The Art of the Spark: Musical Creativity Explored with Dr. Charles Limb

Illuminations: Music and the Mind Public Forum

Where does imagination come from? Neuroscientists have only recently begun to examine the elusive nature of creativity in connection to music. One key area of study is the notion of improvisation—a foundational element in many musical art forms, including jazz and hip hop. In this 90-minute video from the Kennedy Center, UCSF Professor of Otolaryngology Dr. Charles Limb shows how encouraging and developing musical improvisational skills in children has led to a better understanding of how creativity is implemented in the human brain. In this talk, Dr. Limb is joined by the Kennedy Center Artistic Director of Jazz Jason Moran, Freestyle Love Supreme co-founder Anthony Veneziale, music therapist Ed Roth, and jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker, who helps with a demonstration. Thank you to the Kennedy Center for generously sharing this video free of charge.

This public forum was in conjunction with the Matthew Whitaker Quartet performance, part of the Cal Performances at Home Fall Season. Matthew Whitaker’s performance and all related activities are part of the Cal Performances Illuminations: Music and the Mind series.