Encore University Masterclass #33 - The Benefits of Music for Aging Adults and Brain Health

Encore University's Arts, Health, and Research Masterclass Series

"The Benefits of Music for Aging Adults and Brain Health"

with Julene Johnson, PhD and Dr. Mary Ann East

Monday, April 13th

7:30pm-9:00pm (ET)

All classes are live online using Zoom. 

Fee: Pay what you will

Due to a generous sponsorship by AARP, Encore University Masterclasses are available for whatever you want to pay starting at $0.

Attend for FREE, or if you would like to assign a value to this lifelong learning experience, choose one of the ($) admission tickets. 

CLASS DESCRIPTION: 

This masterclass will take a deep dive into how and why music can be beneficial for adults as they age and support brain (and body) health and wellbeing.  The session will explore how music engages multiple mind and body systems to promote health and wellbeing among older adults.  Music can evoke emotions, and the ability to perceive emotional aspects of music begins in early childhood & develops throughout life.  Music also engages our thinking abilities and can be a source of lifelong learning and engagement.  Music and movement are often strongly linked, and music is a significant aspect of our culture, identity, and social constructs. Memory music can often be preserved in individuals who develop dementia, which provides opportunities for meaningful connections.

INSTRUCTOR BIO:

Julene K Johnson, PhD, BM is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics (School of Medicine). Her undergraduate degree is in music. Dr. Johnson has over 25 years of experience studying music, aging, and dementia. Her early studies focused on studying the preserved memory for familiar songs in older adults living with Alzheimer disease. In 2010, Julene was a Fulbright fellow where she studied the relationship between choir singing and well-being among older adults in Finland. After returning from Finland, she continued to focus on developing and testing music-based interventions to promote health and well-being among older adults with and without dementia. She was the principal investigator of the Community of Voices study that tested the effects of a community choir on the health and well-being of diverse racial/ethnic older adults.  She currently leads the  NIH-funded "Music & Dementia Research Network" and is a co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded AccelNet for Music, Movement, and Brain. She also leads the Meredith Willson Pilot Research Program for Music and Health Research, which awards pilot grants for music and health research across the lifespan. She also was the principal investigator of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) - funded Sound Health Network that aimed to increase awareness about the benefits of music.

Date: Monday, April 13, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET

Price: Pay What You Will

Registration for this class is required, and students will receive the Zoom link for this class in their confirmation email. Registration will close when the class begins. The recording will be made available on our Masterclass page for the public within one week of the class. There is no need to register to watch the recordings, only to attend the live Zoom class.