Würzburg. For the first time in Bavaria, the interfaces between music, medicine and research are being systematically expanded and sustainably linked. This is made possible by the co-operation "MusiCare". The corresponding cooperation agreement between the University of Music Würzburg (HfM), the University Hospital Würzburg (UKW) and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg was signed today (13 May) together with Bavaria's Minister of Science Markus Blume at the University of Music.

The collaboration will focus on promoting the health of musicians as well as researching the effects of music on people throughout their entire life cycle. Another long-term goal of "MusiCare" is to establish a centre of excellence for musicians' health in Würzburg.

Science Minister Markus Blume emphasises: "With 'MusiCare', we are creating a lighthouse project in Würzburg at the interface of art, science and medicine that is unique in Bavaria. It's a perfect fit for Bavaria: here, musical passion and cutting-edge medical research combine to create something new - a place where health, creativity and innovation come together. The fact is that playing music at the highest level on a daily basis also demands top performance from your own body and mind. It is therefore worth thinking about music and medicine, top performance and health together. Because music is far more than just entertainment: it is a source of comfort, strength and sometimes even medicine for the soul."

With "MusiCare", the three institutions want to strengthen Würzburg's position as a leading location for research and teaching in the field of music and health in Bavaria and improve the clinical care situation for music professionals in the future. To date, no such centre exists in Bavaria.

"With MusiCare, we are creating a unique joint platform to address issues relating to musicians' health on an interdisciplinary basis. By combining artistic training with university expertise, innovative approaches in prevention, therapy and research are being developed," says Prof Dr Christoph Wünsch, President of the University of Music Würzburg.

Poor posture, vocal problems, pressure to succeed

"One focus is on the physiological and psychological issues and needs of professional and aspiring musicians. The main focus is on issues such as postural problems, stage fright and how musicians deal with the pressure to succeed," explains Prof Dr Regina Götz, Head of the "Music & Health" department at the University of Music. An important core objective is therefore to create greater awareness of this in both medicine and music education.

"The cooperation once again demonstrates the enormous interdisciplinary strength and appeal of Würzburg as a centre for research and teaching, specifically in the field of medicine and music in Bavaria. The close cooperation between the University Hospital, the University and the University of Music opens up new dimensions in understanding the interplay between health and music," emphasises Prof. Dr Tim J. von Oertzen, Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of the University Hospital of Würzburg.

"MusiCare is an example of how modern cutting-edge research is created: it begins within the discipline and gains its particular strength through collaboration across faculty and institutional boundaries. It is precisely in this combination of music, medicine, psychology and technology that there is enormous potential for innovative research and for the further development of Würzburg's profile as a centre of science," emphasises Prof. Dr. Paul Pauli, President of Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, on the occasion of the new cooperation agreement.

Innovative prevention programmes

"The combination of medical expertise and musical training lays the foundation for innovative prevention programmes and scientific research. On the one hand, by integrating preventative aspects into artistic studies at an early stage, music students can be taught a healthy approach to the physical and mental demands of their profession during their training. On the other hand, we can sensitise future doctors to the health of musicians," emphasises Dr habil. Fabian Kraus, Head of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Voice and Swallowing at the ENT Clinic of the UKW. Together with Prof Dr Regina Götz, he was instrumental in developing the concept for "MusiCare".

How does music promote health?

Another focus of the cooperation is the structured expansion of research activities to investigate the effects of music on general well-being and mental health, especially with regard to development in childhood and adolescence. Music is increasingly recognised as an important tool for health promotion and mental healing, underlining the importance of a two-way interaction between music and health.

The HfM and the UKW have already cooperated successfully in the past in the field of "Music and Health", for example through joint lectures and events. These existing synergies will now be institutionally bundled and expanded through "MusiCare". Through "MusiCare", the institutions also want to strengthen the position of art and music as a cultural and therapeutic asset.