McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind
Schedule 2025
21st ANNUAL CONFERENCE
PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT
FROM BRAIN TO BEHAVIOUR
PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT
FROM BRAIN TO BEHAVIOUR
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21- 7:00PM-10PM (EST)
Evening reception, welcome and jam session at the GasWorks
141 Park St. N.Hamilton, ON
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2025 (EST)
Lecture Hall Room 147, Burke Science Building (BSB), McMaster University
9:00 – 10:00 AM
REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
10:00 – 10:15 AM
INTRODUCTION - Dr. Laurel Trainor
10:15 – 11:30 AM
TALK 1 - Dr. Sahar Moghimi ,
Université de Picardi, France
First Steps Toward Rhythm Perception: Neurophysiological Insights from the Developing Brain
Moderated by Dr. Rafael Román-Caballero
11:30 – 11:45 AM
FLASH VIDEO POSTER TALKS -DAY 1
11:45 – 12:00 PM
BREAK
12:00 – 12:45 PM
LUNCH (Burke Science Building Room 121)
12:45 – 3:00 PM
POSTER SESSION 1 IN PERSON (Burke Science Building Room 119)
3:00 – 3:15 PM
BREAK
3:15 – 4:30 PM
TALK 2 - Dr. Trinh Nguyen ,
University of Heidelberg, Germany
Sensory and Motor Components of Communicative Musicality in Early Social Interactions
Moderated by Dr. Lauren Fink
4:30 – 5:00 PM
Q&A
5:30 – 7:00 PM
DINNER BREAK (on your own)
8:00 – 10:00 PM
Keynote: Dr. Haley Kragness ,
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Musical Meaning in Childhood
with music by versaCello
LIVELab, 2nd floor of the Psychology Building
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2025 (EST)
Lecture Hall Room 147, Burke Science Building, McMaster University
9:00 – 10:00 AM
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
10:00 – 11:15 AM
TALK 3 - Dr. Assal Habibi ,
University of Southern California
The Brain’s Crescendo: How Music Training Enriches Child Neurocognitive Development Evidence from Longitudinal and Cross-sectional Studies
Moderated by Dr. John Iversen
11:15 – 11:30 AM
FLASH VIDEO POSTER TALKS -DAY 2
11:30 – 11:45 AM
BREAK
11:45 – 12:30 PM
LUNCH (Burke Science Building Room 121)
12:30 – 2:45 PM
POSTER SESSION 2 IN PERSON
(Burke Science Building Room 119)
(Burke Science Building Room 119)
2:45 – 3:00 PM
BREAK
3:00 – 4:15 PM
TALK 4 - Dr. Haley Kragness ,
Bucknell University, Pennsylvania
Developmental Origins of Musical Engagement: Pleasure, Abilities, and Beliefs
Moderated by Dr. Laurel Trainor
4:15 – 4:45 PM
FINAL GENERAL Q&A