About this talk
Richard Kogan is a pianist and psychiatrist who advocates harnessing the power of music to heal the mind and transform lives. In his 2016 TEDMED Talk, Richard poses the question: What if musical exposure could help to transform psychopathology into radiant mental health?
About Richard Kogan
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Dr. Richard Kogan is a unique professional who has successfully combined two challenging careers: medicine and music. He is a skilled concert pianist and a psychiatrist. Richard graduated from two prestigious institutions, The Juilliard School for music and Harvard Medical School for medicine, and he is currently a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. He has become internationally known for his special “lecture-concerts.” In these performances, Richard plays beautiful piano pieces while also discussing the lives of the composers. He explores how their mental and physical health, as well as other psychological struggles, may have influenced the music they created. He often focuses on composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Gershwin, sharing a fascinating look into the link between genius, creativity, and mental illness. Richard’s work has been praised by major publications, with The New York Times calling his playing “exquisite.” His ability to excel in both fields has been widely celebrated, with The Boston Globe noting that he has “somehow managed to excel at the world’s two most demanding professions.” Through his performances, he offers a deeper understanding of music and the human mind, while also demonstrating the healing power of music.