THE GENESIS OF WRITING
I don’t know a journalist who doesn’t have a book project – an essay or a novel – lying around in their drawers. My retirement from Radio-Canada allowed me to begin realizing a dream that I had cherished for a long time. Writing is a gift of self, an act of courage and effort. In today's world, I believe that we must actively participate in the fight against disinformation and produce quality information that enlightens and educates the reader. I attempted to express my passion for our current understanding of the human brain which sheds new light on human nature and our complex social interactions.
Books
Music and the Brain
A popular science essay that explores music from an original angle. From the Big Bang to artificial intelligence, I offer a scientific look at the importance of music in our lives. Music as a tool for social cohesion, music for healing and music as a universal language, this is the framework of this book accessible to all.
First published by MultiMondes in 2018, it has just been taken over by Bibliothèque Québécoise in pocket format in 2011. A bookseller success and a popular success, Le cerveau et la musique was nominated for a Hubert-Reeves Prize in 2019 and an Opus prize by the Conseil Québécois de la Musique in 2018-19. Music and the Brain was nominated for a Hubert-Reeves Prize in 2019 and an Opus Prize by the Conseil Québécois de la Musique in 2018-19.
The media response was also very positive:
“Neurology, cell biology, anthropology and even astrophysics: when Michel Rochon says that he approaches music from a scientific angle, he leaves no territory unexplored. Savant, his essay The Brain and Music? Certainly. Complicated? Not so much, no. The former journalist, who notably worked for the programs Découverte and La Semaine Verte, is an excellent popularizer and his book is not the type to give headaches. »
Alexandre Vignault, La Presse
“The science journalist knows how to address a large audience and popularize a subject to make it not only digestible, but fascinating. If you are an art lover or a science lover, you will get chills! »
Les Libraires
The book was translated into Mandarin for the Chinese market by The Commercial Press, into Arabic by Al Arabi Publishing in Egypt, and into Italian by Lindau Publishers. The Commercial Press, en arabe par la maison d’édition Al Arabi Publishing en Égypte et en italien par les éditeurs Lindau.
LINKS
Publisher MultiMondes : https://editionsmultimondes.com/livre/le-cerveau-et-la-musique/
Publisher Bibliothèque Québécoise BQ : http://www.livres-bq.com/catalogue/330-le-cerveau-et-la-musique.html
Link to the audiobook from Audible that I read: https://www.audible.ca/fr_CA/pd/Le-cerveau-et-la-musique-Livre-Audio/B07V5NBB3Y
Report and piano interview with Sophie-Andrée Blondin on Radio-Canada’s popular science radio show, Les Années lumière :
L’amour, la haine et le cerveau
This book was written during the covid-19 pandemic. It is intended to be a scientific, philosophical, psychological and political reflection on the two great passions of love and hatred. A look at the reasons that explain our behavior in the age of social media, climate change, covid-19 and terrorism. First published by MultiMondesit has just been translated into Italian and is published by Codice Edizione.
" The subject is very current: everyone can guess how the themes in question are conducive to arousing strong emotions. The book is all the more interesting because the author certainly refers to neuroscience, but also to philosophers, psychologists and anthropologists whose views have sometimes been confirmed by these recent discoveries.
Signed by a great popularizer, here is a highly recommended work, particularly in these times of confinement, online learning and intense use of social networks."
Normand Baillargeon
Le Devoir et Les Libraires
AUDIOBOOK
Link to the audiobook I read: https://www.audible.ca/fr_CA/pd/Lamour-la-haine-et-le-cerveau-Livre-Audio/2897732342
La musique qui défie la science
This essay, launched in October 2023, is a 200-page book dedicated to exploring the challenges that music poses to science. For example, I examine the still misunderstood links between music and madness, drugs and spirituality. I also invite you to discover with me intrauterine music, the power of the human voice and the mysteries of musical giftedness.
And to finish, I take a look at the important role of music during the covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine...A whole journey that is artistic, scientific and social to better understand this universal language, so powerful , what is music!
La musique ARTIFICIELLE
Publié en avril 2026, cet essai explore les origines et le rôle de la musique dans notre société, les premiers pas pour composer et jouer de la musique par le biais d’algorithmes, au début mécaniques, puis électriques et numériques pour déboucher sur les récentes percées révolutionnaires de l’IA.
Cette dernière nous confronte à un nouveau paradigme: sommes-nous les seuls à pouvoir créer de la musique? Le livre examine également l’impact de l’IA en musique sur les droits d’auteur, l’économie du secteur musical, sa capacité à nous émouvoir et l’avenir de cette nouvelle musique artificielle.
Translations and editions abroad
En 2026, les 4 ouvrages sont maintenant disponibles en 16 éditions différentes dans 6 langues dont le mandarin, l’arabe, l’italien, l’espagnol et l’allemand. Les 3 premiers essais sont disponibles dans toute la francophonie européenne aux éditions Eyrolles à Paris et Quanto à Lausanne.
Co-author
In 2017, I participated in a collective under the direction of Catherine Régis, Karim Benyckhlef and Daniel Weinstock entitled Sauvons la justice! 39 propositions pour agir. My chapter focuses on the universality of health care in Canada and the history, not to be continued or repeated, of efforts by the medical profession to contravene this right. In 2019, I also collaborated on the classic L’état du Québec from the Institut du Nouveau Monde. My chapter was entitled An inclusive, open and equitable vision: the wish of generation Y entrepreneurs. A text which arose from a workshop that I led for the Institut du Nouveau Monde with young leaders to discuss their aspirations.
Collectif
Les mots de la musique
Published by the renowned French editor Fayard, this book is an impressive collective of 222 authors, novelists, poets, journalists and musicians. Each of them has chosen to write a short essay on a twentieth century musician.
Classical music, song, world music, pop, rock, reggae, jazz, rap, electronic music, all music is present in this book which forms a vast literary panorama of the music of the last century. My contribution will focus on the jazz pianist and improviser Keith Jarrett. Publication: October 30, 2024.
https://www.fayard.fr/livre/les-mots-de-la-musique-9782213727554
Book Fairs
Book fairs are a pivotal moment in the life of a book and its author. This is where we test, through exchange and meeting, I have had the chance to present my books at the Book Fairs in Montreal, Quebec, Trois-Rivières, the Côte-Nord, the Outaouais, Saguenay and even Paris. Touching testimonials from readers for whom music has been a lifeline, a source of inspiration. It is also at the Book Fairs that we meet our fellow writers, a unique opportunity to discuss the profession.
Video capsule produced by the Salon du livre de Montréal in 2020 :
Video capsule produced by the Salon du livre de Montréal in 2021
Conferences
Music and the Brain
A book begins its real life after its publication. You have to go towards the reader, share the words and ideas written in the book directly with them. My experience in television, in training, in education and in front of the public has helped me to make Music and the Brain accessible in another way, through speech and music.
In this conference-concert, I propose a journey that leads us to explore the origins of music and its importance in the evolution of humanity. With simple and accessible explanations on the piano, with plastic brains that I distribute around the room, videos and images, I retrace the path of evolution to understand how our brain is today capable of perceiving and creating music to communicate, express oneself and share both the large and small rituals of our society.
Since the book came out, I have given over forty lectures to a variety of audiences: universities, conservatories and CEGEPs. I even had the chance to offer it at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, at the Music and Beyond festival in Ottawa, at the Virée Classique of the Orchestres symphonique de Montréal, for the hearing impaired, the blind and even in front of 1,000 doctors at the congress of Médecins francophones du Canada! Many dates are planned for the 2024-2025 season.
This concert-conference was also given with very talented musicians including jazz saxophonist Yannick Rieu and the Trio Hochelaga. Moreover, other performances are planned with this excellent classical music trio.
L’amour, la haine et le cerveau
A vast and complex subject of love, hate and the brain in the age of social media, climate change, covid-19 and terrorism. But the public is attentive and curious to learn more about how the brain works in this context.
Links for the conference :
http://www.fondationculturellebrebeuf.org/activite/lamour-la-haine-et-le-cerveau-michel-rochon/