Research institutions & Associations
Acoustic Ecology Institute (USA)
Provides access to news, academic research, public policy advocates, and articles and essays about sound and listening. Board of Directors includes Steven Feld, David Dunn, Dave Mellinger & Jim Cummings
Acoustical Society of America (USA)
Adult & Community Music Education Special Research Interest Group (USA) (USA)
Part of the National Association of Music Education (MENC), ACME SRIG promotes research that fosters active involvement in the making, creating, and studying of music across the life span
AIRS (CANADA)
A 'virtual research environment' for Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing hosted by the University of Prince Edward Island. Directed by UPEI's Professor of Psychology, Annabel J. Cohen, it has six themes:
Discovering Universals of Song Acquisition
Distinguishing Song and Speech
Developing Singing Pedagogy
Promoting Cultural Understanding through Singing
Promoting Intergenerational Singing
Promoting Well-being through Singing
and involves many of the researchers identified in these listings (eg, Brown, Trainor & Dalla Bella). Betty A. Bailey is the liaison contact for Atlantic Canada.
American Music Conference (USA)
National non-profit music education advocacy association dedicated to supporting the importance of music education and music research. Links to recent research are regularly updated.
American Music Therapy Association (USA)
American Musicological Society (USA)
Appraisal in Music and Emotion (AMUSE) (SWEDEN)
@ Uppsala University; project director: Patrik N. Juslin
The Arts Council of Eire / An Chomhairle Eala_on (EIRE)
Has hosted a series of International Arts & Health Conferences, has strong Arts and Health policies and supports long term evaluations (see Moloney)
Arts, Culture and Community Research Group (AUSTRALIA)
@ the Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania. Head: Barrett
Arts Education Partnership (USA)
National coalition of arts, education, business, philanthropic and government organizations that demonstrate and promote the essential role of the arts in the learning and development of every child
Arts for Health (UK)
International centre offering advice and consultancy for creative planning, funding and commissioning of arts and cultural projects in the healthcare services. Based at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Auditory Cognition and Development Lab (USA)
@ the Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Director: Hannon. Research areas include musical enculturation, parallels between music and speech, the intermodal perception of music.
Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (CANADA)
@ the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University. Principal Investigator, Robert J. Zatorre
Auditory Perception and Action Lab (USA)
@ the University of Buffalo, New York. Research areas include: Perceptual Feedback in Sequence Production; Vocal Imitation of Pitch; Modeling retrieval in production; Perception of musical structure. Head: Pfordresher
Auditory Perception and Cognition Lab (USA)
@ the Universiity of Minnesota. McDermott is a Postdoctoral Associate here.
Auditory Perception & Music Cognition Research & Training Laboratory (CANADA)
Department of Psychology, University of Prince Edward Island
Auditory Research Laboratory (CANADA)
@ Department of Psychology, McGill Univrsity
Australasian Digital Theses Program (ADT) (AUSTRALIA)
A distributed database of digital versions of theses produced by postgraduate research students at Australian universities. The theses will be available worldwide via the web.
Australia& New Zealand Register of Postgraduate Music Research (AUSTRALIA)
(keyword search on community brings up some interesting stuff)
Australian Association for Research in Music Education (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Health Promotion Association (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Music and Psychology Society (AMPS) (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Music Therapy Association (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) (AUSTRALIA)
Bibliography of Australian Music Education Research (BAMER) (AUSTRALIA)
BioCog - Cognitive incl. Biological Psychology (GERMANY)
Cognitive science research centre involved in the Tuning the Brain for Music project.
Biomusic (USA)
Program of National Music Arts at the National Academy of Science; Director: Patricia M. Gray
Brain and Creativity Institute (USA)
@ USC College. Gathers new knowledge about the human emotions, decision-making, memory, and communication, from a neurological perspective, and applies this knowledge to the solution of problems in the biomedical and sociocultural arenas. Director: Damasio
BRAMS (Brain, Music and Sound) (CANADA)
Research unit affiliated with the University of Montreal, McGill University and the Montreal Neurological Institute devoted to the study of music cognition with a focus on neuroscience. Co-directors: Peretz & Zatorre. Involved in the Tuning the Brain for Music project.
British Society for Music Therapy (UK)
CAIRSS for Music (USA)
(Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval Service System): initiative of the University of Texas San Antonio's Institute for Music Research
The Callaway Centre (AUSTRALIA)
@ the School of Music, University of Western Australia
Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CANADA)
Center for Biomedical Research in Music (CBRM) (USA)
@ Colorado State University; headed by Michael Thaut
Center for Music Research (USA)
@ the College of Music , Florida State University
Center for the Arts in Healthcare Research and Education (USA)
@the University of Florida. Conducts research projects that study the effects if the arts in healthcare on individual, collective and institutional levels.
Center for Treatment, Training and Research in Music Therapy (ADIMU)
Latin American music therapy association
The Center on Aging, Health and Humanites (USA)
Stimulates, coordinates, and conducts sponsored research on both the problems and potentials of aging, with the goal of improving the quality of life for older adults and their families. Director: Cohen
Centre for Applied and Interdisciplinary Research in Music (CAIRM) (UK)
Established within the Department of Music at the University of Sheffield in June 2007, the Centre 'is dedicated to fostering the practice and study of music as seen, heard and understood from the widest possible range of perspectives.' Headed up by Jonathan Stock. Davidson and Dibben are both associated with the Centre.
Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine (CAHHM) (UK)
Research centre based in Durham University's multidisciplinary School for Health
Centre for International Research on Creativity and Learning in Education (CIRCLE) (UK)
@ Roehampton University; Visiting Professor & Research Fellow: David J. Hargreaves
Centre for Music and Science (UK)
@ Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge; Director: Ian Cross
Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice (CMPCP) (UK)
Will be launched in April 2009. Its five-year research programme will focus on live musical performance and creative music-making. Investigatots include ClarkeClarke andCook
Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution (UK)
@ the School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, Scotland. W. Tecumseh Fitch is one of the core staff.
Chair of Music Psychology (POLAND)
@ the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music
Cognitive Brain Research Unit (FINLAND)
@ the Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki. Its Music Group is headed by Tervaniemi; Brattico is a researcher. Current research focus is on: music-sound perception, cognition, and memory; modularity of music cognition; musical development and expertise; music emotions; clinical and educational applications of music. Part of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research and lead group in the Tuning the Brain for Music project.
Cognitive & Systematic Musicology Laboratory (USA)
@ School of Music, Ohio State University; headed by David Huron
College Music Society (USA)
Consortium of college, conservatory, university, and independent musicians and scholars interested in all disciplines of music. Its mission is to promote music teaching and learning, musical creativity and expression, research and dialogue, and diversity and interdisciplinary interaction.
The Council on Research in Music Education (USA)
@ University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign
Dana Foundation (USA)
Private philanthropic organization with interests in brain science, immunology, and arts education.
Eastman/UR/Cornell Music Cognition Symposium (USA)
@ the Music Theory Department at the Eastman School of Music and the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at the University of Rochester.
ERMusic.org
A site devoted to exploring the relationship between music, music therapy, and medicine.
European Music Therapy Confederation
European Seminar in Ethnomusicology (ESEM)
European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ESCOM)
Their sixth conference was in Bologna in August 2006
Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research (FINLAND)
At the Department of Music, University of Jyvaskyla. Consists of two research teams, the Music Cognition Team at Jyvaskyla and the Music Group at the Cognitive Brain Research Unit, University of Helsinki
German Musicological Society (GMTH) (GERMANY)
German Society for Music Psychology (DGM) (GERMANY)
HeartMind (AUSTRALIA)
Sydney based counselling service established in 2007 by Stephen Malloch, 'founder of the model of interaction known as Communicative Musicality, which is concerned with the non-verbal 'narratives' that underlie all communication, especially between a caregiver and infant.'
Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Hannover (GERMANY)
Seven institutes of 'science and research' covering music education, world music and much else
Institute for Biomusicology and Acoustic Ethnology (SWEDEN)
@ Mid Sweden University, Ostersund (this is the University site - unable to find a direct link to the Institute); Wallin is Director, Merker is a Senior Fellow
Institute for Ethno-Music-Therapy (AUSTRIA)
Focuses its research and practical work on consciousness research, non-European music and dance therapies, artistic treatment concepts relating to music, as well as teaching and education for music therapists.
Institute for Music and Brain Science (USA)
@ Harvard University; Director: Mark Jude Tramo
Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (USA)
Founded on the idea that music has unique powers to heal, rehabilitate, and inspire - and that music therapy can be used to restore and improve physical, emotional, and neurological health. Dedicated to advancing scientific inquiry on music and the brain and to developing clinical treatments to benefit people of all ages.
Institute for Music in Human and Social Development (IMHSD) (UK)
@ the School of Arts, Culture and Environment at the University of Edinburgh, the Institute 'brings together research and practice from a range of disciplines including music, psychology, informatics, sociology and medicine'. It offers postgraduate Community Music certification. Directors: Nigel Osborne& Katie Overy.
Institute for Music Research (USA)
@ the University of Texas San Antonio; operates CAIRSS
Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM) (BELGIUM)
@ the Department of Musicology, Ghent University
Institute of Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine (GERMANY)
@ the Hanover University of Music and Drama. Does reserach on the physiological bases of music performance and perception. Head: Altenmuller. Other staff include Grewe, Kopiez. They are all engaged in long-term music and emotion research.
International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA) (INTERNATIONAL)
International Centre for Music Studies (ICMuS) (UK)
@ the University of Newcastle upon Tyne; Head of Music: Ian Biddle
International Centre for Research in Music Education (ICRME) (UK)
Director: Gordon Cox (was headed by Nicholas Bannan)
International Conference of Music Perception and Cognition (ICMPC) (INTERNATIONAL)
Their ninth conference was in Bologna in August 2006
International Foundation for Music Research (IFMR) (INTERNATIONAL)
See NAMM
International Music and Art Research Association Austria (IMARAA) (AUSTRIA)
From their mission statement: 'Its impact on emotions, learning and healing gives evidence to how profoundly music can affect different regulatory processes. Thus the efforts to broaden the scope of interdisciplinary research on the functions of music are of great importance and the applications of the results should not be left to chance.'
International Music Education Research Centre (iMerc.org) (UK)
Based in the School of Arts & Humanities of the Institute of Education, University of London, iMerc.org is a place where researchers in music education, professionals in related fields, as well as undergraduate students and enthusiasts, can get together in a virtual exchange of information and knowledge in the field of Music Education, Music Psychology, Special Needs Education and Music, Early Childhood and Musical Development, Philosophy of Music Education, Music Technology Education, Musical Performance, Music Curriculum, Sociology of Music and Music Education and Choral Music Education. Head: Graham F. Welch
International Musicological Society (IMS) (INTERNATIONAL)
International Society for Music Education (ISME) (INTERNATIONAL)
Isabelle Peretz Research Laboratory (CANADA)
@ Montreal University. Director: Peretz
Janata Lab (USA)
@ the Center for Mind and Brain, UC Davis. Principal Investigator: Janata
Japanese Society for Music Perception and Cognition (JAPAN)
Joanneum Research Institute of Non-Invasive Diagnosis (AUSTRIA)
The Institute's head, Maximilain Moseris undertaking research into the effects of art and creative therapies. First studies on the effects of therapeutic language design and eurhythmy show what amazing effects accurately applied rhythm can have on recreation and the quality of sleep.
Langage, musique et motricite (FRANCE)
Research team at the Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives de la Mediterranee in Marseilles (Mireille Besson, Michel Habib, Daniele Schon & Sylvain Moreno based here)
Levitin Laboratory for Musical Perception, Cognition and Expertise (CANADA)
@ McGill University, Montreal. Studies the science of musical sound, using a broad spectrum of approaches from low-levels (genes, neuroanatomy) to higher level processes such as the acquisition of musical expertise and the perception of musical emotion. Head: Levitin
Macarthur Auditory Research Centre (MARCS) Auditory Laboratories (AUSTRALIA)
@ the College of the Arts, University of Western Sydney; Stephen Malloch (Trewarthen co-author) based here.
Making Music for the South East Region of England (UK)
Supports volunteer managaged music groups (branch of the The National Federation of Music Societies); publishes a newsletter that often contains useful music/health/social cohesion material
Mariani Foundation (ITALY)
In partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences, the MF began The Neurosciences and Music project in 2000. International conferences in
2002, 2005 and 2008, an online newsletter, 'Neuromusic News' and the development of a portal dedicated to 'neuromusic' have led to the MF becoming an important focus point for music and neuroscience research.
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (GERMANY)
Unites scientists with various backgrounds (natural sciences and humanities) whose aim is to investigate the history of humankind from an interdisciplinary perspective with the help of comparative analyses of genes, cultures, cognitive abilities, languages and social systems of past and present human populations as well as those of primates closely related to human beings. Based in Leipzig. Tomasello is one of the Co-directors
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (GERMANY)
Includes a 'junior' research group on the neurocognition of music headed by Koelsch. Friederici is Director of Neuropsychology. Gunter is Senior Research Scientist in the Neurocognition of Language unit.
McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind (CANADA)
A group of researchers at McMaster University (Ontario), including music theorists, musicians, psychologists, neuroscientists, mathematicians, kinesiologists, health scientists, and engineers are creating an Institute for the Study of Music and Auditory Neuroscience; core member: Laurel J. Trainor
Music Acoustics Group (SWEDEN)
@ the Speech Music & Hearing Department (TMH), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm. Head: Sten Ternstrom. Involved in the Tuning the Brain for Musicproject.
Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory (USA)
@ the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard Medical School. Director: Gottfried Schlaug
Music Cognition Group (NETHERLANDS)
@ Department of Musicology and the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation, University of Amsterdam (Schellenberg has just finished a visitation here)
Music Cognition Lab (CANADA)
@ University of Toronto at Scarborough
Music Cognition Lab (CANADA)
@ the Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Head: Cuddy
Music Cognition Resource Centre (USA)
@ Ohio State University
Music Cognition Team (FINLAND)
@ University of Jyvaskyla. Headed by Petri Toiviainen. Part of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research and involved in the Tuning the Brain for Music project.
Music Conferences Worldwide (INTERNATIONAL)
Music Dynamics Laboratory (USA)
@ the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Science, Florida Atlantic University. Head: Large
Music For All Foundation (USA)
US non-profit organization committed to expanding the role of music and the arts in education, to heightening the public's appreciation of the value of music and arts education, and to creating a positive environment for the arts through societal change.
Music in Prisons - The Irene Taylor Trust (UK)
Music in the Brain (DENMARK)
Coalition of four Aarhus-based research institutions arising out of the recent conference of the same name
Music Intelligence Neural Development (MIND) Institute (USA)
Sometimes it seems that the 'M' stands for maths. Undertaken much research on the connections between the two 'm's. President: Gordon Shaw
Music, Language and Human Evolution (UK)
@ Archaeology Research, University of Reading; based around Steven Mithen's work
Music Mind Machine (NETHERLANDS)
Music research unit at the Nijmegen Institute for Cognition and Information at Radboud University Nijmegen
Music Neuroscience Laboratory (AUSTRALIA)
In the School of Behavioral Science (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences) at the University of Melbourne. Hosts the Music, Auditory Cognition and Mind (MACM) Research Group
Music Performance and Brain Lab (POLAND)
@ Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Finance and Management, Warsaw. Principal Investigator: Dalla Bella
Music Psychology Research Team (AUSTRALIA)
@ the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychologic Medicine, Monash University. Team Leader is Nikki Rickard
Music Research (USA)
Site maintained in the School of Music of the University of Miami
Music Research Group (UK)
@ the School of Psychology, University of Leicester. Current research concerns experimental aesthetics, cross-cultural aspects of music usage, music and consumer behaviour, the role of music in adolescent group processes, and computerised models of human aesthetic response. Originally headed up by
North. Now that he's moved on, this group may not be continuing.
The Music Research Institute (USA)
@ the School of Music at the University of North Carolina; Patricia GrayPatricia Gray uses this as a base
The Music Research Institute (USA)
Music Theory and Cognition Program (USA)
@ the School of Music, Northwestern University; key staff: Richard Ashley & Robert Gjerdingen
Music Therapy NZ (NZ)
Music Therapy World (GERMANY)
Comprehensive website on music therapy. Created by David Aldridge
MusicAustralia (AUSTRALIA)
Online service developed by the National Library of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive. A rich store of information on Australian music, musicians, organisations and services is now accessible from a single source.
Musiclanguage.net (USA)
Website dedicated to the integrated study of music and language. It was established 3/06 by Jonathan G. Secora Pearl, as an outlet for his research endeavors, as a resource for those interested in these topics, and as a forum for scholarly debate and discussion
Musicological Society of Australia (AUSTRALIA)
Musics and Cultures Research Group (UK)
@ the Open University, 1995-2003
Musique et Sante (FRANCE)
French association promoting the application of music in healthcare.
NAMM Foundation Research Division, formerly the International Foundation for Music Research (IMFR) (USA)
'Advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs'. The Foundation is the research and philanthropic arm of NAMM, the International Music Products Association; its initiatives include Sounds of Learning: The Impact of Music Education and Recreational Music Making, among many.
National Association of Music Education (MENC) (USA)
Association with a comprehensively stocked website
National Center for Creative Aging (USA)
National Foundation for Giving Voice (USA)
Promotes group singing for wellbeing and social cohesion. Founder: Jill Rakusen (co-author, Our Bodies, Our Selves)
National Music Therapy Research Unit (NMTRU) (AUSTRALIA)
@ the Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne. Its Advisory Board includes Katrina McFerran and Tony Wigram
The Neurosciences Institute (USA)
In San Diego; Patel is a Research Fellow there
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia (AUSTRALIA)
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre (UK)
Co-heads of Research: Gary Ansdell and Mercedes Pavlicevic
Origin of Music (USA)
Website of Robert Fink, an early music researcher
Project Zero (USA)
Research group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education investigating the development of learning processes in children, adults, and organizations, particularly in the arts. Director: Steve Seidel; Chair: Howard Gardner
purves-lab (USA)
@ Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University. See also article by Than
Pythagoras Graduate School of Music and Sound Research (FINLAND)
Collaboration between several Finnish universities where music-related research is conducted
Queen's Biological Research Centre (CANADA)
@ the Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Lola L. Cuddy is a researcher here.
Research Guide - Music
From the Leonard H. Axe Library at Pittsburg State University
Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (UK)
save to D.I.S.C. (Documenting Innovation in Sound Communities) (AUSTRALIA)
A web-based research network headed by Steve Dillon.
Science and Music group (UK)
@ Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge
Science Network Man and Music (AUSTRIA)
Promotes investigation of the effects of music and sound on humans, the structures integrated in the music, the music-therapeutic application of music and sound and the employment of music and musical education within education range.
Sidney de Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health (UK)
Established in 2004; headed up by Stephen Clift & Grenville Hancox
'[Music] provides a wonderful resource in promoting health in a holistic sense embracing not just the well balanced functioning of the body, but our social and mental wellbeing, and the life of the spirit'.
'[The understanding that] involvement in group singing can be beneficial to well-being and health is gaining currency'.
Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research (SEMPRE)
The Society for Ethnomusicology (USA)
Devoted to the support of ethnomusicology and to the study of music-making all over the world.
Society for Music Analysis (SMA) (UK)
Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC)
Society for Music Theory (USA)
Society for the Arts in Healthcare (USA)
Non-profit corporation in Washington, DC. Dedicated to promoting the incorporation of the arts as an integral component of healthcare
The Society for the Arts in Healthcare (USA)
Dedicated to promoting the incorporation of the arts as an integral component of healthcare.
Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts (USA)
The Sound Healing Network (USA)
A connected international community of individuals and organisations who are committed to furthering awareness of the nature of sound healing as an effective tool for therapeutic healing, transforming consciousness, enhancing everyday life experience and building community.
Sounds of Intent (UK)
Interactive website of a research project set up in 2002 by the Royal National Institute of the Blind and the Institute of Education, University of London to investigate and promote the musical development of children and young people with severe, or profound and multiple learning difficulties. The research team includes Graham F. Welch& Adam Ockelford.
Sounds of Learning: The Impact of Music Education (USA)
Research initiative to examine the roles of music education in the lives of school age children. Sponsored by NAMM
Sulzer Lab (USA)
@ the Columbia University Medical School; headed by David Sulzer (aka David Soldier). While the main focus of this lab is on the 'synaptic connections that underlie memory, learning, and behavior, and the mechanisms underlying diseases that occur at these synapses, including Parkinson's Disease, schizophrenia, and drug addiction' (which means deep research into neurotransmitters, Sulzer's other life as a musician has involved in him in neuroscientific experiments exploring music.
Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity (USA)
Part of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior @ UCLA.
Tuning the Brain for Music
A project investigating the musical brain by combining the efforts and expertise of six neuroscience research groups in Europe and Canada, 2006 - 2009; the research co-ordinator is Tervaniemi and the groups are Cognitive Brain Research Unit (Helsinki, Finland), Music Cognition Team (Jyvaskyla, Finland), Music Acoustics Group (Stockholm, Sweden), Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, (Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy), BioCog, Cognitive incl. Biological Psychology (Leipzig, Germany) & BRAMS (Montreal, Canada).
Unit for the Study of Musical Skill and Development (UK)
@ School of Psychology, Keele University; Director: John A. Sloboda
Unite de Recherche en Psychologie de la Musique (BELGIUM)
@ Arts et Sciences de la Musique, Universite de Liege; founded by Deliege. Director: Marc Melen
The Voice Foundation (USA)
World Federation of Music Therapy (INTERNATIONAL)
Worldwide Internet Music Resources
Music resource list from the William and Gayle Cook Music Library, Indiana University.
Youth Music (UK)
UK-wide charity set up in 1999 to provide high quality and diverse music-making opportunities for 0-18 year olds. Commissions research (eg, 'Turning Their Ears On')
Zero to Three (USA)
National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families; their website offers for sale a brochure entitled Getting in Tune: The Powerful Influence of Music on Young Children's Development