Verbier Festival Premieres “Neurorecital” With Live Brain Imaging of Pianist Nicolas Namoradze
VERBIER, SWITZERLAND — In one of the most innovative performances of the summer, pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze took the stage at the Verbier Festival not only to play works by Bach, Debussy, Scriabin, and Ravel, but also to reveal what was happening inside his brain — in real time.
Music Meets Neuroscience
The concert, titled “Neurorecital,” projected a live feed of Namoradze’s brain activity onto a screen above the stage, allowing the audience to see which areas lit up and interacted as he played. The visualizations were powered by technology he developed in collaboration with Neuroscape at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Brain Dynamics Lab at the University of Calgary.
The technology, known as the Glass Brain, uses EEG scans taken while Namoradze repeatedly performed the recital program. That data was then processed to generate real-time visualizations synced to his live playing.
Fireworks in the Mind
The imagery looked like a fireworks display — intricate patterns of interconnected brain activity responding to different musical passages. Namoradze noted that the brain’s activity varied significantly depending on the composer and style.
“There are clearly noticeable and sometimes very stark differences in activity across the pieces, which is a very exciting thing to witness during the recital,” Namoradze said.
For the audience, these shifting visuals became a parallel narrative to the music itself, deepening the listening experience.
Interactive and Educational
Following the recital, Namoradze joined neurologist Prof. René M. Müri for a Q&A session moderated by journalist Charlotte Gardner. The discussion explored the relationship between music-making and brain function, as well as how this technology might influence music education, performance training, and even therapy.
What’s Next for Neurorecital
The project will travel next to Lancaster University on September 25, 2025, giving UK audiences the chance to see — and hear — this groundbreaking combination of art and science.
By inviting listeners to witness the brain’s inner workings while music unfolds, Namoradze is reframing the concert experience, turning it into an immersive exploration of human creativity.
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