Research

Scientific Research on Music and Nature

A reference list for researchers

Adams, D., & Beauchamp, G. (2019). Spiritual moments making music in nature. A study exploring the experiences of children making music outdoors, surrounded by nature. International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 24(3), 260-275. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2019.1646220. 

Arbuthnott, K. D., & Sutter, G. C. (2019). Songwriting for nature: Increasing nature connection and well-being through musical creativity. Environmental Education Research, 25(9), 1300-1318. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2019.1608425. 

Haider, A. (2021, June 10). The sounds that make us calmer. BBC Culture. https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20210609-the-sounds-that-make-us-calmer. 

Hand, M. D., Ihara, E. S., Moore, M., & Shaw, M. (2025). Integrating music and nature: A scoping review of research on interventions involving both music- and nature-based strategies for mental health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 19, Article 1664304. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1664304. 

Pedelty, M. (2017). "We live in the lake": Ecomusicology as community pedagogy. Journal of Musicology Pedagogy, 8(1), 72-85. 

Pfeifer, E., Aigner, S. E., Stolterforth, C., Dale, R., Ostermann, T. & Humer, E. (2025). Music therapists' perspectives on nature-connection methods and the integration of nature in music therapy: Results of a survey among German and Austrian music therapists. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 92, Article 102252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2025.102252. 

Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Panno, A., Cipparone, M., & Carrus, G. (2021). The effects of contact with nature during outdoor environmental education on students' wellbeing, connectedness to nature and pro-sociality. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 648458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2025.102252. 

Sutela, K. (2023). Shapes of water - A multidisciplinary composing project visioning an eco-socially oriented approach to music education. Research Studies in Music Education, 45(2), 415-428. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X231155020. 

Torrisen, W., & Løvoll, H. S. (2024). Exploring Creative Wellbeing Frameworks in Context: Nature, Culture, and Sustainable Futures. Routledge. 

Research Ethics

EcoBeats is part of a research project in partnership with the University of Sheffield. Please read the information sheet to find out more about the project aims.

Feel free to contact us using the below details if you have any further questions or concerns about the research.

Researcher: Hannah Lyons hlyons1@sheffield.ac.uk

Supervisor: Shu Jiang shu.jiang@sheffield.ac.uk

School of Languages, Arts and Societies Research Ethics Lead: Kahee Jo k.jo@sheffield.ac.uk