Music influences how we feel, how we connect, and how we cope. Across disciplines, it is increasingly recognised as a tool for mental health, emotional regulation and social inclusion. But how does this work in practice, and what does science tell us about the impact of sound on the brain?<\/p>
Bringing together researchers, therapists and practitioners working across neuroscience, music therapy and community settings, we look at how music is used in trauma recovery, youth work and with vulnerable groups, and what makes these approaches effective in real-world contexts. You will hear how music is being translated into accessible applications and how new approaches are helping extend reach and impact, supporting care, resilience, and social change.<\/p>
Moderated by Julie Galatoula<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Music influences how we feel, how we connect, and how we cope. Across disciplines, it is increasingly recognised as a tool for mental health, emotional regulation and social inclusion. But how does this work in practice, and what does science tell us about the impact of sound on the brain? Bringing together researchers, therapists and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"event-cat":[86,492],"nationality":[],"music-genre":[],"destination":[764],"topic":[],"language":[79],"class_list":["post-31226","event","type-event","status-publish","hentry","event-cat-conference-el","event-cat-roundtables","destination-2004-el","language-english-el"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"","ams_acf":[{"key":"performers","label":"Performers","value":[{"ID":31877,"post_author":"2133","post_date":"2026-04-25 14:20:21","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-25 11:20:21","post_content":"\n
Julie Galatoula works across psychology and music, drawn to the space where they intersect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and is completing a Master\u2019s degree in Stress Science and Health Promotion at the Medical School of Athens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is currently conducting research to develop and validate the first Greek version of a psychometric tool for music performance anxiety, involving over 400 musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She has facilitated a stress management intervention and works in a therapeutic context, while training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her academic interests are shaped by her artistic experience, as she is actively engaged with music and art across its different forms and she is currently completing her studies in Contemporary Singing at the National Conservatory of Athens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She has been actively exploring the ecosystem behind music, collaborating with cultural institutions, media, and festivals such as the Greek National Opera, ERT, Nostos Summer Festival, and Athens Music Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For her, music is not one-dimensional, but a universe that unfolds across the stage, behind the scenes and within human experience.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Julie Galatoula (GR)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"julie-galatoula-gr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-27 21:14:27","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-27 18:14:27","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athensmusicweek.gr\/?post_type=speaker&p=31877","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":29438,"post_author":"2133","post_date":"2026-03-04 14:33:23","post_date_gmt":"2026-03-04 11:33:23","post_content":"\n
Founder CLAB Neuro Sound Solutions, Award Winning Sound Researcher, Sound Medicine Practitioner, Musician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dedicated to expanding the understanding and utilization of sound as a powerful medium and a driving force for natural coherency. Geffen pioneered multidisciplinary research exploring the connection between geometry, mathematics and sound medicine, culminating in the invention of Geometric Sound, a new class of spatial audio and an approved patent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is a certified sound medicine practitioner trained in multiple modalities, and an independent scholar conducting scientific research focused on the effect of sound on human health and physiologic mechanisms, and sound induced Faraday wave pattern morphology (Cymatics). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Geffen started her path as a music producer, singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary audio-visual artist. She released 3 solo albums, co-produced the electronic opera STRIKE!, collaborated with international artists and institutes including Mad Professor, Yasmeen Godder, 4DSOUND, and Holoplot, and performed worldwide.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Rona Geffen (IL\/PT)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"rona-geffen-il-pt","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-22 00:17:54","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-21 21:17:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athensmusicweek.gr\/speakers\/rona-geffen-il-pt\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":31213,"post_author":"2128","post_date":"2026-04-22 10:51:53","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-22 07:51:53","post_content":"\n
Zoe Zeniodi, hailed by the press as \u201cMs Dynamite\u201d, is the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic at Teatro Col\u00f3n, as well as the Artistic Director of El Sistema Greece. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She has an international career which has led to collaborations with Opera de Paris, Opera Australia, Teatro de la Maestranza, Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Queensland, New Zealand Opera, Opera Southwest, Florida Grand Opera, Bremen Opera and orchestras such as the Philharmonia, Orchestre de Paris, K\u00f6ln G\u00fcrzenich Orchestra, Bremen Philharmonic, Brno Philharmonic, OSESP, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, NorrlandsOperan Orchestra, Castilla Leon, among others.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With ongoing brilliant reviews, Zoe has gained huge momentum recently and has conducted in venues such as the Paris Philharmonie, Teatro Col\u00f3n and Carnegie Hall. The Greek conductor is a Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Mentee, a Fellow of the Hart Institute of Women Conductors and a member of La Maestra Academy in Paris.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Zoe Zeniodi (GR)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"zoe-zeniodi-gr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-22 10:51:58","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-22 07:51:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athensmusicweek.gr\/?post_type=speaker&p=31213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":31639,"post_author":"2128","post_date":"2026-04-24 17:28:32","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-24 14:28:32","post_content":"\n
I am a PhD candidate in Communication Technologies at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), working at the intersection of music technology, artificial intelligence, and healthcare. My research focuses on the design and evaluation of adaptive digital musical instruments (ADMIs) for rehabilitation, with a particular emphasis on motor and cognitive recovery in patients with stroke and other neurological conditions. I develop interactive systems that combine machine learning, human-computer interaction, and music therapy to create accessible and personalized musical experiences for users with diverse physical abilities. My work includes gesture classification using sensors and computer vision, as well as real-time music generation systems. Alongside my research, I collaborate with music therapy programs and rehabilitation centers, contributing to applied research and clinical validation.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Raquel Lucena (ES)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"raquel-lucena-es","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-24 17:30:28","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-24 14:30:28","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athensmusicweek.gr\/?post_type=speaker&p=31639","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":31158,"post_author":"2133","post_date":"2026-04-21 23:34:19","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-21 20:34:19","post_content":"\n
Maria Eleni Kalamata is an Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in rehabilitation, working with individuals with neurological, neurodevelopmental, and psychosocial conditions. She holds a degree in Occupational Therapy from the Technological Educational Institute of Athens and has specialized training in Therapeutic Riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the past three years, she has been practicing within K.S.D.E.O. EDRA (Social Cooperative Activities for Vulnerable Groups-EDRA), where she works as an Occupational Therapist in a residential mental health setting and the supported living apartment \u201cHippokratis II\u201d. In parallel, she collaborates as an external partner with the \u201cNefeli\u201d Supported Living Facility and the organization\u2019s Psychopedagogical Centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her clinical approach is grounded in a holistic and person-centered perspective, integrating arts-based and experiential methods\u2014including music, movement, creative expression, and nature-based practices\u2014as meaningful tools for engagement, communication, and therapeutic connection. She also incorporates physical activity and sport as key components in promoting participation, well-being, and social inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to her clinical work, she is actively involved in the design and implementation of therapeutic, community, and cultural initiatives, aiming to strengthen individuals\u2019 connection with their social environment and contribute to the reduction of stigma surrounding mental health.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Maria Eleni Kalamata (GR)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"maria-eleni-kalamata-gr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-24 11:57:02","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-24 08:57:02","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athensmusicweek.gr\/?post_type=speaker&p=31158","menu_order":0,"post_type":"speaker","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},{"key":"date","label":"Date","value":"8 \u039c\u03b1\u0390\u03bf\u03c5 2026"},{"key":"launch_time","label":"Launch Time","value":"16:00"},{"key":"end_time","label":"End Time","value":"17:15"},{"key":"hero_image","label":"Hero Image","value":30111}],"yoast_head":"\n