Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded researchers from the University of Southampton are investigating how to help deaf people, who have received a cochlear implant, to get more enjoyment from music.
Music professor David Nicholls and Dr Rachel van Besouw from the University’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) are working with patients from the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre, based at the University.
Cochlear implants allow people with severe-to-profound hearing loss, who do not substantially benefit from conventional hearing aids, to perceive and understand speech. However, the current technology often cannot cope with the complexities of music.
“Hearing people speak again changes lives but many of our patients tell us they still can’t enjoy music,” explains Dr van Besouw. “They say they can hear rhythm but have problems distinguishing notes. We want to investigate ways we can help them.”
Through a series of innovative music workshops, in conjunction with Southampton Community Music Project (SoCo), this project has been exploring aspects of music that can be appreciated by cochlear implant users through a variety of listening, computer-based and practical activities.
This knowledge is now being used to guide the development of music rehabilitation materials and compositions specifically for cochlear implant users. The two-year project will conclude in 2012 with a public seminar and performance at the University of Southampton.
The final set of workshops for the project recently took place and were focused on strategies and techniques for listening to live music. The workshops included performance as well as having the attendees revising and rehearsing a piece of music, and then performing it with the musicians from the University.
The workshops attracted media interest and Roger Finn from BBC News South Today came along to the workshop to film some of the activities and to interview people involved and this has now been broadcast.
Project website: http://www.soton.ac.uk/mfg/current_projects/compositions.html
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Jake Gilmore – + 44 (0) 1793 41 6021, j.gilmore@ahrc.ac.uk
Editors Notes:
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Each year the AHRC provides approximately £100 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes hundreds of research awards ranging from individual fellowships to major collaborative projects as well as over 1,100 studentship awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.
AHRC Compositions for Cochlear Implantees: Through a unique series of composition workshops, this project will explore aspects of music that can be appreciated by CI users. This knowledge will be used to guide the development of music (re)habilitation materials and compositions specifically for CI users.
http://www.soton.ac.uk/mfg/current_projects/compositions.html