Michael H. Thaut received his Master’s in Music in 1980 and his PhD in music with a cognate minor in movement science in 1983, both from Michigan State University. He is also a graduate of the Mozarteum Music Conservatory in Salzburg/Austria. At Colorado State University he was a Professor of Music and a Professor of Neuroscience and served as Co-Director of the School of the Arts and Chairman of the Department of Music, Theater, and Dance from 2001-2010. He was also the director of the Center for Biomedical Research in Music for 11 years. He has been a Visiting Professor in medical and music schools around the world (Germany, Italy, USA, Japan), and 2010-2012 was chancellor of the University System of the SRH-Foundation Heidelberg. He currently is a Professor of Music with cross appointments in Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto where he directs the Music and Health Research Collaboratory (MaHRC) and the Masters/PhD programs in Music and Health Sciences. Dr. Thaut’s internationally recognized research focuses on brain function in music, especially time information processing in the brain related to rhythmicity and biomedical applications of music to neurologic rehabilitation of cognitive and motor function. He received the National Research Award in 1993 and the National Service Award in 2001 from the American Music Therapy Association. He has over 120 scientific publications and has authored and coauthored 3 books. His works have appeared in German, Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Spanish language. Popular TV media and numerous print media have featured his research nationally and internationally. As a former professional violinist in the classic and folk genre, he has recorded several recordings of chamber and folk music in the US and Germany and has toured in Europe extensively with folk bands and chamber groups. He is also the author of a landmark anthology of Northern European and American fiddle music. In 1995 his group ‘Folk Chamber Ensemble’ played 3 invited concerts at the Northwest German Summer Music Festival entitled ‘Folk Meets Classic.’ He continues to perform in small chamber and folk ensembles as time permits.

 

Corene Hurt-Thaut received her master’s in music therapy and her PhD with an interdisciplinary focus of music, neuroscience, and statistical design, from Colorado State University. She served as a special assistant professor of music therapy from 1997-2014, teaching classes in piano technique, music therapy methods and counseling for psychiatric populations, music therapy methods in neuro-rehabilitation, research in music therapy, advanced techniques in neurologic rehabilitation, and seminars in Neurologic Music Therapy®. She was a research associate at The Center for Biomedical Research in Music at Colorado State University from 1997-2015, and the co-founder and program director of The Unkefer Academy for Neurologic Music Therapy® International Training Institutes and Fellowship Trainings for Neurologic Music Therapy® since 1999. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her clinical expertise in the evidence-based practice of Neurologic Music Therapy®, with clinical experience including 3 ½ years as a music therapist at Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital and the Center for Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University Medical School in Atlanta, and 4 years as a Neurologic Music Therapist at Poudre Valley Hospital and The Center for Neurologic Rehabilitation in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her work has included a diverse range of clinical populations including: stroke, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and psychiatric disorders. She served on the exam committee for the National Certification Board for Music Therapy (CBMT) as both a member and Committee Chair from 2001-2006, and as an elected member of the CBMT National Board of Directors from 2009-2013. She has also served as President and Vice President of the Midwestern Region of American Music Therapy Association. Dr. Hurt-Thaut has numerous research publications in the area of music and motor control as well as ten book chapters highlighting specific applications of Neurologic Music Therapy® to her credit.

 

Suzanne Oliver is the Founder and Executive Director of Neurologic Music Therapy® Services of Arizona/NMTSA, a nonprofit organization that has provided clinical music therapy services to the Phoenix community for over 32 years. She also founded a school for students with autism, approved through the Arizona Department of Education, in 2007. Suzanne is a Board-Certified Music Therapist, received her NMT training in 1999, and additionally has completed four NMT Fellowships since that time. Suzanne assisted in developing the Unkefer Academy for Neurologic Music Therapists at CSU and co-authored the Medical Coding and Records Manual: Neurologic Music Therapy® Her passion is to educate the community on current research regarding the impact of rhythm on the brain and how this knowledge can positively impact the treatment of individuals with neurologic differences and improve their everyday life.

 

Ruth Rice, Physical Therapist, has been involved with research on the effects of rhythm and music for neurological rehabilitation techniques for the last 20 years and has also been a clinician treating orthopedic and neurological diagnoses for the last 22 years. Ruth received her master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1988 and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2008. She has been a clinician at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins for the last 20 years and is an instructor/facilitator for 3 Neurologic Music Therapy® community exercise groups per week, she also continues with research projects with the Center for Biomedical Research in Music at Colorado States University

 

 

 

 

Speaker Disclosures / Conflicts of Interest - spekars should disclose any relationships which may cause a conflict of interest prior to presentation.