Centre for Performance Science

Science transforming performance

Every day, millions of people perform — in boardrooms, classrooms, courtrooms, operating theatres and on stage. But what drives great performance? How can science help us understand and improve it? And how does making music affect our health, wellbeing and society?

The Centre for Performance Science leads research into the science behind human performance - from music and medicine to education and leadership.

Our approach is ambitious, innovative and interdisciplinary. Drawing on expertise and facilities of the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London, and working with a wide network of partners, we are advancing the science of performance and demonstrating the importance of music in our everyday lives.

Our work

The Centre for Performance Science takes a radically interdisciplinary approach to shaping the future of music and beyond.

Three Grand Challenges guide our work:

Experiential learning 

How people learn and apply their learning in real-world performance contexts, redefining what is meant by performance education.

Musicians’ health and wellbeing 

Advancing the understanding of musicians’ health and wellbeing, creating and testing new approaches to training and working that enable performers to reach their full potential.

Music as a tool to improve health and wellbeing 

Advancing the understanding of music making in improving health and wellbeing, offering new, accessible and affordable alternatives to traditional health solutions.

Find out more about the Centre for Performance Science