This book sheds light on the complementing and enhancing effects of musical activities on health, well-being and quality of life from the perspective of interdisciplinary, musicological, social, and neurosciences. High-ranking experts in a wide range of fields present the scientific basis for adjuvant therapeutic applications in clinical and non-clinical contexts. The research questions range from the psychophysiological foundations of the emotional effects of listening to music to music medicine practices and music therapy interventions to alleviate mental and physical health issues. Findings suggest that musical activities entail large potential as virtually side-effect-free and cost-efficient supportive strategies in prevention, therapy and rehabilitation in medical practice.

A broad spectrum of musical activities, including listening to music, amateur music-making, choral singing and dancing are shown to be amenable to the requirements of different target groups, preferences, cultural backgrounds, and health conditions. The volume also entails chapters dedicated to the use of music during the COVID-19 pandemic and concludes with a section on stress and negative health consequences caused by maladaptive musical practices.

Doctors and medical staff in social and nursing professions receive in-depth information about the opportunities and limitations of music-related programmes. The chapters are also suitable as an introduction for scientists from numerous disciplines in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities as well as undergraduare students.

Introduction

Part I. Socio-cultural, genetic and neurobiological foundations
Music and well-being - a dynamically growing field of research
Music and medicine - an overview
Epidemiological studies on music and health
Music and brain plasticity
Mood in the musical brain
Historical musician's medicine
Part II. Music in clinical and educational inclusion practice
Music medicine interventions in clinical medicine for pain, anxiety and stress
Listening to music in depression and dementia: from brain research to clinical application
Making music with hearing impaired children
Inclusion, cultural participation and music
The voice and opera doctor
Part III. Music therapy in transition
Introduction to Neurological Music Therapy
Music therapy for children and young people with mental health problems - an overview
Music for people with neurogenic disorders of consciousness
Music in the treatment of depression from the perspective of music therapy and music psychology
Music and cerebral palsy
Part IV. Listening to music, amateur music-making and dancing
Listening to music in everyday life
Listening to music during the Covid-19 pandemic
Listening to music and emotion regulation in adulthood
Music as a trigger of strong emotions
Health aspects of lay singing
Health aspects of dance
Part V. Musical education and well-being
Health of the child's voice
Singing voice and health
Making music and emotion regulation in primary school children
Music and cognitive development
Positive effects of music making on  perception and cognition from a neuroscientific perspective
Performance and Stage Fright - Acquiring Competence through Musical Education in Childhood and Adolescence
Healthy music making - prevention in instrumental lessons for children and young people
Part VI. Health risks due to music
Can music also make you ill?
Hearing damage due to music consumption
The dissected soul: music as an instrumentof torture
Practical music practice in times of Corona.