BRAINLAND

In this podcast puppeteer and academic Cariad Astles talks about how she got interested and trained in puppetry, before discussing her experience of puppetry in China and Africa. We explore why puppetry tends to be viewed as a practice for children in the UK (Cariad blames protestantism) before talking about a number of healthcare applications of puppetry including training medical students and nurses, in psychotherapy (citing an especially powerful project in Chile), health education including promoting empathy, in dementia and autism. Cariad concludes by speculating on how robotics and AI may impact puppetry and its applications in the future and shares her hope that its' value should be more widely recognised in the west, not least in ritual.

Participants:

Cariad Astles, Lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and at Exeter University. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cariad-Astles

Ken Barrett, artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist.http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Cariad's paper 'the Art of Puppetry Practice: Embodiment, Enchantment, Memory History' can be downloaded here:https://www.academia.edu/83808501/Puppetry_The_Art_of_Puppetry_Practice_Embodiment_Enchantment_Memory_History

Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

Follow us us on Instagram: @brainlandcollective

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In this conversation we talk about the earliest representations of memory in classical, latin, literature (the original 'art of memory') then move, via St Augustine, to Proust and his madeleine. Russell describes how the representaion of memory, the 'flash back', appeared in the first years of film-making but identifies the real innovations in Casablanca (1942) and Citizen Kane (1941). We move on to what made Fellini and Bergan masters in the use of memory before coming up to date with last year's excellent 'All of Us Strangers' . We end with an extended discussion of the ethics of memory in film, in particular the way the Holocaust has been depicted, and give the views of Goddard and Deleuze an airing.

Participants:

Russell J Kilbourn is Professor in the Dept of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. http://rjakilbourn.com/

Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatristhttp://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Some of the films discussed:

Curtiz - Casablanca: : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/videogallery/

Wells - Citzen Kane: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_in_0_q_citizen%2520

Bergman - Wild Strawberries: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050986/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_wild%2520strawberies

Fellini - 8 1/2:  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056801/

Haigh - 'All of Us Strangers': https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21192142/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

Instagram: #brainlandcollective

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In this extended podcast Stephen Johnson shares his experience of the healing effects of Shostakovich’s music during dark periods in his life, both as a youth and later when coping with depression. He recalls his often solitary teenage years, when his passion for the music of Shostakovich took root, fueled by a prodigious ability to recall music, and text. He goes on to discuss the composer’s life, music and unlikely survival during the Stalin purges. Stephen also describes interviewing people who knew the composer, for a BBC documentary, including a member of the orchestra during the famous performance of his 7th symphony during the Leningrad siege. We conclude with an in depth discussion of the specific therapeutic effects of music.

Participants.

 Stephen Johnson, Broadcaster, writer and composer https://www.stephen-johnson.co.uk/

 Andy Platman, writer and former GP.

 Ken Barrett, artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Stephen’s documentary on Shostakovitch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b007g7hp

His book: https://www.stephen-johnson.co.uk/publications/how-shostakovich-changed-my-mind/

Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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In this conversation we discuss Stephen's ideas about the evolution of imagination and improvisation. After defining terms Stephen's talks about his idea of the 'second universe', the link between dreams and storytelling and his view that drawing, dance and gesture preceded language in evolution. We talk about the difference between 'hot' and 'cold' cognition and explore the necessary conditions for improvisation then end with a discussion of cultural differences in the importance attached to improvisation, contrasting particularly the USA and China.

Participants:

Stephen Asma, Professor of Philosophy, Columbia College, Chicago, USA. www.stephenasma.com

Ken Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Stephen's Book, The Evol;ution of Imagination': https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Imagination-Stephen-T-Asma-ebook/dp/B06WWJC8JX/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=p7r7l&content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&pf_rd_r=131-8110503-3306616&pd_rd_wg=A284i&pd_rd_r=b4eef1a3-7076-4640-9f69-d105cfccb0e7&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

Stephen's podcast, “Chinwag”, cohosted with Paul Giamatti

https://www.treefort.fm/series/chinwag

Opening and closing music: 'Improvisation for Brainland' by Stephen Asma.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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In this wide ranging conversation Anna outlines the particular difficulties involved in researching the psychology and neuroscience of creativity. We talk about the popular idea that the right hemisphere is the creative brain (it isn't), links between mental health and psychedelics to creativity, and the possible contribution of the default mode network. We also discuss the special quality of creativity in the context of humour. In an afterword we talk about some of the problems involved in research that engages the popular press, bypassing peer review, but also the 'status bias' that can colour even peer review.

Participants:

Anna Abraham PhD, E. Paul Torrance Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Director, Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, Mary Frances Early College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. http://www.anna-abraham.com/

Ken Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Anna's Books: The Creative Brain: Myths and Truths: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548007/the-creative-brain/

The Neuroscience of Creativity:http://www.anna-abraham.com/book-the-neuroscience-of-creativity-2018.html

Opening music: Prelude to Brainland Act 1, composed by Stephen Brown.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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In this podcast Hayley talks us through the early history of puppets in opera, including the eighteenth century fashion for opera composed specifically for puppets. She goes on to describe the conclusions reached in her doctoral research, applying musicological thinking to marionette operas in our era, conclusions she considers applicable more widely to cinema and animation. These include her theory 'performance networks and poetic synchronicity. She talks about her experience of various performances and her conviction that the movement of puppets, expertly 'played', are inherently musical. 

Participants:

Hayley Burton Richards, musicologist, musician, educator, Head of Music, Wilson's School.

Ken Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Hayley"s beautifully written Harvard PhD thesi. 'Breath, Gravity and Death' can be accessed here:  https://dash.lib.harvard.edu/handle/1/37372118?show=full

Some of the performances discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWi-7aTW_po

https://www.kentridge.studio/projects/wozzeck/

Richard Teschner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY38P-6TYQM

Lotte Reiniger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-TJvNBO1fw

Opening music: extract from scene 2 of Brainland composed by Stephen Brown.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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In this podcast, after outlining some of the positive and negative of religious behaviour, Patrick discusses the key areas currently being studied in order to better understand the cognitive neuroscience of religion. These include REM sleep, the effects of psychedelic substances and the default mode network. ‘Decentering’, a key aspect of his team’s approach to the subject is explained along with the possible involvement of predictive processing. He discusses why he believes religion to be a ‘transformational technology’ and the impact of brain pathology on religiosity.

Participants:

Patrick McNamara, Professor, Department of Psychology, National University

Associate Professor of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, President Emeritus, Center for Mind and Culture, Boston MA. cognitiveneuroscienceofreligion.org

Ken Barrett, artist, writer and retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

Patrick's recent books mentioned in the podcast: The cognitive neurosciecne of religious experience: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cognitive-Neuroscience-Religious-Experience-Decentering/dp/1108977898/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27ANJMOV7L933&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VfizW2OdtY7ieLd7pOKo2MsVsdjfAQTK6opPXGdf80lTCzNQKZ1ObrMeL7XUel1JRw0jAan9OeTAELpC2UFtOluJui4pquuCKfZfOVZzJdbmIW9rw

 Religion, neuroscience and the self: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Religion-Neuroscience-Self-Personalism-Neurotheology/dp/1032176008/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_1_1/262-6697966-8243913?pd_rd_w=5GUcv&content-id=amzn1.sym.ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_rd_p=ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_r

Opening music: extract from the prelude to Brainland by Stephen Brown.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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'A Matter of Life and Death' (AMOLAD) is a 1946 film by Michael Powell and Emerich Pressberger. Peter Carter, a bomber pilot is returning from the last raid of the war. His plane and parachute are shot up so he decides to 'jump rather than fry' and has a last conversation over the radio with June, an American radio operator before jumping, as he expects, to his death. He doesn't die but washes up on a beach and as a love story unfolds between him and June he is menaced by recurrent episodes (clinically, complex partial epileptic seizures though the words aren't mentioned in the film) during which a 'conductor' from the afterlife tries to persuade him to return with him as he shouldn't really have survived. The film culminates in a realistically staged neurosurgical operation on Peter whilst in the afterlife his case to go on living is put on trial trial. Ian explains why this is his favourite film of all time (as it is Ken's),their conversation ranging over origin and influences, forebears and progeny, design and music, the clincial neuroscience that underpins it and much more.

Participants:

Ian Christie, Professor of Film and Media History, Birckbeck, University of London. www.ianchristie.org

Ken Barrett, artist and writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

For more about 'A Matter of Life and Death'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038733/ (SEE IT!)

https://www.bfi.org.uk/film/b58b75d7-e9e2-5a1f-a448-afa92a35462d/a-matter-of-life-and-death

In the UK it is currently (on 21.6.24) On BBC Iplayer.

Ian's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matter-Life-Death-Film-Classics/dp/1839023899

The other book mentioned, on the neuroscientific background of the film, is by Diane Broadbent Friedman: K4rfe3RUVnVfT9z9-aIffzEet5ZKUBDQFbGEV1HSo4yU3JpZWvHWWe5uGzjy5AUH9iAiT5oKdx7a4wWP-x7lubaTLPDggjtJ2wGe_Lz08kwaBYDzg2E6_aKIPxfYYVvKk2vtaR4ghzBqTRUdFZ8-kE.RnIRY1ho2lgxZvWxZW4th9yrxYt89JrWLPj42mXYmKg&dib_tag=se&keywords=friedman.+a+matter+of+life+and+death&qid

This is the the book by Frigyes Karinthy which was part of the inspiration: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/A_Journey_Round_My_Skull.html?id=trCxtdw5OHcC&redir_esc=y

Opening music, extract from the prelude to Brainland by Stephen Brown.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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Susan Tomes is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning pianist specialising in chamber music as well as solo repertoire. Here she talks to Stephen Brown about her musical origins in Edinburgh, what it was like being the first woman to read music at King’s College Cambridge, how she built her performing career starting from a single room in Crystal Palace, and the transformative influence of working with the violinist Sándor Végh at the Prussia Cove seminars in Cornwall. She talks about sensitivity and reciprocity in ensemble playing, about communicating with audiences and the mysteries of how a musical phrase sometimes sounds exactly right. She has written seven books to date. The latest, "Women and the Piano: A History in 50 Lives" was published in March 2024 by Yale University Press.

Participants:

Susan Tomes, pianist and writer https://www.susantomes.com/.

Stephen Brown, composer, cellist and former neuropsychiatrist http://www.cornwallcomposers.com/stephen.htm.

Amazon link for Women and the Piano

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Piano-History-50-Lives/dp/030026657X

The recording of the Faure Piano Quartets has been reissued by Hyperion and is available here.

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA30007

Music: Extract from Faure Piano Quartets, with permission, reissued by Hyperion and available here.

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA30007.

Brainland the oepra website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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In this podcast academic and clinical music therapists, musicians and friends Helen Odell-Miller and Penny Rogers discuss their life work – music therapy. They define and outline the varieties of music therapy, discuss their journey from training as musicians to studying music therapy and cognitive psychology (Penny) and psychodynamic psychotherapy (Helen). Penny talks about her clinical work in various settings and Helen her career at the forefront of research into the positive effects of music therapy (ameliorating conditions as varied as agitation in dementia to PTSD). They also talk about how their continuing musical practice in group settings (Helen singing, Penny cello) enriches their day-to-day lives and improves their professional practice.

Participants:

Helen Odell-Miller OBE, Professor Emeritus, Anglia Ruskin University; Founding Director of Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research; Chair of The Music Therapy Charity; Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

https://www.aru.ac.uk/people/helen-odell-miller

Penny Rogers, music therapist; Deputy Director, Safeguarding & Public Protection at Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Trustee, British Association for Music Therapy; 'cellist.

https://www.bamt.org/bamt/people/penny-rogers

Stephen Brown, musician; composer; retired professor of neuropsychiatry

http://www.cornwallcomposers.com/stephen.htm

Resources and further reading:

Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy (CIMTR):

https://www.aru.ac.uk/cambridge-institute-for-music-therapy-research

British Association for Music Therapy

https://www.bamt.org/

Royal College of Psychiatrists Introductory Module at E-LEARNING hub:

https://elearninghub.rcpsych.ac.uk/products/Music_therapy-an_introduction

Some recent research papers:

Thompson, N et al.(2023). Investigating the impact of music therapy on two in-patient psychiatric wards for people living with dementia: retrospective observational study. BJPsych Open, 9(2), e42. doi:10.1192/bjo.2023.20

Odell-Miller, H et al.(2022). The HOMESIDE Music Intervention: A Training Protocol for Family Carers of People Living with Dementia. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 12(12), 1812-1832. Doi: 10.3390/ejihpe12120127

Odell-Miller, H., (2021) Embedding Music and Music Therapy in Care Pathways for People with Dementia in the 21st Century—a position paper. Music and Science. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F20592043211020424

Hsu MH et al.(2015). The impact of music therapy on managing neuropsychiatric symptoms for people with dementia and their carers: a randomised controlled feasibility study. BMC Geriatrics. 15:84 doi:10.1186/s12877-015-0082-4

Music: Opening and closing music to the opera 'Brainland', composed by Stephen Brown

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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