Routledge Music Cognition Companion

The 2019 Citation of Special Merit for Multi-Authored Volumes from the Society of Music Theory was awarded to The Routledge Companion to Music Cognition. This book delves into the fundamental questions about the nature of music from a psychological perspective, presenting music cognition as the field that examines the psychological, physiological, and physical processes that make music possible, and seeks to explain its powerful and mysterious effects on us.

The volume offers a comprehensive overview of research in music cognition that balances accessibility with depth and sophistication. A diverse group of global scholars, including music theorists, musicologists, pedagogues, neuroscientists, and psychologists, explore the implications of music in everyday life. They also broaden the range of topics in music cognition research by intentionally seeking connections with the types of music and musical experiences that are meaningful to the general population but are often overlooked in the study of music cognition. These topics include music’s impact on physical and emotional health, music cognition in various genres, and in diverse populations, including people with amusia and hearing impairment, and the relationship of music to learning and achievement in academics, sports, and recreation. The broader sociological and anthropological uses of music are also explored.

With over forty essays, the volume is organized into five primary themes. The first section, "Music from the Air to the Brain," lays a neuroscientific and theoretical foundation for the rest of the book. The next three sections are based on musical actions: "Hearing and Listening to Music," "Making and Using Music," and "Developing Musicality." The final section, "Musical Meanings," returns to fundamental questions related to music’s meaning and significance, examining historical and contemporary perspectives. The Routledge Companion to Music Cognition seeks to encourage readers to understand the connections between the laboratory and everyday life in their musical experiences.

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