Music + Neuroscience + Fun = Benefits for Every Child
An early childhood music program by the RCM
06/17/2026
🎵 Want to support your child’s memory and learning?
Research shows that children who are musically trained often have stronger working memory than those who are not. Music training is more than a creative outlet. It gives the brain active exercise that can support learning and thinking skills across many areas of life.
06/10/2026
Music and collaboration go hand in hand! Research shows that collaborative music-making can increase empathy in toddlers, making them more sensitive to subtle changes in the human voice that indicate mood and emotion.
06/05/2026
Evidence shows there is a link between children who take music lessons and an increase in the ability to focus their attention. Participation in music is inherently rewarding, making children more likely to devote the time necessary to develop these skills.
01/08/2026
You can now listen to the latest TASL podcast from Dr. Kinga Petrovai, which highlights the global launch of RCM Smart Start!
The podcast was recorded during the RCM Smart Start Symposium: Music and the Mind and explores how music shapes early childhood learning, brain development, and wellbeing.
This episode features in-depth conversations with:
🎵 Dr. Indre Viskontas on the neuroscience of music and learning
🤖 Kevin Chan on creativity, technology, and AI in education
🧠Dr. Sean Hutchins, Director of Research at The Royal Conservatory of Music, on the research foundations behind the Smart Start curriculum
Listen to the full podcast at: https://www.theartandscienceoflearning.com/blogsidebysidee/125-music-and-the-mind-inside-the-global-launch-of-the-royal-conservatory-of-musics-smart-start-program
The Smart Start Symposium and global launch of RCM Smart Start are happening this Friday, October 31! Join us as we transform The Royal Conservatory at 273 Bloor St. W. in Toronto for a day of discovery, dialogue, and celebration featuring world-renowned artists, educators, and neuroscientists—showing how music can transform early childhood education. 🎵đź§
Tickets are still available at https://www.rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/music-and-the-mind-smart-start-symposium-2025
The Royal Conservatory is excited to introduce RCM Smart Start, a research-based early learning program designed by experts in music education and neuroscience.
The program features a research-informed curriculum, digital learning resources, and guided online training to equip educators with the tools they need.
Learn more about RCM Smart Start today 🎵 https://rcmsmartstart.org/
10/23/2025
RCM Smart Start is The Royal Conservatory’s globally expanding early childhood music program. Backed by research in early learning and neuroscience, it delivers a play-based, arts-integrated experience that fosters curiosity, confidence, and connection. Each session develops cognitive skills like attention, memory, perception, and flexible thinking—among other foundational abilities—while also fostering children’s musical learning.
Learn more about the program today: rcmsmartstart.org 🎵
