ASME National Webinar Series

To be human is to be rhythmic. The first sense of sound we experience is our mothers’ rhythmic heartbeat, and at the end of life, as our other senses fade, our hearing is the one that remains – our own heartbeat perhaps soothing us with its slowing rhythm. Across the lifespan, beat and rhythm play an incredibly important role in brain, motor, and social-emotional development, and social cohesion. In this keynote, Professor Kate Williams will provide an overview of how the human brain and body perceive rhythm, and the intersection between beat, movement, and development. Kate will argue that rhythmic movement is an untapped resource for supporting learning and wellbeing. She will use a range of examples of how we might understand and utilise rhythm in different settings, including her own program of work, Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR). Primary music educators are in a unique position to use their skills and their own research, to unlock a window to brain functioning with wide implications for assessment, treatment, screening, education, and wellbeing more broadly. The future of research and practice in this area is exciting with many avenues yet to be understood and explored.