Charlotte Van Barr's journey at the Schulich School of Music and Ï㽶ÊÓƵ is a testament to her diverse passions and commitment to interdisciplinary learning. Beginning her studies in violin performance due to her love for orchestra and music, she soon found herself yearning to explore beyond her program. This curiosity led her to pursue a minor in Psychology, which eventually evolved into a double degree, allowing her to merge her interests in the two fields.
In this In Conversation, Charlotte shares her experiences and insights, offering advice to fellow students and aspiring double-degree candidates, reflecting on her time management strategies, and discussing how her studies in music and psychology influence each other. She also talks about her involvement in cutting-edge research at the Montreal Neurological Institute and her aspirations for the future, highlighting the unique opportunities provided by McGill's rich academic environment.
What first made you interested inÌýadding a minor, double major or degree to their program?
I began my degree in Violin Performance because I am a musician at my core, and pursuing performance made the most sense to me because of my love for orchestra. But I have many interests beyond music, and within the rigorous music program at Schulich I was wishing to expand my knowledge to domains beyond performance to fulfill these other interests. McGill has such a high calibre of professors in all programs and there is so much to be learned from each course, and I wanted to have the opportunity to take advantage of these learning experiences. So, I started with a minor in Psychology after my first year and, after realizing I wanted to learn more, expanded it to a double degree at the end of my third year.
I was interested in the field of Psychology initially because of my fascination with neuroscience and, as a bonus, it creates very interesting findings when combined with music. It seemed to be a logical choice for me to combine my love for science and the arts.
What advice would you give a student who is interested in adding a minor, double major or degree to their program?
It can be the right choice for someone who wants to go beyond the content of a specialized degree, and who does not want to sacrifice one of their pursuits to focus on one thing. It would be difficult to become a professional musician in performance at the highest level if you are dividing your attention between two degrees, but if that is not your goal, music combines very well with other areas to make them more interesting with interdisciplinary approaches.
If your passion is divided, I suggest choosing courses which bridge content between the two interests and doing research on your own time to discover career paths and new findings which can blend the two fields. This will provoke you to go further in a niche area which both feeds your interest and offers potential career opportunities.
At McGill, you can only apply for a minor or double major after completing a year, and two years for applying to a double degree. This approach has worked well for me, since it allowed me to not be overwhelmed starting out, and to gradually discover what interests I wanted to pursue further.
When students come to McGill, they’re not just learning about their field of study; they’re learning about themselves. What advice do you have for students navigating this period of their lives?
My best advice would be to be open to new things, then through this exploration find out what interests you. Nourish those interests as best as you can by seeking out opportunities through clubs and faculty events, and through these connections you might discover something completely new which causes you to want to go deeper. Once you’ve found something you want to pursue at a more detailed level, McGill has so many resources and interesting programs available, but you will only be able to take advantage of them if you choose to apply yourself and indulge in them.
Given that your fields demand acute focus and sometimes long hours, to what extent do you believe that creativity and mental health are interconnected in your work? How do you manage your time?
I am lucky that one of my fields involves artistic expression, which allows me to create an output with my emotions and the information that I’ve learned. Having this creative outlet helps with my mental health, and it is rewarding to produce something creatively tangible from the work I’ve done.
In terms of time management, I set aside specific blocks of time for studying and practising, since I am not able to focus on both at once. During these blocks I need to ensure that I don’t do anything half-heartedly, since I’ve learned that trying to power through without being completely focused ends up in more time spent and wasted. If I can’t focus, I take a break by walking, reading a book, etc., and try to use creative ways to help me figure out what I need to maintain focus.
How do your studies in music influence your work in the arts? (And vice versa)
Studying music encompasses so many skills which are needed to succeed in other areas, including my work in the arts. Practice curates’ attention to detail yet also an understanding of the bigger picture, artistic sensibility yet also technical mechanisms, an ability to think outside of the box and to work hard. These foundational assets have helped me to successfully apply myself in my second degree, and to shape my way of thinking about the concepts I’ve learned.
My studies in music have also helped me to dive deeper into the field of music psychology. Reading material on the subject is more interesting and comprehensive because of my background and having a niche interest in the sea of Psychology is a useful tool in terms of finding an area of focus.
My studies in Psychology have in turn influenced my work in music. Learning about the basis of behaviour, the reward system, cognitive processes, etc. has helped me to understand my own behaviour and to develop useful practice and teaching mechanisms. Reading music psychology/neuroscience material has also helped me to gain a broader understanding of music in general, from neural reward responses tied to musical features all the way to the evolution of music. This knowledge has unveiled a wider landscape of music which reveals a more definite purpose for why we create it, which has helped me to maintain a clearer mental model of my work in music.
Have you ever worked on a project that integrated both disciplines?
Currently, I am a research assistant in Robert Zatorre’s music neuroscience lab at the Montreal Neurological Institute, which has been an incredible opportunity to witness new and exciting discoveries in the field. I am helping PhD student Miyoung Chung with her pitch imagery experiment, where we use EEG to measure brain responses to perceived versus imagined pitches. Next year, as part of a research course into which I have been accepted, I will write a thesis related to Miyoung’s experiment.
Although it’s at a specific neural level, studies like these build from each other to create a more in-depth understanding of what music is and how we interact with it, which I find enlightening for my view towards music.
I’m hoping to pursue research in this field in my future studies, which builds from the knowledge I’ve obtained in Dr. Zatorre’s lab.
What resources at Schulich and McGill have been particularly helpful in your success?
I have had many meetings with many advisors in Arts, Psychology and Music, and with their combined help I have been able to navigate the details of my double degree. My violin teacher, Prof. Violaine Melançon, has also been such a valuable mentor for me with her ingenious and imaginative teaching which inspires me every lesson, as well as with her total support in my artistic endeavours and life goals.
What are your future aspirations and how does your double degree play a role in achieving them?
My double degree has provided me with the credentials, knowledge and experience required to pursue my aspiration of conducting research in music psychology. The research course I will be completing this coming year will provide me with even more experience for graduate programs in Psychology research.
Due to my work in music, I am also equipped to play violin professionally, and I now possess an in-depth knowledge of the music world which I can apply to my work in Psychology.
What excites you most about the coming academic year?
I am most excited for my research in the Psychology department where in the music neuroscience lab I’ll put into practice what I’ve learned so far and gain a wider berth of knowledge in the field. I am also excited to continue my path in music, working on Britten Violin Concerto and taking music courses which interest me such as Free Improvisation.
