www.brainmusic.org
*Direct link to class website

BACK TO TOP  

Office & Laboratory

Massachusetts General Hospital /Harvard Medical School
VBK-813
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114

Dr. Tramo: Phone (617) 726-5409 / Page (617) 726-2066
Dr. Koh: (617) 726-3530
Fax (617) 726-5457

Harvard University Mind/Brain/Behavior Interfaculty Initiative
42 Church Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

BACK TO TOP  

Course Description

This course takes a multidisciplinary approach to understanding neural systems that govern music perception and cognition. Students expected to master topics in acoustics, music theory, psychophysics, cognitive psychology, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neurology. After a series of lectures by Professor Tramo that cover relevant background material in functional neuroanatomy, auditory physiology, and psychoacoustics, seminars discuss literature from professional science, medical, music, and education journals.  Homework problem sets ensure that basic knowledge of music, acoustics, and auditory neuroscience is learned by students with diverse backgrounds. .

BACK TO TOP  

Books (Required)

• The Science of Sound , T. Rossing
• Fundamentals of Hearing , W. Yost
• Selected Readings on Music, Mind, & Brain.  M.J. Tramo, Harvard MBB/Psychology 987b Course Binder 2004, On Reserve at MBB Office, 42 Church Street

• Signals and Systems for Speech and Hearing , S. Rosen & P. Howell
• Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing , B. Moore
• The Unanswered Question , L. Bernstein
• Cognitive Foundations of Musical Pitch , C. Krumhansl
• Musical Beginnings , I. Deliege & J. Sloboda
• The Harvard Dictionary of Music: Fourth Edition , D.M. Randel 
• Human Neuroanatomy , M. Carpenter
• Emotion & Meaning in Music , L. Meyer
• Psychology of Music , D. Deutsch
• The Mammalian Auditory Pathway: Neurophysiology , A. Popper & R. Fay
• The Mammalian Auditory Pathway: Neuroanatomy , A. Popper & R. Fay
• Listening , S. Handel
• The Biological Foundations of Music , R.J. Zatorre & I. Peretz

Grading is based on:
1. Attendance.

2. Weekly participation in seminar discussions that reflects completion of weekly reading assignments .

3. Performance on homework problem sets .

4. Seminar presentations of two or more of the Selected Readings. Peer-reviewed publications from professional journals in the Selected Readings include some of the most important original work on the psychophysics, cognitive psychology, neurology, and physiology of music perception and cognition.

BACK TO TOP  

Lectures & Seminars

Class Date	Topic	Reading/Problems Due
Feb. 4	Introduction Brain Organization & Behavior Musical Phonology	-- Selected Readings
Feb. 11	Experimental Methods  The Auditory Nervous System	1, 2, 3 ( problem sets )
Feb. 18	NO CLASS	--
Feb. 25	Pitch I	4, 5 ( problem sets ) Selected Readings
March 3	Pitch II	7 ( problem sets ) Selected Readings
March 10	Harmony I	6 ( problem sets ) Selected Readings
March 17	Harmony II	8 ( problem sets )
March 24	Melody	9 ( problem sets )
March 31	Spring Break	--
April 7	Rhythm	15 ( problem sets )
April 14	Timbre & Voice	16 ( problem sets )
April 21	Speech & Prosody	17 ( problem sets )
April 28	Emotion & Meaning	--
May 5	Evolution, Development & Plasticity	--
May 12	Intelligence, Talent & Creativity	--