Seminar in Music Theory (550-0-1)

Topic

Music Cognition, broad/deep

Instructors

Richard Ashley
847/491-5720
r-ashley@northwestern.edu
Office Hours: W 10-11 and by appt.

Meeting Info

RCMA Lower Level 113: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course is modeled on the one which was, until recently, required of graduate students in the Theory/Cognition program.
Course goals:
1. Develop more systematic ways of thinking about music cognition.
2. Become familiar with important issues, investigative techniques, and literature in music cognition.
3. Become conversant with the main journals and core texts of the field, and be able to read such texts with depth of engagement and insight.

Course structure (to be modified per student cohort's existing background):
1. Unit I (one wk): Basics of cognitive psychology and auditory perception
2. Unit II (three wks): The structure of music and music cognition
3. Unit III (two wks): Musical, emotion, and memory
4. Unit IV (one wk): Music and the body
5. Unit IV (one wk): Musical performance
6. Unit V (one wk): Creativity and music's relation to other domains.

Evaluation Method

Assessment is based on daily written work, class discussion, and a final project. The project will be either a literature review such as would come prior to an empirical research study, or a plan and materials for a class (one quarter or one semester) surveying music cognition.

Class Materials (Required)

This course focuses on primary readings, mostly published articles. A wide range of articles will be used, from cognitive psychology, music theory, and artificial intelligence. Both primary and secondary sources will be used. The typical load should be about 5 articles per week. We will read a number of chapters from my book The Routledge Companion to Music Cognition, R. Ashley & R. Timmers, eds (Routledge, 2017) The paperback is inexpensive (around $60) but using the library's ebook may suffice if funds are tight. (Hardcover ISBN 9781138721050; Paperback ISBN 9780367876555; Ebook ISBN 9781315194738)