Anne-Marie Forbes

Associate Professor Anne-Marie Forbes is a music scholar and performer at the University of Tasmania, affiliated with the School of Creative Arts and Media and the Conservatorium of Music. She holds academic rank as an Associate Professor and has been at the university since 2000. Her research focuses on the intersection of arts, health, and wellbeing, particularly the benefits of music engagement in enhancing mental and physical health, youth resilience, and dementia care. Her work combines musicology with interdisciplinary studies in health sciences.

Forbes holds a PhD from the University of Queensland (1993) and advanced degrees in Musicology and Performance from U.S. institutions. Her academic leadership roles include Deputy Head of Conservatorium and Discipline Lead for Creative Arts and Health. She pioneered the Diploma of Creative Arts and Health, integrating online learning and interdisciplinary approaches.

Research interests span British and Australian music history, choral performance, and sacred music. She has published extensively on composers like Fritz Hart and John Tavener, and her recent work explores the role of music ensembles in youth resilience. Awards include the 2020 Fellowship of the Royal Society of Public Health for her leadership in arts and health.

Forbes actively collaborates with community organizations and health institutions, leading projects such as the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra resilience study and singing programs for dementia patients. She has supervised over 30 graduate students and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.

Her teaching emphasizes fostering curiosity and critical thinking, integrating arts and health themes. She leads units like 'The Arts and Dementia Care' and coordinates interdisciplinary courses bridging musicology, health, and community engagement.