Music, Listening, and The Brain: A Conversation With Jessica Phillips-Silver

What does listening actually require, and what can music teach us about how the brain learns? In this episode of Active Listener, Dominique sits down with Dr. Jessica Phillips-Silver, a music neuroscientist, speaker, and artistic creator whose work explores how rhythm shapes attention, regulation, and human connection.

Together, they unpack Jessica’s ARC framework of listening - attention, regulation, and connection - and explore why sound environment, movement, and music education are essential to learning. Jessica also shares how her Finding Rhythm project brings neuroscience, culture, and music into K–12 classrooms, reframing music as a powerful tool for learning, healing, and community.

Resources

• Learn more about Dr. Jessica Phillips-Silver
• Learn more about the Finding Rhythm Project
• Learn more about Lightspeed