Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus

If you are interested in music and sleep, you should check out this new book edited by Kira Vibe Jespersen and Björn Rasch. More info here:
https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/display/artikel/new-book-music-and-sleep-a-scientific-perspective

The 11th Mismatch Negativity Conference is taking place 7-9 October 2026 in Bari, Italy.
It's time to submit your symposium proposal! Deadline is 20 June.
https://mmn2026.uniba.it/abstracts/

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MUSIC AND SLEEP

What an incredible few days at the 1st International Conference on Music and Sleep!

A huge thank you to our speakers, volunteers, partners, sponsors, and every attendee who helped make this conference such a success. From insightful discussions and questions to new collaborations and conversations in the foyer, we are grateful for all the energy through-out the event.

We’re thankful to everyone who shared their expertise and perspectives at the intersection of music and sleep.

Some highlights:
• Group photo of all attendees;
• Welcome and introduction from the organising committee;
• Keynote lecture by professor Mélanie Strauss;
• One of our poster sessions;
• Conference dinner in the old brewery building of Aarhus
• One of the great musical interludes.

We hope you’re leaving with new ideas and meaningful new connections!

Thank you for being part of it.

Yesterday, the first International Conference on Music and Sleep was kicked off in Aarhus. The participants spanning 13 countries were welcomed by the Organizing Committee. Then followed the welcome lecture, talk sessions, discussions, musical performance, poster session and finally a welcome reception on the rooftop terrace of the Royal Academy with a beautiful view of Aarhus.


Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium

The first International Conference on Music and Sleep has begun!

Kan musik afhjælpe søvnproblemer? I disse dage lægger DJM i Aarhus hus til den første internationale konference om musik og søvn: ”International Conference on Music and Sleep. Interdisciplinary Perspectives.” Konferencen samler forskere fra 13 forskellige lande fra hele verden og fra forskellige fagområder, der alle arbejder med musik og søvn. Målet er at fremme samarbejde og videnskabelige fremskridt inden for feltet.

Gennem det seneste årti er der kommet stadig flere forskningsbidrag om musik og søvn, bl.a. inden for neurovidenskab, søvnforskning og musikpsykologi. Konferencen ønsker at understøtte formidling og drøftelser af forskningen i musik og søvn gennem internationale keynote-talere, mundtlige præsentationer, posterpræsentationer, workshops og sociale arrangementer.

Konferencen er arrangeret af Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus, Aarhus Universitet, i samarbejde med Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium og Lullabyte, et tværfagligt PhD-netværk mellem 10 europæiske forskningsinstitutioner.

Se meget mere om konferencen her: https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/international-conference-on-music-and-sleep-2026
Foto: Forskningsprofessor ved DJM samt leder af Music in the Brain, Peter Vuust, holder det indledende foredrag ved konferencen onsdag formiddag. Konferencen varer fra onsdag til fredag.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MUSIC AND SLEEP

📘 The Book of Abstracts is now available!

Ahead of the first edition of the Conference on Music and Sleep, we are pleased to share this year’s Book of Abstracts.

The volume brings together contributions on music and sleep from a range of disciplines, offering an overview of the research that will be presented at the conference.

👉 Access the abstracts here from the front page of our conference website https://confmussleep.au.dk

International Conference on Music and Sleep The conference will be hosted by Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music and the European MSCA doctoral network Lullabyte.

We’re pleased to share the social programme for the 1st International Conference on Music and Sleep 🎶
All social events are included in the conference fee and offer opportunities to connect with fellow participants in a relaxed setting.

📅 6 May
🔹 17:00 — Welcome reception at the Royal Academy of Music
🔹 20:00 — Somnosphere installation at the Royal Academy of Music

📅 7 May
🔹 19:00 — Conference dinner at MALT

More info on: https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/international-conference-on-music-and-sleep-2026/programme-and-keynotes

We look forward to welcoming you and continuing the conversations beyond the sessions!

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MUSIC AND SLEEP

Important Update: Moving from Discord to Element

Differently from what we announced before, communication and sharing during the conference will not happen through Discord. Instead, we created an Element channel where you will be able to join different discussion rooms during the conference.

A chat is already open to discuss sharing of accommodation in Aarhus during the conference days!

More info on how to join the Element channel here: https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/international-conference-on-music-and-sleep-2026/discord-channel

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MUSIC AND SLEEP

We are pleased to announce our second workshop taking place at the 1st International Conference on Music and Sleep: Music for sleep in hospitals.

Music therapists Helle Nystrup Lund (Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark) and Line Malmskov (Bispebjerg Hospital, Denmark) will lead a workshop on the use of music to support sleep in hospital settings.

Focusing on stroke patients and individuals with depression-related insomnia, the workshop highlights music listening as a non-pharmacological, adjunctive approach to support healthy sleep, well-being, and overall functioning. While effectiveness can vary across individuals, music-based interventions show promising potential across clinical populations.

Drawing on clinical practice, Malmskov and Lund will present examples from psychiatry at Aalborg University Hospital and neurorehabilitation at Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark.
Malmskov presents a model based on cross-disciplinary collaboration, in which the music therapist instructs healthcare professionals in selecting music with and for individual patients in a hospital ward.

Lund presents a short-term “music and sleep” group in a psychiatric outpatient unit, where patients with depression are referred by healthcare professionals as part of their treatment. This provides an example of how research findings are translated into clinical practice, with key findings also summarised.

The workshop will include music listening exercises and reflections on the challenges of music selection, particularly in cases where patients are unable to inform or guide the choice of music.

Music interventions in hospital settings are an emerging field with both potential and challenges. Join the workshop for a cross-disciplinary dialogue on topics such as personalised versus expert-selected playlists, technical and organizational challenges, side effects of pharmacological treatments, motivation, and the role of the music therapist.

More info on: https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/international-conference-on-music-and-sleep-2026/programme-and-keynotes

Photo by Gaurav Yadav

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MUSIC AND SLEEP

⏳ 9 Days Left for Standard Registration
Standard registration for the 1st Conference on Music and Sleep ends on the 26 April 2026!

Last chance to register to join us for engaging research, great conversations, and inspiring exchanges at the intersection of science and sound.

Find registration details here:
https://musicinthebrain.au.dk/international-conference-on-music-and-sleep-2026/registration

✨ Registration includes the welcome reception and conference dinner.
We’d love to see you there!