In our Parent Support Discussions, Play 2 Progress hosts experts in their fields to answer parents' questions live. This is a recording of Dr. Allie Ticktin's discussion with author of The Music Advantage, Dr. Anita Collins.

You can learn more about Dr. Collins and check out her book on her website: https://www.anitacollinsmusic.com/

About Dr. Anita Collins: Dr Anita Collins is an award-winning educator, researcher and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is internationally recognized for her unique work in translating the scientific research of neuroscientists and psychologists to the everyday parent, teacher and student.

Since 2016, Anita has travelled around the world to interview over 100 neuroscientists and psychologists about music learning and brain development, known as neuromusical research. Anita now uses the research to present, consult and advocate for an updated understanding of how music learning can benefit every child’s development.

Anita’s work first came to prominence when she wrote the script for the highly successful TEDEd video, How playing an instrument benefits your brain, followed by her TEDx Talk, What if every child had music education from birth? Anita is best known to Australian’s for her role as on-screen expert and campaign lead for the Don’t Stop the Music documentary that aired on the ABC in late 2018.

Anita was awarded the Barbara Matthews Churchill fellowship in 2016 which allowed her to travel to the US and Canada to learn from researcher leaders, such as Professor Isabelle Peretz from the BRAMS Lab in Montreal and Professor Nina Kraus from the Brainvolts lab in Chicago. In 2017, Anita was awarded a sabbatical to continue her studies, again in the US, Canada and Germany with leaders such as Professors Glenn Schellenberg and Sandra Trehub at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Dr Assal Habibi and Dr Mathew Sachs at the Brain and Creativity Institute in LA. In recognition of her work, Anita was awarded the inaugural Australian Women in Music award for Music Education in 2019.