Discover the Power of Music and Medicine at the Centre for Intercultural Musicology at Churchill College: 20 March 2026, 2-5pm
Engage with innovators who are redefining surgical methodologies and post-operative recovery through musical collaboration and experience immersive wellbeing sessions at this Cambridge Festival event, curated by the Centre for Intercultural Musicology at Churchill College (CIMaCC).
CIMaCC promotes research-in-practice in the interdisciplinary domains of music, intercultural arts and sciences, providing a platform for collaborative and innovative music-making, performance and composition. This event offers a glimpse into cutting-edge research where music meets medicine, and the benefits it can deliver.
Hear from leading medical practitioners, delivered via videocall, with interactive Q&A sessions and then enjoy stretching your creative muscles in breakout sessions.
Eminent neurosurgeon, Professor Keyoumars Ashkan will share his innovative work in deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease which gathered global attention in 2025.
He operated on a patient while she played the clarinet, with her dexterity improving immediately upon electrode activation. The work showed how real-time musical performance can validate surgical accuracy and optimize outcomes. The implanted rechargeable pulse generator works to continuously monitors and adjusts brain activity, marking a leap in personalized neurosurgical care.
Professor Ashkan’s talk is entitled, ‘Deep Brain Stimulation : From the Surgical to Musical Theatre’
Also speaking are cardiothoracic surgeon Professor Abid Amir and Professor Valerie Ross on the topic, ‘Enhancing Intraoperative Ambience with Nature-Based Bespoke Music during Cardiothoracic Surgery’. They offer insights into the crafting of music and soundscapes that correlate with the different phases of open-heart surgery and sonic preferences of the surgeon. It further considers the audiology of the intraoperative environment, such as background noise, machinery and its sonic surroundings.
In the second half, wellness takes centre stage. Guided by Louise Ranger (Churchill College) and Barry Phipps, Director of Bill Brown Creative Workshops, participants will begin with a group wellness coaching session and then choose one of three hands-on breakouts sessions:
- Walking Ecotherapy in Churchill College gardens
- Clay Workshop at the Bill Brown Creative Workshops
- Home-based Wellness Training via bespoke online content
Whether you’re curious about the science underpinning music in surgery or eager to participate in creative wellness methods, this event offers inspiration, interaction, and innovation.
Reserve your place to witness how music can transform both medicine and your own wellbeing: Music-medicine wellness creatives | Cambridge Festival