The Musical Mind

The ubiquity of music across human societies highlights the enormous role that music plays in our lives. In this course we will investigate the neural substrates of music. How does the brain perceive music? How and why does the brain make music? How is music processed in social contexts, and what are music’s intersections with mood, mental illness, memory, and language? We will also explore examples of music within deaf communities, music and synesthesia, auditory illusions, neuroaesthetic preference, the sensorimotor integration of dancing, and how practicing music changes your brain. (NSCI 252, others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem.