Researchers and organizers at the MusicGens 2025 meeting in Barcelona.
Barcelona, 17/09/2025
On September 17, Barcelona hosted the international meeting of the Musicality Genomics Consortium (MusicGens), a groundbreaking project that explores the relationship between genetics and musical perception. Henkjan Honing (UvA), Tara Henechowicz (University of Toronto), Gemma Marfany (University of Barcelona), and Cristina Cubells (ESMUC) — moderated by Bea Rodriguez (BTV) — gathered for a public roundtable to share new findings and discuss the known genetic foundations of musicality, as well as how biology, psychology, and the arts intersect.
The local organizing committee included Marc Via, Ernest Mas-Herrero, and Josep Marco-Pallarés, all of them distinguished researchers from the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona (UB).
The event took place at the Palau de la Música Catalana and was titled “The Musical Genome.” It brought together scientists and musicians to discuss the biological foundations of musicality and how music is experienced across individuals. The event was free and open to the public, offering a unique opportunity to witness a dialogue between science and music in one of Europe’s most beautiful concert halls.
Ahead of the meeting, the project was featured on Assaig General (Catalunya Música), where Gemma Marfany, Cristina Cubells, and Marc Via explained that while most people enjoy music, we do so with varying intensity: differences that may, in part, be influenced by our genetic makeup.
The meeting was an inspiring convergence of disciplines, highlighting how the combination of genomics and neuroscience can deepen our understanding of why music is such an intriguing and fundamental part of human experience; even though much of it still remains unknown.
