phd on music cognition

• Welcome to Eastman
• Mission and Vision
• Eastman Strategic Plan
• Community Engagement
• Awards and Recognition
• Equity and Inclusion
• Offices & Services
• Undergraduate
• Contact Admissions
• Faculty Listing
• Faculty Resources
• Chamber Music
• Composition
• Conducting & Ensembles
• Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media
• Music Teaching and Learning
• Music Theory
• Organ, Sacred Music & Historical Keyboards
• Strings, Harp, & Guitar
• Voice, Opera & Vocal Coaching
• Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion
• Beal Institute
• Early Music
• Piano Accompanying
• Degrees and Certificates
• Graduate Studies
• Undergraduate Studies
• Academic Affairs
• Eastman Community Music School
• Eastman Performing Arts Medicine
• George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion in Music
• Institute for Music Leadership
• Sibley Music Library
• Summer@Eastman
• Residential Life
• Student Activities
• Concert Office
• Events Calendar
• Eastman Theatre Box Office
• Performance Halls
• Music Cognition

Music cognition is an interdisciplinary field concerned with applying the methods of cognitive science—behavioral, computational, and neurological—to musical issues and problems. At the University of Rochester, the  Music Theory Department  (at Eastman School of Music) and the  Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department  offer an active and supportive environment for music cognition study and research.

In August 2005, the University of Rochester recognized music cognition as an “Interdisciplinary Cluster”, providing additional funding for music cognition events and activities.

Graduate Study in Music Cognition

Although we do not offer a PhD in music cognition, students with interests in music cognition are encouraged to pursue graduate study at Eastman/UR. This can be done either through the PhD program in music theory at Eastman, or through the PhD program in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester. Students accepted into one of these PhD programs may design an interdepartmental PhD that combines coursework in both music theory and BCS and a jointly advised dissertation on a music-cognitive topic.

Music Theory PhD at Eastman

Students in Eastman’s theory PhD program have great flexibility in designing their own programs of study, and those with interests in music cognition are encouraged to pursue them. Students take graduate-level courses in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences department, and BCS faculty serve on dissertation committees. The theory department’s graduate-level course offerings include two courses in music cognition: a broad survey course entitled “Music and the Mind” (MTH 260), and a research-focused proseminar (MTH 560). The theory department’s Music Research Laboratory has a dedicated room for music perception/cognition experiments. For further information, contact David Temperley ([email protected]).

Visit the theory department’s website »»

Brain & Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester

The Brain & Cognitive Sciences department welcomes graduate and undergraduate students with interests in music, especially those wishing to explore connections between music and other areas of cognitive science, such as language, perception, and learning and development. At the graduate level, the department provides training in behavioral, computational, and neural approaches to the study of perception, cognition, and language. Students with interests in music cognition are encouraged to take courses at Eastman and work with Eastman faculty. For further information, contact Elise Piazza ( [email protected] ), who joined the BCS faculty in 2020. Dr. Piazza’s research studies the cognitive neuroscience of auditory and music perception and communication across the lifespan. Learn more about her research at  www.elisepiazza.com .

Visit the BCS website »»

Undergraduate Study in Music Cognition

The undergraduate curriculum in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering requires that students choose a major in one of three areas—Humanities, Natural Sciences, or Social Sciences—and complete a “cluster” in each of the other two disciplines. It is now possible to complete a cluster in any of these three areas that includes coursework in music cognition ( learn more  about undergraduate clusters). Students may also minor in music cognition as a Natural Science ( learn more ). The Brain & Cognitive Sciences B.A. degree program offers an undergraduate “track” on “Music Cognition and Language” ( learn more ); the department also offers an undergraduate survey course on music cognition.

Music Cognition Symposium

The music cognition symposium now has its own web page!

Some Recent Publications and Conference Presentations

The following list is a sampling of recent publications and conference presentations in music cognition by people at the University of Rochester and Eastman.

• Matt Chiu & Noah Kahrs (2021). “Chord Spacing and Quality: Lessons from Timbre Research.” Presented at the  New York Society for Music Theory  Annual Meeting and the  Future Directions of Music Cognition  Conference.
• Braden Maxwell, Jo Fritzinger, and Laurel Carney (2021). “A new auditory theory and its implications for timbre.”  Future Directions of Music Cognition  Conference.
• Ethan Lustig and Ivan Tan (2020). “All about that bass: Audio filters on basslines determine groove and liking in electronic dance music.”  Psychology of Music  48(6), 861-875.
• David Temperley (2019). “Uniform information density in music.”  Music Theory Online , 25.2.
• Lissa Reed, Braden Maxwell, & David Temperley (2019). “Cognitive coupling between stress and meter.”  Society for Music Perception and Cognition  Annual Meeting, New York University.
• Betsy Marvin, Hannah Dick, Charles Babb, & Anne Luebke (2019). “Validation of a Paired-Comparison Speech-In-Noise Test Against the HINT Test: Effects of Musical Training and Musical Aptitude on Auditory Filtering Abilities.”  Society for Music Perception and Cognition  Annual Meeting, New York University.
• David Temperley (2017). “Rhythmic Variability in European Vocal Music.”  Music Perception  35, 193-99.
• Adam Waller & David Temperley (2016). “Rhythmic complexity in rap.” Poster presented at the  International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition , San Francisco.
• David Temperley, Amanda Yung, & Celeste Kidd (2016). “Effects of Range and Proximity on Liking for Melodies.”  International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition , San Francisco.
• James Sullivan and Elizabeth West Marvin (2015). “Categorical perception of irregular rhythms.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Nashville.
• Elizabeth West Marvin, Joseph vanderStel, & Joseph Siu (2015). “A qualitative study of absolute pitch perception.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Nashville.
• David Temperley, Adam Waller, & Trevor de Clercq, “Changes in Rock Harmony, 1950-2010.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Nashville.
• Joseph VanderStel (2013). “Tonal ambiguity between relative keys.”  Milestones in Music Cognition Conference , McGill University.
• Daphne Tan (2013). “Ernst Kurth at the Boundary of Music Theory and Psychology.”  Music Theory Midwest Conference.
• Joseph Siu (2013). “Perception of the Tritone Paradox among Cantonese and Mandarin Speakers.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Ryerson University.
• Joseph Siu (2013). “Psychological Limits on Rhythm and Meter.”  Graduate Student Workshop, Society for Music Theory.
• David Temperley & Trevor de Clercq (2013). “Statistical Analysis of Harmony and Melody in Rock Music.” <i.Journal of New Music Research 42, 187-204.
• David Temperley & Daphne Tan (2013). “Emotional Connotations of Diatonic Modes.”  Music Perception  30, 237-57.
• Andrew Aziz (2011). “Debussy’s ‘Hommage a Haydn,’ Ravel’s ‘Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn’, and the Probabilistic Key-Finding Model.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Jenine Brown (2011). “The Psychological Representation of Musical Intervals in a Twelve-Tone Context.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Keturah Bixby, Joyce McDonough, & Betsy Marvin (2011). “Perceptual grouping: The influence of auditory experience.” Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Katie Cox (2011). “Playing in a Dialect: a Comparison of English and American Vowels and Trombone Timbres.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Robert Hasegawa (2011). “An Acoustic Model for Chord Voicings in Post-Tonal Music.” Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Elizabeth Marvin & Elissa Newport (2011). “The Absolute Pitch Continuum: Evidence of Incipient AP in Musical Amateurs.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Alice Asako Matsumoto & Caroline Marcum (2011). “The Relationship Between Music Aptitude and the Ability to Discriminate Tone Contours in the Cantonese Language.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Andrew Snow & Heather Chan (2011). “Linguistic Influences on Rhythmic Preference in the Music of Bartok.” Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• Daphne Tan (2011). “Past and present conceptions of music in the mind: An introduction to Ernst Kurth’s Musikpsychologie.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• David Temperley (2011). “A Bayesian Theory of Musical Pleasure.”  Society for Music Perception and Cognition  Annual Meeting, Rochester.
• David Temperley and Trevor de Clercq (2011). “Key-finding Algorithms for Popular Music.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.
• David Temperley & Daphne Tan (2011). “The Emotional Connotations of Diatonic Modes.” Biennial meeting of the  Society for Music Perception and Cognition , Rochester.

Recent Dissertations in Music Cognition

• Joseph VanderStel. 2021. “The Evolution of Syncopation in 20th-Century Popular Music.” (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Ethan Lustig. 2021. “The Effect of Perceived Complexity and Formal Location on Musical Preference.” (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Adam Waller. 2016. “Rhythmic Complexity in Rap.” (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Andrew Flowers. 2013. “The Rhythm of the Polyphonic Conductus: a computational model and its implications”. (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Daphne Tan. 2012. “Ernst Kurth at the Boundary of Music Theory and Psychology.” (Advisor: Robert Wason)
• Kelly Francis. 2011. “Attention and Multi-Part Music.” (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Christopher Bartlette. 2007. “A Study of Harmonic Distance and Its Role in Musical Performance.” (Advisor: David Temperley)
• Panayotis Mavromatis. 2005. “The Echoi of Modern Greek Church Chant in Written and Oral Transmission: A Computational Model and its Cognitive Implications.” (Advisor: Matthew Brown)
• Gavin P. Chuck. 2004. “Toward a Cognitive Theory of Musical Meaning.” (Advisor: Robert Wason)
• Scott Spiegelberg. 2002. “The Psychoacoustics of Musical Articulation.” 2002. (Advisors: Dave Headlam and Elizabeth Marvin)
• Nancy Rogers. 2000. “The Role of Verbal Encoding in Musical Memory.” (Advisor: Elizabeth Marvin)

Quick Links

• Theory Main
• Audition Repertoire
• Bachelor of Music in Theory
• Graduate Pedagogy
• Research and Recent Dissertations
• Current Students
• Theory Colloquium
• Photo Highlights
• Departments Main

Society for Music Perception and Cognition

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.

Psychology today, science news (special issue: a mind for music), acoustics research letters online, apa journals, computer music journal, academic programs in music cognition.

Navigate: Current News  | Academic Programs in Music Cognition  | Graduate School Search Resources  |  Career Advice/Mentorship

Welcome to our academic programs page. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of our field, most of our researchers and members have degrees in multiple fields or work in various departments.

In general, if you wish to research music cognition, we suggest choosing a related major that you're interested in (psychology, music, neuroscience, etc.). Then search the Map of SMPC Music Cognition Labs  for labs in your area or chosen institution and reach out to ask about options for joining the lab.

• In many cases, you can work at a lab as a major in music, psychology, neuroscience, or related fields. Most of these institutions will have a faculty member that can advise you on a research project, will teach one or two courses in music psychology, and can get your started on your way. 
• At some schools, the degree titles may be generic (i.e. BA in Psychology) but due to a heavy emphasis on music cognition research at the school, you are able to take a variety of courses related to music cognition or create your own specialization.

Specialized degrees in music cognition have been emerging, which are listed below under Academic Programs in Music Cognition . These programs will have highly interdisciplinary coursework and often require fulfilling the requirements of either a psychology or music degree.

(To add a listing, please email the SMPC webmaster: webmaster [a] musicperception.org)

CURRENT OPENINGS AND NEWS:

(Posted by descending due date; Postings without due dates posted last)

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN MUSIC COGNITION:

Listed below are programs that lead to a title/specialization in music cognition or related fields (at the bachelor degree level or above).

Note: Technology, engineering, computer science, and acoustics degrees are listed if the curriculum focuses on music cognition research or similar applications.

•  McMaster University (Hamilton, ON):

•  BA in Psychology/Neuroscience/Behavior with Music Cognition Specialization  (Psychology Department) • BM in Music Cognition  (Music Department) • BSc in Psychology/Neuroscience/Behavior with Music Cognition Specialization  (Psychology Department)

•  McGill University  (Montreal, QC):

•  MA in Music Technology (School of Music) •  PhD in Music Technology (School of Music)

•  Carnegie Mellon  (Pittsburgh, PA):

•  BS in Music & Technology  (School of Music) •  MS in Music & Technology with Electrical Engineering or Computer Science Emphasis (School of Music)

• Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA):

•  BS in Music Technology with Concentration in Acoustics and Vibrations (School of Music) •  MS in Music Technology (School of Music) •  PhD in Music Technology (School of Music)

• Northeastern University  (Boston, MA): BS in Music and Psychology (College of Arts, Media, and Design)

•  Northwestern University (Chicago, IL):

•  BM in Music Cognition  (School of Music) •  PhD in Music Theory and Cognition  (School of Music)

• Peabody Institute  (Baltimore, MD):

•  MA  in Acoustical Studies  (School of Music) • MM  in Computer Music - Research and Technology Track (School of Music)

• Penn State University (State College, PA):

• M. Eng., MS, and PhD in Acoustics (College of Engineering)

• University of Hartford  (Hartford, CT):

• BSE  in Acoustical Engineering and Music (College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture/School of Music) • BSME in Mechanical Engineering with Acoustics Concentration (College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture)

• University of Illinois  (Urbana-Champaign, IL): BS  in Computer Science and Music  (School of Music)

• University of Rochester  (Rochester, NY):

• MS in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Musical Acoustics and Signal Processing (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) •  PhD  in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Audio and Acoustics  (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Continental Europe

• Aalborg University (Denmark): MsC in Sound and Music Computing  (Engineering Department) • Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe (Germany):

• BA  in Music Informatics and Musicology (Institute for Music Informatics and Musicology) • MA in Music Informatics  (Institute for Music Informatics and Musicology)

• Sorbonne Université  (France): Master in Science & Technology for Music (Computer Science or Engineering) •  Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain): Master  in Sound and Music Computing (Department of Information & Communication Technology)

• University of Leeds : BA/MA  Music and Psychology  (School of Music) •  Durham University :  MA in Music and Science (Music Department) • Goldsmiths University of London : MsC in Music, Mind & Brain (Psychology Department) • Queen Mary University of London : MsC in Sound and Music Computing (Department of Computer and Data Science) • Royal College of Music London :

•  MsC in Performance Science (College of Music and Centre for Performance Science) •  PhD in Performance Science (College of Music and Centre for Performance Science)

• The University of Sheffield :

•  MA in Psychology of Music (Department of Music) • MA in Psychology in Education, Performance, and Wellbeing (Department of Music; Distance Learning) • PhD in Psychology of Music (Department of Music)

• The University of York: MA in Psychology of Music (Department of Music) 

• University of Southhampton: BsC in Acoustics with Music (  

RECOMMENDED GRADUATE PROGRAM SEARCH RESOURCES:

Programs 

•  Map of SMPC Music Cognition Labs • Society for Education, Music, and Psychology Research (SEMPRE)  Courses and Studies Directory •  International Society for Music Information Retrieval: Research Laboratories • Sound and Music Computing: Research Centers • MajoringinMusic.com

• Academic Jobs Wiki: Dissertation Fellowships Database

CAREER AND PERSONAL ADVICE/MENTORSHIP:

• The Professor Is In   • Berklee College Careers in the Performing Arts Database •  Society for Music Theory: Professional Development Committee • IEEE Signal Processing Society Students & Young Professionals Community

Minority Mentorship Programs

•  Women in Music Information Retrieval • Society for Music Theory: Committee for the Status of Women Mentoring Programs • Society for Music Theory: Committee on Race and Ethnicity Mentoring • Disability Studies at the American Musicological Society and Society for Music Theory Support Networks • Black in Neuro    

----------------

Musicology, with a Twist: Princeton’s Music Cognition Lab

The Department of Music was pleased to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Margulis to the faculty in the Fall of 2019 as Professor of Music and Director of Graduate Studies (Musicology) to examine the relationship between music and the mind. Since her appointment, Dr. Margulis has built a robust infrastructure through which to marry the fields of cognitive science and music. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on topics related to the sciences and humanities and leads a cohort of graduate students examining various research areas in the rich space between cognitive science and music.

The hub of Dr. Margulis’ work is the Music Cognition Lab, a converted space overlooking the beautiful Prospect Garden up the stairs in Woolworth Music Building. In the Lab, one may find many of the same instruments and tools that are present in a science lab: eye trackers, physiological recording equipment, and input devices with high temporal resolution. The space and all it holds are a resource that will not only advance the way music is studied at Princeton but will enrich the studies of students in other Departments as well, like Neuroscience Majors studying in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute (PNI) or Psychology Majors within the Division of Natural Sciences.

“Oftentimes, to do research about music that’s really interesting you need teams that include people with expertise in the humanities and people with expertise in the sciences.” (Margulis)

The primary research focus of the Music Cognition Lab lately has been the imaginative responses listeners can have to instrumental music. Participants in a series of experiments listen to musical excerpts and describe the images, or stories, that come to mind. By using tools from cognitive science, including those from natural language processing, the researchers (Dr. Margulis, a number of graduate students, and a handful of undergraduates) are working to understand how the imagination responds to music in what they refer to as the “Narratives Project.” 

With Dr. Margulis’ appointment to the Department of Music, the breadth of studies available to graduate students under faculty guidance has been richly expanded. Graduate students Karen Christianson, a second-year, and Cara Turnbull, a fourth-year, are active participants in the Lab, but they also are poised to develop unique insights through their own independent research. Christianson, the first musicology student to be certified to run fMRI experiments at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, has been leading the fMRI studies for the Narratives Project, but she’s also considering where her own research might take her. Right now, she’s curious about the field of embodied cognition, or how the body contributes to the formation of the mind. 

“We’re putting people in the fMRI scanner and seeing what the brain activity looks like while they are listening to music and imagining these stories. I’m learning all of these new computational methods for studying music.” (Christianson)

Turnbull, inspired by her work with the Narratives Project, has decided to pursue her own extension of the research: she’ll be looking at music-evoked autobiographical memories using popular music like Billboard Top 100 hits as prompts for participants in her own experiments.

“I wanted to try and hone in on the things that might be happening when people listen to music. And that was when I started thinking about memories.” (Turnbull)

Natalie Miller, another graduate student, is using the Lab’s resources to study how music aids immersion in multimedia contexts like video games and TikToks, while Gabrielle Hooper, also a graduate student, will explore music’s viability in treating patients with dementia.

Undergraduates, too, have the opportunity to engage with the Lab. Grace Simmons (class of ‘22), now a first-year medical student in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, began working in the Lab as a Research Assistant her sophomore year, coding excerpts from the Lab’s Narratives Project for a place, time, and other shared characteristics: “It’s kind of like putting a hashtag on something.” Two years later, Dr. Margulis served as Simmons’ senior thesis advisor, guiding her and a number of graduate students in developing the research question and experimental methods to study the neural correlates of story generation from a musical stimulus.

“I’d reached out to the Neuroscience Department because I was interested in the cognitive aspects of neuroscience but many of the classes that were being offered were on systems neuroscience, not looking at things like sleep or music. They mentioned that Dr. Margulis was joining the faculty in the subsequent fall. In my sophomore year, she offered me a research assistant position. I really am grateful for that experience.” (Simmons)

Upon her appointment to the faculty, Dr. Margulis developed a number of new undergraduate and graduate courses centered around an interdisciplinary approach to music and the sciences. Last spring (2022), for example, she co-taught a course with Adele Goldberg called “Music and Language,” an interdisciplinary course that explores how both music and language offer unique pathways to understanding the human mind. 

Really, she’s building a community of like-minded, interdisciplinary thinkers in the Department of Music and beyond who will continue to push the sciences and humanities to work together in critical and fruitful ways. Cara Turnbull and Karen Christianson are among the first of what promises to be a long tradition of graduate students coming to Princeton for the Music Cognition Lab – and for Dr. Margulis. 

“I find it empowering and inspiring to work with such an outstanding female scholar.” (Turnbull)

There’s a strong element of inspirational in this community. The members of the Lab work diligently – they’re preparing submissions for an upcoming conference in Tokyo, the International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, and they’ve been hard at work on their upcoming book, The Science-Music Borderlands: Reckoning with the Past and Imagining the Future , which evolved out of an interdisciplinary conference of established and emerging researchers in neuroscience and cognitive science, music, historical musicology, and ethnomusicology and will be published in Spring 2023 – but they also chat together on subjects academic and otherwise in a shared Slack channel, partake in group outings, and are known to enjoy the occasional jam session. 

The influence of the Lab can be found almost everywhere in the Department these days. In class, members of the Lab are frequently invited to share their perspectives from the lens of cognitive science. And in the Lab itself, students consistently bring topics from other classes and readings into their cognitive research work. 

“I took a class on rethinking Bach in the twenty-first century with Wendy Heller and John Butt where I wrote this really fun, interesting paper showing how an understanding of current advances in the field of embodied cognition can lead to a deeper understanding of how Bach’s music affects the bodies of its listeners today.” (Christianson)

It’s a fruitful cross-pollination that’s evident even in Dr. Margulis’ title itself – she’s a musicologist, but with a twist. 

In Other News

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen ’15 Returns to Princeton for Groundbreaking Performance in Elgar’s “Dream of Gerontius”

Apr 15, 2024

Interview by Chloe Yutong Yang ’26 On April 19-20, 2024, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen ’15 will make a triumphant return to his alma mater, Princeton University, for a historic performance …

Brittany Haas (‘09), Princeton’s Fiddler

Mar 15, 2024

Brittany Haas’s ’09 journey at Princeton took many diverse pathways. An Evolutionary Biology Major with a Music Performance Certificate, she navigated student life focusing on primatology, while simultaneously delving into an array of musical genres and cultures. Learn more in our interview with Brittany!

It takes a village: Projects for Peace winner Carlos Cortez ’24 and the people of Zináparo bring music and soccer to their youth

Jan 23, 2024

Department of Cognitive Science

Music on the mind.

In her Music Cognition course, Hopkins alum and senior lecturer Monica Lopez-Gonzalez examines music through a highly interdisciplinary lens in order to answer complex questions of human brain function and development.

Music Theory and Cognition Doctoral Students

[email protected]

Anjni Amin’s research engages a range of topics, including expressive performance, music theory pedagogy, world music pedagogy, and music education. Her dissertation examines the development of expressive interpretation skills through interaction between performer-pedagogue and student in the collegiate performance studio. She has presented her research at the International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition and the International Conference on Analytical Approaches to World Music, as well as at meetings of the College Music Society and the Society for Ethnomusicology. Her work dealing with both music theory and world music pedagogy is published in  The Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy . Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned her B.S. in music education from The College of Saint Rose and her M.M. in music theory from Northwestern. Currently, Anjni is on the faculty at Oberlin College & Conservatory teaching theory and aural skills.

Sara Bowden, PhD Candidate

[email protected]

Sara Bowden grew up at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Maryville, TN. They earned their undergraduate degree in Music Theory from The University of North Texas (B.M. 2018, Thesis: “Kill or Be Killed: Music as a Moral Catalyst in Toby Fox’s  Undertale ”) and their master’s degree in Music Theory and Cognition from Northwestern University (M.M. 2019, Thesis: “Narrative Transformation and Music in Mediatized Moral Space in Charlie Brooker’s Bandersnatch ”). Their research interests include sound studies and public cultures, video game music and affect, and players’ encounters with video game music as enriched by music’s relationship to rhetoric in the visual novel category. Their published work on musical disruption in psychological horror games may be read in The Soundtrack.  They have presented papers at regional, national, and international conferences including IASPM-ANZ, Music and the Moving Image, and Music Theory Midwest. Outside of their academic pursuits, Sara is an in-demand marching arts educator, choreographer, and guest clinician. As an educator in the Chicago area, Sara currently works as a field instructor for the seven-time Bands of America Grand National Champion Marian Catholic High School Marching Band. An active performer, they are a trombonist for the Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade, Chicago’s first street band comprised solely of women and non-binary performers.

[email protected]

Leo Casti ’21 MMus is a native of Sardinia, Italy, where they worked as an orchestral musician and high school music teacher until moving to the USA in 2019. They holds three artist diplomas “vecchio ordinamento” – old system- in harp, choral conducting, and composition; two bachelor’s degrees in orchestral conducting and tourism; two master’s degrees in composition and modern languages obtained – all seven with top grades, four of them with honors – in the Italian conservatories/universities of Torino, Sassari, and Trapani. Casti has won national and international contests as a harpist and their composition master has been subsidized by the foundation CRT of Torino. Their previous researches in music theory involved the relationship(s) between musical and linguistic phraseology, Gestalt theory and music perception, and the use of past-related quotations in polystylistic music of the 21st century. Having been a passionate teacher of music theory and composition at the Liceo “D.A.Azuni” in Sassari, Casti would also love to dive deep into the compositional techniques of the Neapolitan school and partimento art of the 18th century, to help disclose that well-crafted music is not only a prerogative of “musical genius” but that it is accessible to every highly trained musician.

[email protected]

A native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Lena Console holds two bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music: a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Music Theory & Philosophy. After a lifetime in the Midwest, Lena spent four years working and performing in Seattle, Washington. There she worked as a research coordinator for the University of Washington Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, researching impacts of group music-making on children’s empathy and pro-social behavior; and as a teaching artist for various organizations, including the Seattle Symphony, where she piloted a community composition residency program with adults who are facing homelessness. As a trumpet performer, her experiences range from historical performance to modern jazz and rock covers. Lena’s current research interests focus on the intersections between aesthetic perception and mindfulness, exploring cognitive components such as attention, memory, and expectation. Also passionate about community engagement, Lena hopes to develop her academic research to create accessible programs for those outside of academia.

[email protected]

Laine Gruver is from Mill Valley, California, and earned her B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2020. At UCLA, she merged her studies of neuroscience with music by designing and teaching her own seminar course within the Department of Musicology, entitled ‘Psychomusicology: How Music and the Brain Create Our Experienced Reality.’ She additionally completed an independent ecomusicology research project in which she examined how the scores of the BBC’s Planet Earth and Planet Earth II aimed to evoke different empathetic reactions from viewers. Particularly fascinated with the listening experience, Laine intends to center her research at Northwestern on musical memory and nostalgia, especially in regards to how they help cultivate our personal taste in music. She is also intrigued by issues of gender as they intersect with popular music, and hopes to explore those issues through a certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies.

[email protected]

Hunter Hoyle is from Sanford, North Carolina. Prior to arriving at Northwestern, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2022, receiving a B.M. in Music Education and Piano Performance and a B.A. in Psychology. Hunter’s research interests include the perception and cognition of musical form, the effect of timbre on the perception of musical categories, and the practical applications of music-cognitive research to music theory and aural skills pedagogy. Passionate about interdisciplinary research, his senior honors thesis, “Sonata Form Revisited: Towards a Cognitive Theory of Formal Interference,” draws upon schema theory, cognitive dissonance theory, and gestalt theory as a means of reexamining Hepokoski and Darcy’s sonata theory through the lens of music cognition. Another one of Hunter’s papers, “Maximizing Form in Minimalism: Psychological Form as Narrative in Philip Glass’s Etude No. 6,” uses David Huron’s 2013 habituation-fluency theory of repetition to illustrate how formal manipulations of textural density and metrical dissonance can be perceived as conveying narrative in minimalism, a musical style that has historically been viewed as “antiteleological.” Hunter’s work has been presented at annual meetings of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic, the West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis, and the International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition.

[email protected]

Kim Kawczinski is interested in examining how musical features come to develop personal and cultural significance via repetition, ritual, and embodiment. Kim holds an M.A. in Music, Science, and Technology from Stanford University and an A.B. in Music with a double major in Physics from the University of Chicago. She has also worked in industry in the audio technology research space. Kim has previously worked on acoustical space, room reverberation, and spatial audio, including her undergraduate thesis (“On Interpreting Acoustic Space in Contemporary Musical Performance Practice”) and publications with the Audio Engineering Society and the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. Kim also plays the violin and composes.

[email protected]

Amy King hails from Oak Ridge, North Carolina. In 2016, she earned her B.A. in Piano Performance and English Literature from High Point University and went on to complete her M.M. in Music Theory and Cognition from Northwestern University in 2020. Her master’s thesis, “Sounds of Poetry in Britten’s ‘Death, be not proud’”—which she also presented at various conferences—combines her love of poetry with musical sound, meaning, and interpretation. Her current research focuses on linguistic approaches to music theory, particularly in regards to communication, meaning, and emotion in music. Amy also engages in public music theory and is an advocate for accessibility and diversity in music education.

Morgan Patrick, PhD Candidate

[email protected]

Morgan Patrick is a second-year PhD student from Westport, Connecticut. At Brown University he created an undergraduate degree in music cognition, graduating with an interdisciplinary honors thesis in the Departments of Music and Cognitive, Linguistic, & Psychological Sciences. There, his research focused on parallels between Western tonality and the cognition of visual narrative structure. Patrick’s current research investigates how musical form guides attention during real-time listening and during multimedia experiences of narrative. He is also interested in the cognitive mechanisms that underlie theme learning in film and concert music, especially as they relate to the psychology of expectation and immersion.

[email protected]

Emily Schwitzgebel’s current research focuses on expectation in music, with intersections in music and emotion, music and language, and uses of computational modeling. She has presented at conferences held by the Society for Music Perception and Cognition and the Northeast Music Cognition Group, as well as at the annual Music and Informatics interest group meeting hosted by the Society for Music Theory. Prior to her studies at Northwestern, Emily earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory and Composition from the College of Wooster, and a Master of Music in Music Theory from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A strong advocate for interdisciplinary research, she aims to engage with several fields of study, drawing on her research expertise to bridge the gap between scholarship and pedagogy.

[email protected]

Michael Slattery is from Hartland, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, both from Northwestern University. His work there as an undergraduate included a project, funded by the Office of Undergraduate Research, on sacred quotations and topical content in the symphonies of Anton Bruckner as well as a senior thesis on virtual agency in the Mozart Clarinet Quintet. Michael is interested in understanding the construction of musical meaning through an variety of approaches, particularly topic theory and theories of form. Outside of his academic life, he has worked as a collaborative pianist for voice lessons at Northwestern.

[email protected]

Emily Warkentin is from Dripping Springs, Texas. She holds a BA in Music and Psychology from Trinity University. Her research strives to meld cognitive and linguistic perspectives with musical analysis to explore musical meaning in childhood, perception and learning, and late-life memory. Her undergraduate work included a children’s language research publication in Brain Sciences Journal and a senior thesis on the prominence of the Ziffersystem —a numerical music notation—in 18th-19th century Russian Mennonite choral communities. An active pianist, composer, and choral singer, Emily fuels her research interests with a deep love for musical creativity and community engagement.

Let your curiosity lead the way:

Apply Today

• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

Music Cognition

Skip to Content

• Eastern US Music Schools
• Central US Music Schools
• Western US Music Schools
• International Music Schools
• Arts High Schools
• Summer Music Programs
• Scholarships
• Read Articles
• Testimonials
• Music Major Blog

Music Cognition as a Career Path

Music Cognition is an interdisciplinary field of research that encompasses several areas of study including music, psychology, neuroscience, music therapy, music theory, musicology, computer science and linguistics. Those who work in the field are considered to be music scientists.

by David John Baker

Each music scientist’s job description varies, but one thing they all have in common is the goal of understanding music through empirical research.

Music scientists ask questions about music and conduct research that either affirms or shatters current notions that we hold about the world of music and how it works. They may look into questions such as:

• Why does a piece of music send shivers down my spine?
• How can I improve the way I practice?
• Is there a way to use music to help stroke patients learn to speak again? (Hint: there is.)
• Does music make you smarter? Or do smart kids just happen to take music lessons?
• What’s going on in the brain during improvisation?
• Why does music from a different culture sound ‘out of tune’ to my ears?
• Which came first, music or language?

Value of a Music Degree for Studying Music Cognition

Students who major in music are presented with a wealth of opportunities to learn valuable skills that are difficult to obtain later on.

Spending your undergraduate years attempting to master an instrument, performing in ensembles, training your ear, and studying music history and theory provides you with skills and knowledge that you can draw on your entire career.

Opportunities for designing experiments and crunching numbers are available at most stages of your career, but opportunities to immerse yourself in a highly concentrated music environment are quite few and far between after your undergraduate years.

Am I a Good Fit for Music Cognition?

While music scientists vary greatly in their backgrounds, experiences, and interests, there are a few qualities that they should possess:

1. Curiosity First and foremost, any scientist, regardless of their field, should have an insatiable curiosity about the world around them. If you find yourself asking questions about music and how it fits into the bigger puzzle of life, it’s a fantastic starting point.

2. Love of Reading and Writing Unlike music performance, the music scientist’s work culminates in writing their findings in reports, journals, and books. Except for an  occasional conference, most of the knowledge in the science world is passed through the written word. Your ability to communicate your ideas and understand the ideas of others will either make or break your career.

3. Math and Computer Savvy While many musicians cringe at the thought of math beyond counting to four, music scientists’ work is steeped heavily in statistical analysis and using technology to support the validity of their research.  Observation and data drive the research, and a music scientist needs to be able to use tools to convert the numbers into something tangible.

4. Passion for Music If you love what you do, whatever you do will never feel like work. It is important that you let your passion for music drive your curiosity. If you’re lukewarm about music, the work will quickly turn into drudgery.

5. Other Interests Although a music scientist investigates how music fits into the grand scheme of things, you cannot accomplish that in a vacuum. You must be able to devote time to learning about brain science, psychology, statistics, experimental design, computer programming and wherever else the rabbit hole of research leads you to discover the answers (and generate the questions) you’ll need.

Career Options for Music Cognition

Since the field of Music Cognition is relatively new, you won’t find many job listings for “music scientists.” But don’t let that discourage you from pursuing a career in this field. The job you ultimately end up with is going to be largely determined by the set of skills you have developed throughout your education.

Bachelor’s Degree Few schools offer undergraduate programs in Music Cognition. Music Cognition laboratories (see “Resources”) offer another way to gain experience in the field. Upon graduation, you may be able to find work as a lab/research assistant or use the skills you acquire in an entrepreneurial way. Most likely, you will be pursuing graduate education.

Master’s/PhD Most of the top music scientists work in academia. They have completed a certain degree of postgraduate education and although they are music scientists at heart, they look like music theorists, musicologists, educators, or performers on paper. Once they secure a job at the university level, they go on to work on many of their music science-related projects.

If academia is not the place for you, there are options for the technologically- and statistically-savvied musician in music industry: music marketing research, working for a music website, or working with an advertising company.

How to Increase Your Employment Options

The best way to increase your employment options in Music Cognition is to start with the end goal in mind. If you know you want to end up in academia, keep an eye out for job postings in the current market and tailor your skills accordingly throughout your education.

If you want to work in music marketing research, contact potential employers or people you know who do what you imagine yourself doing, and figure out what skills you need to learn. Experience working in labs, crunching numbers, and learning to program, as well as just becoming a fantastic, multi-talented musician will add to your employability.

Music Cognition is a fascinating field of study.  It is a wonderful marriage between music and science.  For some, the idea of looking at music under the microscope seems antithetical to everything that ‘music’ is. To others, discovering answers to questions that create more questions makes it all the more beautiful.

David John Baker is currently a PhD student at Louisiana State University working in the Music Cognition and Computation Lab. He completed an MSc. in Music, Mind and Brain at Goldsmiths, University of London and holds a BM in Instrumental Performance from  Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music.

Q & A with Richard Ashley

Associate professor, Music Theory and Cognition, and chair, Department of Music Studies at  Northwestern University Bienen School of Music .

What kinds of jobs have your graduates found?

Music Cognition is a research discipline, so academia is the primary place to look for jobs. However, students with training in Music Cognition find employment in a wide range of fields. My former students include an award-winning jazz musician, a computer science researcher/administrator, a fiction author, a lawyer, and an array of academics as well. The key ingredient is students identifying their strengths and passions and developing the life skills which allow them to pursue those. Training in creative research can be a good part of that educational process.

Do you need a PhD to work in Music Cognition?

Usually a career in Music Cognition—that is to say as a researcher—would require a PhD. The kinds of positions one can hold with a bachelor’s or master’s degree would typically be personnel who assist in researchers’ laboratories, such as lab managers. These can be good jobs but most young people who have those kinds of positions eventually want to move to posts with more responsibility and thus seek more advanced degrees.

What should prospective students look for in a school for studying music cognition?

Music Cognition is an interdisciplinary field, so I believe that a key element in a student’s education is learning from faculty and more advanced students in different academic areas. At Northwestern, we have a relatively small Music Theory/Cognition faculty (four ‘research’ faculty members) but a wide and deep network connecting us to faculty in other departments, including Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics, Computer Science, Philosophy, and other disciplines which contribute to the umbrella area of Cognitive Science. That model has worked well for us and our students.

Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC)   An organization for researchers and others interested in music perception and cognition.

Rubicks October 10, 2022 at 10:15 am

Hi, I looking to pursue this field of music cognition, could someone help me out in finding which colleges offer a masters program in this field.

MajoringInMusic October 10, 2022 at 12:16 pm

We suggest that you investigate these participating schools and use their forms to ask questions: Northwestern Bienen School of Music, McGill University Schulich School of Music (check their Music Technology program), Eastman School of Music. Also check out Goldsmiths at U of London and McMaster University. For additional information, look for the Music Cognition Labs associated with the Society for Music Perception and Cognition. You’ll find those in the Resources section of SMPC’s website.

Elle K April 5, 2020 at 10:21 pm

I believe that Music Cognition is the direction I want to go. I wanted to pursue an angle of Neuroscience on studying how music/sound affects the brain. I also want to study how music/sound can help heal those with brain trauma, anxiety, PTSD, depression, etc. I would like to pursue at least a Master’s degree in order to write on the various subjects, and even speak on/teach. I would love to know if I am heading in the right direction and suggestions for the prerequisites. I planned on shaping that interdisciplinary degree as suggested.I am just starting my AS. Thank you.

Mallory May 9, 2017 at 9:40 am

Hi I’m planning to pursue a double degree in clarinet performance and music cognition but I found out that my school does not offer music cognition as a degree. Could I have my second degree instead be psychology for undergrad, and then pursue a graduate degree in music cognition?

MajoringInMusic May 13, 2017 at 10:55 am

First look at the application requirements at schools you’re considering applying to for the graduate degree you’re interested in. If this doesn’t answer all of your questions, contact the admissions offices.

Lauren May 25, 2016 at 7:42 pm

I was wondering what a good path would be to take in preparation for music cognition as a graduate program. I was considering majoring in both music and neuroscience. Would it be more helpful to do both, or to focus on one, or are there other majors that I should take?

MajoringInMusic May 27, 2016 at 5:16 pm

As this article states, Music Cognition is an interdisciplinary, academic field. And people come to it from different directions. A strong undergraduate background in music theory can be useful, but some people major in performance and either take a dual major in neuroscience or a minor in it.

Sarah May 8, 2016 at 10:31 am

Hello, I have read about Music Cognition and Music Therapy but I’m still confused what are the differences between those two? And how can I become a Music Scientist?

MajoringInMusic May 9, 2016 at 2:56 pm

As this article states, music cognition is a research discipline. Music therapy, according to the American Music Therapy Association, “is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy degree program.” Visit their website and read articles on MajoringInMusic.com about music therapy to learn more.

Halie January 12, 2016 at 8:21 pm

I am currently a freshman in college pursuing a BM in Music Education Instrumental with a double minor in Psychology and Neuroscience. I had been going back and forth between Flute Performance and Music Ed and ultimately decided to stick with Music Ed. I have always been interested in a theory that I came up with about a year ago but I never knew what category it would fit under until my mother found this article for me and it represents exactly what my theory is presenting. I am interested in knowing if I am able to do anything with this theory as I continue on with my Music Ed degree. I would like my PhD and am interested in it. I am just curious if my theory would have any hope or if I should give up on this pipe dream essentially in music cognition or look into a research grant with my psychology department.

MajoringInMusic January 13, 2016 at 6:35 pm

Since you are just starting out, we suggest you keep all avenues open so you can continue exploring music and the many applications of music. As the author of this article points out, “Spending your undergraduate years attempting to master an instrument, performing in ensembles, training your ear, and studying music history and theory provides you with skills and knowledge that you can draw on your entire career.” Don’t give up on your theory, whatever it is, and find ways to explore it further. Look for opportunities during the school year and in summer to deepen your knowledge and experience of music cognition. Feed your interests and curiosity and enjoy what you’re learning as you move forward.

Karen October 23, 2014 at 7:27 pm

I am a musician and music educator and am fascinated by the recent, current, and ongoing research on music and the brain. I currently hold a BS in Music Education. What type of education path would I need to be qualified and prepared for research in neuroscience and music?

MajoringInMusic October 27, 2014 at 1:55 pm

Great question and great field to be interested in! Check the schools mentioned in this article to start answering your question – you can see Northwestern’s program right on MajoringInMusic.com. Also click on the SMPC resource listed on the right side of this article.

Hillary September 24, 2014 at 4:14 pm

Music is my passion and always has been. I currently hold a BA in Fine Arts from Fontbonne University in St. Louis. I believe music is a healing art and am so excited by the burgeoning field of music on the brain. I am hoping to eventually earn an MA/Ph.D in music cognition. I have been an employee at various nursing homes/acute rehab facilities and have worked with residents/patients dealing with Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and brain-injuries alike. My fiance has survived two head injuries and this is part of what is driving me to pursue this as a career.

MajoringInMusic September 24, 2014 at 10:12 pm

Wonderful to hear about your dedication and passion. Best wishes to you as you continue on your path!

Hillary November 3, 2014 at 5:01 pm

Thank you! I am very hopeful for this to happen.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join our mailing list

• Explore Schools
• Discover Music Careers
• Find a Summer Program
• Request Consultation
• All Articles

Privacy Overview

Find your school.

Explore schools and request information on their individual pages, OR... use this form to select multiple schools you want to learn more about. (* indicates required field.)

• Name * First Name* Last Name*
• Email Address *
• City and State
• Current School
• Current Grade Level
• Area of Musical Interest
• My primary instrument
• Secondary instrument
• I particularly would like to know more about the following:
• Select Schools (scroll to select multiple schools) Go first to the music school pages, then come back here to only select schools you have researched as fitting your criteria. Arizona State University School of Music Bard College Conservatory of Music Berklee College of Music Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University Boston Conservatory at Berklee Boston University School of Music Butler University School of Music Case Western Reserve University CalArts Herb Alpert School of Music Carnegie Mellon University School of Music Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University Coastal Carolina University Colorado State University Department of Music, Theatre and Dance Concordia University Irvine DePaul University School of Music Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music East Carolina University School of Music The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester Elon University Florida State University College of Music Gettysburg College Sunderman Conservatory of Music The Hartt School Idyllwild Arts Academy Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Interlochen Center for the Arts Ithaca College School of Music Kutztown University Lawrence University Conservatory of Music Leeds Conservatoire (UK) Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) Los Angeles College of Music (LACM) Loyola Marymount University Dept. of Music Manhattan School of Music Mannes School of Music McGill University Schulich School of Music Metropolitan State University of Denver Northeastern University Department of Music Northwestern University Bienen School of Music Oberlin Conservatory of Music Occidental College Dept. of Music Peabody Conservatory Penn State School of Music San Francisco Conservatory of Music School of Jazz at the New School SMU Meadows School of the Arts Susquehanna University Temple University Boyer College of Music & Dance The Conducting Institute Tiffin University University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) University of Colorado Boulder College of Music University of Colorado Denver Music & Entertainment Industry Studies University of Denver Lamont School of Music University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance University of North Carolina School of the Arts University of South Carolina School of Music University of the Arts University of Toronto Faculty of Music USC Thornton School of Music Valparaiso University VanderCook College of Music Walnut Hill School for the Arts Wayne State University West Chester University Wells School of Music Wheaton College Conservatory of Music
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Let your curiosity lead the way:

Apply Today

• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

Music Cognition

Psychological & brain sciences 3211.

The Music Cognition Group (MCG) is part of the Department of Musicology, the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation ( ILLC ), and Amsterdam Brain and Cognition ( ABC ) of the University of Amsterdam ( UvA ) and is housed at LAB42 , Science Park Amsterdam.

Our research offers interdisciplinary perspectives on the capacity to perceive, make, and appreciate music (‘musicality’ for short). It asks what music is for and why every human culture has it, whether musicality is a uniquely human capacity, and what biological and cognitive mechanisms underlie it.

The current research program aims to identify the basic mechanisms that constitute the cognitive and biological basis of musicality , as well as developing theoretical, computational and empirical methods for analyzing various musicality phenotypes .

What is music cognition?

We are all born with a predisposition for music, a predisposition that develops spontaneously and is refined by listening to music. Nearly everyone possesses the musical skills essential to experiencing and appreciating music. Think of “relative pitch,” recognizing a melody separately from the exact pitch or tempo at which it is sung, and “beat perception,” hearing regularity in a varying rhythm. Even human newborns turn out to be sensitive to intonation or melody, rhythm, and the dynamics of the sounds in their surroundings. Everything suggests that human biology is already primed for music at birth with respect to both the perception and enjoyment of listening.

Human musicality is clearly special; Musicality being a set of natural, spontaneously developing traits based on, or constrained by, our cognitive abilities (attention, memory, expectation) and our biological predisposition. But what makes it special? Is it because we appear to be the only animals with such a vast musical repertoire? Is our musical predisposition unique, like our linguistic ability? Or is musicality something with a long evolutionary history that we share with other animals? ( Honing, 2019 ).

Latest news

Workshop on the Evolution of Musicality

Attendees of our workshop, held last week in Amsterdam, discussing guidelines for studying the evolution of musicality, w/ our honoured guest Aniruddh D. Patel and researchers from a variety of fields, including Music Studies, Behavioural Ecology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Animal Behaviour, Genetics and More!

Lecture by prof. Aniruddh D. Patel

Prof. Aniruddh D. Patel will visit the Netherlands from 18-22 March 2024 to discuss his work on the origins of musicality, with a public talk at MPI Nijmegen on Tuesday 19 March and a fully booked (invitation-only) workshop on Friday 22 March in Amsterdam.

Heb jij ritmegevoel? [with subtitles]

Uit het onderzoek van de Universiteit van Amsterdam blijkt dat ritmegevoel niet alleen is aangeleerd, maar aangeboren. Zelfs baby's van een paar dagen oud hebben het door als je iets aan de regelmaat van muziek verandert. En ook sommige apen gaan spontaan bewegen op muziek. Hoe de onderzoekers hierachter kwamen, en waarom we überhaupt ritmegevoel hebben, leer je in deze video. #UvN

Scientific American: It turns out we were born to groove

It turns out we were born to groove: The evolution of beat perception likely unfolded gradually among primates reaching its pinnacle in humans.

Latest publications

Media attention

Samenwerken in harmonie, van het bos tot de cloud surf, ook jij hebt ritmegevoel, we bewijzen het hier uvn, bas cornelissen kijkt naar muziek als een wiskundige puzzel nrc, maakt joost klein kans op songfestivalwinst ‘de top 10 moet lukken’ folia, music matters.

Latest posts from Henkjan Honing’s blog Music Matters

A musical ape?

Interested in the origins of musicality?

Heb jij ritmegevoel? [Dutch]

Feel like a musical memory challenge?

Music cognition group.

• Frontiers in Psychology
• Research Topics

Music Cognition

Total Downloads

Total Views and Downloads

About this Research Topic

Music, its power over us, its functions in cognition and behaviour, its origins and evolution remain a scientific mystery. 2400 years ago Aristotle asked, “why music, just mere sounds, remind states of soul?” Kant was not able to explain and account for the role of music in human life: “it merely plays

Today, contemporary thinkers, evolutionary biologists, psychologists, and musicologists still cannot explain music and its primary function and role in human life. Pinker, following Kant, has suggested that music is “auditory cheesecake,” that just happens to “tickle the sensitive spots.” A few years ago, Nature published a series of essays on music. Their authors agreed that “none… has yet been able to answer the fundamental question: why does music have such power over us?” “Music is a human cultural universal that serves no obvious adaptive purpose, making its evolution a puzzle for evolutionary biologists”.

At present there are many open and unanswered questions regarding the origins of music, its fundamental role in human life and culture, as well as the biological functions of music cognition. We welcome contributions that provide new theories and emerging evidence that will promote a fuller scientific understanding of the origins and historical evolution of music and music cognition. Some of the questions surrounding this achallenge include:

• - Did music and cognition evolve jointly? What might the implications of this be in terms of the evolution of biological species? What are the cognitive functions of music? Are there particular cognitive functions that music provides? Or is music biologically unnecessary to humans and other species?
• - Is music similar to language in some way, or is this a misleading analogy? Has music originated alongside with language or are these abilities evolutionary unrelated? Do music and language share a joint evolutionary precursor or function? What has been the role of language prosody in this evolution? Is music in different cultures related to any aspects of language in these same cultures? What does neuroscientific and psychological data and evidence suggest about relations between language and music? What can we learn from the brain about particular responses to music? Are there specific specializations related to music? Is there a unique function of music or is music merely neurobiological “entertainment”? Are historical changes in musical styles random statistical variations or are there relationships between musical styles and historical cultural changes?
• - Animal voices appear to unify emotional and semantic content. Humans can consciously differentiate the two. Is this related to the origins of music and language or is there some other evolutionary function?
• - Is human music similar to birdsong? Was the origin of music in evolution driven by sexual selection, like peacock tails? Is music an “honest signal”?
• - Is music’s adaptive value related to sexual selection? Or is it related to the social benefits of group living and cultural survival? Does it relate to child rearing and motherese?
• - Is music simply a non-adaptive pleasure-seeking behaviour?
• - Many people listen to music because of emotions it evokes. What is the adaptive function of musical emotions? Do emotions from musical experiences contribute for human adaption or exaptation? Are there specific emotions related to music? How these emotions can be measured?

Important Note : All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic Editors

Topic coordinators, recent articles, submission deadlines.

Submission closed.

Participating Journals

Total views.

• Demographics

No records found

total views article views downloads topic views

Top countries

Top referring sites, about frontiers research topics.

With their unique mixes of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author.

Resources for:

Apr 24, 2024 8:30pm

Jackson Pierzina, bass-baritone

Galvin Recital Hall

Apr 25, 2024 8:30pm

Ashrey Shah, clarinet

Canon shibata, cello.

Regenstein Master Class Room

• Lectures & Interviews
• Master Classes
• Recitals & Chamber Music
• Visiting Artists

Main Resources

Main utility, degree requirements, phd in music: music theory and cognition, program of study – 18 units.

Music Theory Foundations – 8 units 

• MUS THRY 505 Methods of Music Theory 
• MUS THRY 510 Music Theory Pedagogy, second year 
• MUS THRY 515 History of Western Music Theory 
• MUS THRY 520 Readings in Music Theory and Cognition 
• MUS THRY 550 Research Seminar, 4 units 

Survey of the Field – 5 units 

A selection of Music Theory and Cognition courses depending on prior experience and to be determined in advising with the program coordinator.

• MUS THRY 313/413 Analytical Approaches to World Music 
• MUS THRY 321/421 Classical Form 
• MUS THRY 325/425 Style and Phrase 
• MUS THRY 335/435 Theory of Melody 
• Music and Emotion 
• Memory, and Attention 
• Music, Thought, and Language 
• MUS THRY 340/440 Analysis of Recorded Performance 
• MUS THRY 345/445 Experimental and Empirical Methods in Music Theory 
• MUS THRY 348/448 Corpus Studies 
• MUS THRY 355 Analysis of Post-Tonal Music 
• MUS THRY 422 Rhythm and Meter 
• MUS THRY 530 Music Semiotics 
• MUS THRY 551 Seminar in Music Cognition

Cognate – 3 units 

Three courses to be taken in a related department outside of music relevant to the student’s research interest(s). 

General Electives – 2 units 

General Electives are courses at the 300 level or above within or outside of the Bienen School of Music, and may include Music Studies courses (Composition, Music Education, Music Technology, Music Theory and Cognition, Musicology), or courses in non-music fields relevant to the student’s research interest(s). All general electives may be courses outside Music Studies.

Students should take as many electives as needed to complete the required number of units. Students who are exempt from one or more core courses (pending transcript review and faculty approval) need to take more electives to complete the required number of units.

Colloquium – 0 units, 6 registrations 

• MUS THRY 490 Music Theory Colloquium

Qualifying Exam and Candidacy

The qualifying examination consists of two parts:

Part One – An analytic paper on one or more musical works selected by the student and using methodologies also determined and deemed relevant and essential by the student in consultation with their advisor. The paper should be 4,000 to 5,000 words, not including the bibliography, captions, tables and figures, or appendix, if any. It must include annotated music examples with captions, and may include supplementary materials in the form of tables, figures or graphs.

Part Two – Two papers on two agreed-upon topics. Each topic must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisor, and one other member of the Music Theory and Cognition faculty, usually another member of the student’s dissertation committee. The papers should be 6,000 to 8,000 words, and involve literature review and critical assessment of the research on the topic. The papers’ focus may relate to the student’s emerging dissertation topic in some way, but should have breadth in relation to the concerns of music theory and cognition as fields. 

Students must complete Part One by the end of fall quarter of their third year. The examination is graded pass/fail. Students who fail are required to re-take the exam at the beginning of winter quarter. 

Students must pass Part Two by the end of the third academic year. To pass, each paper must be approved by the student’s advisor and at least one other member of the Music Theory and Cognition faculty, usually another member of the student’s dissertation committee. 

The Graduate School requires all PhD students to achieve candidacy by the end of the 12th quarter of study. Students who fail to achieve candidacy by this deadline may be placed on academic probation.

Dissertation Prospectus

Students must identify a primary advisor by the end of their second year. Identification of an advisor should begin with a verbal agreement between the student and prospective advisor. 

The Graduate School requires the dissertation prospectus to be completed and approved by the end of the fourth year. However, the Music Theory and Cognition faculty encourage students to complete the prospectus sooner when possible, ideally by the end of fall quarter of the fourth year. 

Students must submit committee names in GSTS prior to the prospectus defense.

Prospectus Guidelines

The prospectus consists of 25-30-pages, and outlines the topic, significance, and methodologies of the dissertation, and surveys the relevant scholarly literature and primary sources to be considered. A comprehensive bibliography, chapter outline, and a timeline for completion of the project should also be included.

Students should work with their advisor on the prospectus until the document is deemed ready for defense. The prospectus is then distributed to the remaining committee members to read. The student presents the prospectus in a private defense with the committee members. Revisions may be required before the document is approved.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

Students complete the dissertation under the direction of a committee comprised of three or four faculty, at least two of whom, including the chair, must be members of the Northwestern University Graduate School faculty.

Students are encouraged to apply for funding for dissertation research through TGS and the Office of Fellowships. Dissertations must be formatted according to TGS Dissertation Formatting Guidelines . Students should submit the PhD Final Exam form in GSTS following a successful defense.

Contact Graduate Services:  [email protected]   847-491-5740

Search NYU Steinhardt

Doctor of Philosophy Music Technology

The PhD program in Music Technology prepares students for research and teaching careers in academia and industry at the constantly changing intersection of music, sound, and technology. This degree program involves research in the fields of computer music, immersive audio, music psychology and neuroscience, sound and music computing, and data science, as well as in cutting-edge technologies for music experiences, interaction, education, creation, production, and accessibility.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

PhD in Music Technology

A Flexible PhD Tailored to Your Areas of Interest

You will be able to personalize your course of study around individual research interests, taking courses that support your particular area of specialization in the field of music technology.

Throughout your doctorate, you will study:

• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Scientific computing
• Music perception and cognition
• Digital signal theory
• Music information retrieval
• Foundations in various disciplines including mathematics, computer science, engineering, psychology, and neuroscience
• Curricular development with hands-on teaching experience
• Paper writing for publication in conference proceedings and journals

The program of study is distributed among foundation courses, cognate course work related to your area of specialization, content and dissertation proposal seminars, course work in specialized research methods, and research requirements. 

You will be mentored closely by faculty based at the NYU Steinhardt School while benefiting from courses, facilities, resources, and rich research opportunities across different schools and departments across the University, including the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Tandon School of Engineering, Center for Data Science, Tisch School of the Arts , and the Graduate School of Arts & Science.

Funding for Full-Time PhD Students

If you are accepted as a full-time NYU Steinhardt PhD student without an alternate funding source, you are eligible for our competitive funding package, which includes a scholarship and tuition remission.  Learn more about our funding opportunities .

NYU Abu Dhabi Fellowship

Music Technology PhD candidates may choose to become NYU Abu Dhabi Fellows. NYUAD Fellows commence their degree work in New York, taking full-time coursework for a year before continuing on to Abu Dhabi to complete coursework, research, and their dissertation, all while maintaining close contact with faculty in New York, including regular research visits. Opportunities in Abu Dhabi include extensive facilities, world-class faculty in computer music, recording, machine learning, and (ethno)musicology, and collaboration with the  Music and Sound Cultures  (MaSC) research group, which develops groundbreaking work on the computational analysis and understanding of music from the Arabian Gulf and surrounding regions. Interested applicants should include in their statement of purpose ideas as to how their research interests could be applied in the NYUAD context.

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] .

Program Benefits for International Students

If you’re an international student, you may be able to work in the United States after graduation for an extended period of time. Most students studying on F-1 visas will be eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) off-campus work authorization. F-1 students in our program may also be eligible for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) OPT extension, allowing you to extend your time in the United States to pursue degree-related work experience for a total of 36 months or 3 years. For more information on who can apply for this extension visit  NYU’s Office of Global Services: STEM OPT .

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

• COVID Information
• Patient Care
• Referring Providers
• Price Transparency
• Employee Resources

PhD Students

Katherine Bryan

Katherine Bryan is a first-year doctoral student in the Hearing and Speech Sciences Graduate Program at Vanderbilt University. She graduated from Bowdoin College with majors in Biology and Education. Katherine then completed her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology at Vanderbilt University, where she worked with Dr. Stephen Camarata studying efficacy of language interventions for non- and minimally-verbal children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her research interests include genetic correlates of neurogenic communication disorders as well as discourse measures. In her free time, Katherine enjoys baking, reading, and exploring Tennessee on her bike.

Tanguy du Mérac

Tanguy du Mérac is an incoming second-year doctoral student in the Human Genetics Graduate Program at Vanderbilt University, currently interested in unravelling the neural and genetic basis of human musicality traits under the supervision of Dr. Reyna Gordon. During his MSc in Biomedical Sciences (University of Amsterdam), he dedicated his research to the genetic underpinnings of reading ability in Dr. Beate St. Pourcain’s research group (MPI for Psycholinguistics), as well as the genetic aetiology of inherited neurodegenerative disorders (i3S, Portugal). He holds a BSc in Microbiology and a BA in Philosophy, both awarded by the Catholic University of Portugal, and is eager to bring his contributions to both fields. Outside of work, Tanguy really enjoys playing piano, baking, writing poems, and reading books.

Let your curiosity lead the way:

Apply Today

• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

Music Cognition

Philosophy-neuroscience-psychology 3221.

Music and neuroscience research for mental health, cognition, and development: Ways forward

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
• 2 Independent Researcher, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• PMID: 36092029
• PMCID: PMC9453743
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.976883

Keywords: cognition; development; mental health; music; music neuroimaging; neuroplasticity; research quality.

Faculty of Science

Department of psychology, neuroscience & behaviour, music cognition specialization.

The Music Cognition specialization within the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University is unique among North American universities, providing students with a combined background in cognitive neuroscience and music. Such training prepares students for interdisciplinary research into the cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience of music, as well as applied careers in audiology and music therapy. Students can pursue the specialization in either an Honours B.A., Honours B. Mus. or and Honours B.Sc degree.

Coursework builds both a strong foundation in musicology (including music history, harmony, and music analysis) and an equally strong foundation in psychology (including memory, cognition, sensation and perception). The Music Cognition Specialization prepares students for a wide variety of professional careers integrating music cognition, cognitive psychology, and the science of performance.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the multi-faceted intersection of music and psychology through McMaster’s dynamic research opportunities. Music and psychology research in the academic and clinical contexts are being conducted to explore:

• Music Neuroscience – how the auditory system and brain are activated and the electrical patterns of neural activity during performance,
• Music Perception – the perceptual and motor processes involved with music.
• Music Cognition – the mental actions or processes involved with music,
• Human Development – examining the dynamic interplay of society and musical expression,
• Evolution – exploring music in the scope of animal and human development,
• Cross-Cultural Music – the relationship between the performance of music and its intellectual discourse,

The Music Cognition Specialization is home to both nationally and internationally recognized faculty, including the  LIVELab  – state-of-the-art unique 106-seat research performance hall and the internationally renowned McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind (MIMM) . Students are encouraged to attend activities organized by MIMM, which offers weekly lectures, journal clubs, joint lectures and concerts.

There are two ways students can engage in this specialization:  (1)  through an Honours Bachelor of Arts or Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour (PNB) or  (2)  as an Honours Bachelor of Music through the McMaster School of the Arts (SOTA) . Please see these respective departments for admission information for both High School students or Level 1 McMaster students.

Contact Information

For inquiries into the Music Cognition specialization in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB), please contact  Dr. John Iversen .

For inquiries into the Music Cognition specialization in the School of the Arts (SOTA), please contact  Dr. Michael Schutz

Undergraduate Life

2nd Year Programs

Future Students

Human Ethics

More From Forbes

How to train your mind for a better cognition.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

A woman taking a mind and meditation home break

How do I train my mind for a better cognition? originally appeared on Quora : the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Dr. Abbie Maroño, PhD in Psychology and Behavior Analysis, on Quora :

Training your mind for better cognition involves integrating various evidence-based strategies into your daily routine. There are too many to cover them all in one response, so based on the empirical literature here are my top suggestions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely used therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It is grounded in the understanding that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and by modifying one aspect, we can influence the others. For effective implementation, this approach would require you to work with a qualified therapist within a controlled environment, because attempting CBT without proper guidance can risk reinforcing harmful habits.

For non-therapeutic approaches that you can implement at home, mindfulness is my top suggestion.

Mindfulness

Trump Ally Warned Ex-President About Keeping Classified Docs—Over A Year Before Indictment, FBI Filing Says

Billionaire mark cuban issues post halving bitcoin warning amid unprecedented crypto fee price chaos, aew dynasty 2024 results winners and grades as swerve makes history.

Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment, which can significantly improve cognitive function. Research suggests that regular mindfulness practice enhances attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. It requires dedication to establish a consistent practice, but the benefits can be profound for overall well-being and cognitive performance.

Get Sufficient Sleep

Quality sleep is also essential for cognitive function and overall well-being. Adequate sleep facilitates memory consolidation, information processing, and problem-solving abilities, ensuring a sharp and alert mind during waking hours. Establishing a regular sleep schedule and creating a conducive sleep environment can help improve sleep quality. Prioritize getting 6-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to support optimal cognitive function.

Stay Physically Active

Regular exercise is not only beneficial for physical health but also for cognitive function. Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, promote the growth of new neurons, and enhance cognitive abilities such as attention and memory. Incorporate activities you enjoy, such as walking, swimming, or cycling, into your routine to support brain health.

Stress Management

Finally, managing stress is crucial for maintaining cognitive function. I personally think that this is the hardest point to address because stress tends to be a pervasive part of our modern lifestyles. However, chronic stress can impair memory, attention, and decision-making skills, hindering cognitive performance. Implementing stress management techniques such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness practices helps reduce stress levels and promote cognitive resilience. By effectively managing stress, individuals can clear the path to cognitive excellence and maximize their mental potential.

In summary, training your mind for better cognition doesn’t happen overnight, even with sufficient sleep, it requires consistent changes to daily habits and routines.

This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Jump to navigation

• Course Catalog
• Class Schedule
• Undergraduate

2024 Fall MUSIC 158A 001 LEC 001

Resources for:

Apr 24, 2024 8:30pm

Jackson Pierzina, bass-baritone

Galvin Recital Hall

Apr 25, 2024 8:30pm

Ashrey Shah, clarinet

Canon shibata, cello.

Regenstein Master Class Room

• Lectures & Interviews
• Master Classes
• Recitals & Chamber Music
• Visiting Artists

Main Resources

Main utility, degree requirements, phd in music: musicology.

PhD students should regularly consult with the Musicology Program Coordinator to determine the best course of study, based on the student’s interests and previous coursework.

Program of Study – 18 units

A typical program of study includes coursework in Western historical and global geographic musics; identification of and coursework in a non-music cognate area; electives to strengthen the student’s main area of interest; and a common core of methodological courses in Musicology. Most courses must be at the 400 or 500 level, and a majority, or minimum of two, each quarter must be in Musicology (designated MUSICOL in CAESAR) unless approval is given by the program coordinator prior to registration.

All students are expected to finish required Musicology coursework (18 units) within two years. The faculty reserves the right to require additional coursework for students who do not pass the repertoire exam in the second year of study. Supplementary coursework, e.g., toward a certificate program, cognate area, or any Music Studies field, may be taken during the third year.

Musicology Core – 3 units

MUSICOL 523 Ethnographic Field Methods MUSICOL 535 Music Historiography MUSICOL 560 Notation and Editing

Cognate Area – 3 units

Students enroll in three courses in a non-music field relevant to their main interest, for example Anthropology, Art History, History, Literary and Cultural Studies, Philosophy, or Sociology.

Musicological Studies – 6 units

Additional courses in musicology, 300 to 500 level. PhD students should register for the highest level of courses with multiple course numbers.

Electives – 6 units

Courses in other Music Studies areas (Music Education, Music Theory and Cognition, etc), Musicology, or other Humanities and Social Sciences.

Students who wish to register for elective classes at other universities may do so via two programs:

• The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), a consortium of the Big Ten schools and the University of Chicago
• The Chicago Metropolitan Exchange Program (CMEP) in collaboration with the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago

Questions about these programs should be directed to Bienen Graduate Services with prior consent of the student’s primary advisor.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to pass one foreign language exam. Students may select the foreign language in consultation with the faculty.

Students who need to learn or refresh knowledge of any language may enroll in language courses through Northwestern, the BTAA, or CMEP.

The Program Coordinator schedules the language exams. Students planning on attempting the exam during any quarter should notify the Musicology Coordinator of their intention to take the exam at least two months in advance.

Second-year students are often assigned as teaching assistants for the undergraduate core sequence in Music History (MUSIC 214, 215, and 216) and/or World Music Cultures (MUSIC 213) as part of their professional preparation. 

Students may not teach independently during fall quarter of their third year, but may teach their own sections of general music (GEN MUS) courses during winter and spring quarters of their third year.

Qualifying Examination

The Musicology PhD qualifying examination is a multi-year, multi-part process that begins at the end of the student’s first year.

May : All students in the cohort are given a single list of 40 works that will constitute the basis of their repertoire exam, to be taken in September of the second year. The works list, which will change from year to year, is constituted by a committee of three full-time faculty members, each of whom chooses 15 works (with 5 of the resulting 45 eliminated by the committee chair to ensure a balance of eras, genres, etc.). Students are expected to study the 40 works over the summer to prepare for the Repertoire Exam in September. Students should familiarize themselves with the works, understand how they relate to their social and musical contexts, and know the most significant scholarship on these works.

Second Year

September : All students in the cohort take the Repertoire Exam. It will consist of 5 score identifications and 5 listening identifications drawn from the list of 40 works specified the previous May. The score identification and listening excerpts will be presented to the student (each in their own room in the Advising Center on the second floor of RCMA without internet access) 90 minutes before they meet with the exam committee to discuss them. Students who fail a portion of the Repertoire Exam will be given an opportunity to retake it in December.

December : Repertoire Exam retake. Students who fail the Repertoire Exam a second time may be asked to take up to 9 additional credits of coursework. They will be placed on academic probation and permitted to retake the repertoire exam a third time with a new list of 40 works the following October.

May : Students who have passed the Repertoire Exam are given four musicological topics (which may be historical, ethnographic, methodological, etc.), of which they choose three to address in the Essay portion of the exam. The topics will be chosen to avoid the students’ areas of specialization. Work on the Essays is to be undertaken independently during the summer. Each Essay is to be no more than 20 pages (double-spaced) in length, excluding bibliography. 

September : Students submit their three Essays on a date specified by the exam committee. Each examinee meets with the three-member faculty exam committee to discuss the Essays. If the Essays are deemed satisfactory, the student passes this portion of the exam. If the Essays are deemed unsatisfactory, the student will revise and resubmit them and undertake a second discussion in December. If the student fails the Essay portion a second time in December, they may be asked to take up to six additional credits of coursework. In this case, they will either be given an opportunity to retake the Essay Portion (with different topics) the following Fall Quarter, or be formally excluded from the PhD program.

October : Regardless of whether the student passes the Essay portion of the exam, they will present a Teaching Demonstration on a topic chosen by the Committee and shared with the candidate one month before the date of their lecture. All three committee members will attend each lecture. Following the lecture, the student will meet with the committee to discuss the Teaching Demonstration, after which the committee will meet privately to determine whether the student has passed. If a student fails, they will be asked to give another Teaching Demonstration in December (for faculty alone, without undergraduates present, and perhaps on a revised or entirely different topic). If the student fails a second time in December, they may be asked to take up to an additional six credits of coursework. In this case, they will attempt to pass the Teaching Examination the following Fall Quarter. Depending upon the judgment of the faculty as a whole, if the student fails the Teaching Demonstration a second time, they may be formally excluded from the PhD program but given the opportunity to complete a terminal Master’s degree following the completion of remaining credits.

December : Students who have failed the Essay portion of the exam and/or the Teaching Demonstration will be given an opportunity to resubmit/retake those portions. If a student fails either portion of the exam a second time, they will potentially be given a terminal Master’s degree and formally excluded from the PhD program. 

Doctoral Committees

There are two separate faculty exam committees each fall quarter for the Qualifying Exams.

• Repertoire Exam Committee of three full-time musicology faculty members; 
• An Essay and Teaching Demonstration Exam Committee consisting of three full-time musicology faculty members.

Ideally no one faculty member will serve simultaneously on both exam committees, though this may at times be unavoidable. Each exam committee has a Chair responsible for coordinating the content and mechanics of the exam.

Each student must formally identify their dissertation committee (including the primary advisor), at the time they submit a prospectus for approval. Identification of an advisor should begin with verbal agreements between the student, the advisor, and the other committee members well before the prospectus is submitted.

Dissertation Prospectus

Students must complete their prospectus as soon as possible after passing the qualifying examinations, but no later than the end of their fourth year. The prospectus consists of a proposal for the dissertation which outlines the topic, its significance, its methodologies, and includes a survey of the current scholarly literature and primary sources necessary for successful completion of the dissertation and a comprehensive bibliography. The prospectus is evaluated by the doctoral committee, and is formally accepted after a brief defense.

Students should submit the PhD Prospectus form in GSTS after successful defense and acceptance of the prospectus.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

The student will complete the dissertation under the direction of a committee comprised of three or four current faculty of Northwestern University, at least two of whom must be members of the Musicology program. The chair must be on The Graduate School faculty.

Students are encouraged to apply for funding for dissertation research through TGS and the Office of Fellowships. Dissertations must be formatted according to TGS Dissertation Formatting Guidelines . Students should submit the PhD Final Exam form in GSTS following a successful defense.

Contact Graduate Services:  [email protected]   847-491-5740

• UB Directory
• News Center >
• News Releases >

Seven UB researchers elected AAAS fellows

Aaas is the world's largest general scientific society; past fellows include thomas edison, w.e.b dubois.

By News Staff

Release Date: April 18, 2024

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Seven University at Buffalo scholars have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science.

The honor is bestowed annually upon scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines, from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public, according to AAAS.

The new UB fellows include: Sherry Chemler, Jean-Pierre Koenig, Kemper Lewis, Gabriela Popescu, Thomas Russo, Frederick Stoss and Janet Yang.

Sherry Chemler

“For distinguished contributions to synthetic chemistry, including developing new copper-catalyzed alkene additions that enable concise de novo synthesis of enantioenriched saturated nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles.”

Sherry Chemler , PhD, is a professor in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences who has developed groundbreaking chemical methods that can aid drug discovery. In the mid-2000s, she invented new copper-catalyzed alkene additions that enabled concise synthesis of chiral nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles — valuable organic compounds that enable drug discovery. Supported by the National Institutes of Health and the American Chemical Society, Chemler and her team have spent the ensuing years expanding the scope of the transformations. A collaborator with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, she has several ongoing projects to address challenges in drug discovery related to potency, selectivity and metabolism. Her publications have been cited over 8,200 times and she has been an associate editor for the AAAS journal Science Advances since 2016. 

Jean-Pierre Koenig

“For distinguished contributions to the language sciences and for integrating formal syntax and semantics studies of lexical knowledge across languages of the world with experimental, corpus, and computational techniques.”

Jean-Pierre Koenig , PhD, professor in the Department of Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences, studies the organization and use of words in a diverse array of languages, from English to Oneida. His work has focused on verbs, how their structure and meaning vary across languages, as well as how we deploy our vocabulary — especially of words with more than one meaning — when we read. One of his current projects is a comprehensive study of the structure of Oneida, an Iroquoian language, which will challenge the idea that certain properties of language are universal. His work has been published extensively and includes contributions to many language sciences disciplines, including to the “Grande Grammaire du français,” the largest comprehensive grammar of French written in the last 100 years.

Kemper Lewis

“For distinguished contributions to the field of design automation, advancing both fundamental decision theory and novel applications to systems design, design analytics, and Industry 4.0.”

Kemper E. Lewis , PhD, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is a global leader in engineering design, system optimization and advanced manufacturing. He is director of UB’s Community of Excellence in Sustainable Manufacturing and Advanced Robotic Technologies (SMART), which develops advanced manufacturing and design automation solutions. Lewis is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and has served on the National Academies Panel on Benchmarking the Research Competitiveness of the United States in Mechanical Engineering. He has published over 200 refereed journal articles and conference proceedings and has been principal or co-principal investigator on grants totaling more than $33 million.

Gabriela Popescu

“For distinguished contributions to the field of molecular neuroscience, particularly in elucidating structural and functional aspects of neurotransmission in the central nervous system in health and disease.”

Gabriella K. Popescu , PhD, is a professor of biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Her research centers around NMDA receptors, which produce electrical currents that are essential for cognition, learning and memory. Her current eight-year research grant from the National Institutes of Health focuses on the excess activation of these receptors, which can cause pathological cellular loss in stroke, brain and spinal cord diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Popescu uses her leadership positions in national organizations to promote diversity and inclusion in academic medicine as well as public support for the sciences.

Thomas Russo

“For distinguished contributions to the field of bacterial pathogenesis, and the development of therapeutics, as well as distinguished contributions as an educator of the public, schools, and businesses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Thomas A. Russo , MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Jacobs School, is an expert in infectious diseases. Russo, who cares for patients at the VA of Western New York, conducts research on gram-negative bacterial infections, antibiotic-resistant infections and works on developing targeted vaccines and drugs. Russo led the team that discovered the first biomarkers that help identify hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumonaie, a potentially lethal pathogen that can infect healthy individuals. He is also a go-to source for national and global media, sought for his straightforward explanations of complex medical topics.

Frederick W. Stoss

“For distinguished contributions in science librarianship and related realms, especially to provide scholars, students, and the general public with sound information relating to environmental issues.”

Frederick W. Stoss , MLS, and his service to the university, the library profession and the community has been guided by a deep commitment to education, equity, access, social justice, environmental responsibility and stewardship. His 40-year career in library and information sciences includes prior experience as a research scientist in the areas of toxicology and environmental health. This rich background provided Stoss with extensive and invaluable insights that contributed to the academic success and professional and personal group of UB faculty, students and staff in the areas of research, teaching and learning.

“For distinguished contributions to the field of science communication by evaluating public risk perceptions of various diseases and environmental hazards and conveying this information to the public and researchers.”

Janet Yang , PhD, professor in the Department of Communication in the College of Arts and Sciences, studies how people perceive risks related to science, health and environmental topics. Funded by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation, Yang’s work has revealed that many Americans did not want to get the COVID-19 and mpox vaccines because they viewed the vaccines as not sufficiently researched and therefore carry too much uncertainty, a finding that provides critical insight for vaccination messaging. She and her team have also examined risk perception in relation to climate change and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution. Currently, as part of UB's Initiative for Plastics Recycling Research and Innovation, Yang explores effective communication strategies to encourage New York State residents to recycle, reduce, and reuse more effectively. 

Media Contact Information

Media Relations (University Communications) 330 Crofts Hall (North Campus) Buffalo, NY 14260-7015 Tel: 716-645-6969 [email protected]

Read the latest in your favorite channels.

Take UB With You. Wherever.

Two Graduate Students Selected for U.S. Department of Energy Research Program

• by Jessica Heath
• April 23, 2024

Abigail Hering and Hudson Shih, Ph.D. students in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis, have been selected for this year's Office of Science Graduate Student Research, or SCGSR, program from the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE. 

The SCGSR program provides opportunities for students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory or facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist. Hering and Shih are two of the 86 awardees from 57 different universities who will conduct their research at national laboratories. 

Abigail Hering

Hering, a third-year Ph.D. student, will be stationed at LBNL's Molecular Foundry, where she will work with Carolin Sutter-Fella, an LBNL staff scientist and expert in inorganic nanostructures, in her Materials for Energy Conversion lab to fabricate halide perovskite thin films using a fully automated robotic fabrication system called the SpinBot. 

In her research in the Leite Lab , led by Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Marina Leite , Hering has focused on characterizing the optical properties of halide perovskites, which are promising materials for a renewable, reliable and low-cost alternative for solar cells . However, halide perovskites can degrade faster than silicon solar cells when exposed to environmental stressors like humidity, temperature, oxygen and light. 

Using the SpinBot system, Hering will be able to fabricate more perovskite thin film samples with a higher degree of control and precision than she can at UC Davis. She will also be able to test the sample qualities immediately after creating them, creating large datasets that can then be analyzed using machine-learning models to predict and classify the degradations that occur. 

"I am very excited about the opportunity to work in Dr. Sutter-Fella's lab and to be part of the collaborative and innovative environment of a national lab," said Hering. "The unique SpinBot system will allow me to advance my research significantly to understand the long-term stability of these materials, which is essential to their implementation as commercial solar cells." 

Hudson Shih

Shih will conduct his residency at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, or LBNL, National Center for Electron Microscopy, or NCEM, where he will use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, or TEM, to observe phase transitions in strontium cobaltite. 

Using advanced TEM techniques such as in-situ TEM and 4D-STEM, Shih aims to deepen the understanding of how oxygen diffusion facilitates the transition between transition phases, which could lead to informing the design of strontium cobaltite oxide-based memristors, themselves promising candidates for dense memory systems in neuromorphic computing.  

Shih, who is in his fourth year pursuing his Ph.D. under the advisement of materials science and engineering professors Yayoi Takamura and Seung Sae Hong , looks forward to working with the researchers at NCEM, who have the knowledge and expertise with these specialized techniques. 

"I am excited to work with experts like Rohan Dhall and Colin Ophus at NCEM who are among the best microscopists in the world," Shih said. "NCEM is known for its pioneering role in electron microscopy, particularly in deploying cutting-edge techniques like 4D-STEM."

Read the DOE announcement

Primary Category