document your professional learning and add to your teaching portfolio.
Return Access at a Discounted Rate
Completed the course but want to run a new campaign next year? Come back for just $50, saving you time and money.
What You Will Learn
Use the course content and templates to identify misconceptions about music learning in your context, understand what drives them, and reshape the conversation. Build your messaging for a range of uses, from concerts and parent nights to emails, newsletters, staff briefings and school marketing materials. Whether you’re presenting in person or posting online, your messages will be grounded in evidence and tailored to connect.
Why the Method Works
People may support music learning in theory, but rarely understand its full impact. This course helps you move beyond assumptions by providing the latest research and practical tools to communicate clearly and persuasively. When communities understand the true value of music learning, they become your greatest advocates.
Who Would Benefit from the Course
Classroom and ensemble music teachers
Instrumental teachers
School music coordinators and department heads
Studio and small business music program owners
Leaders of school or community music programs
Anyone seeking to strengthen support for music learning in their community
The Music Advocacy Method Course empowers you to lead with research, speak with clarity and inspire meaningful change for your program and your students. This course is delivered in English only.