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Centre for Music and Science

The Centre for Music and Science (CMS) provides a home for research linking the field of music with psychology, acoustics, computer science, and neuroscience. It is inherently multidisciplinary, though perhaps the chief specialism of the centre is music cognition. Through dedicated studio facilities, the CMS supports technology-based teaching and graduate and staff research that requires technological resources. The centre is a base for collaborative research with other departments in Cambridge and with those in outside institutions.

The Faculty of Music added the CMS as a purpose built wing in 2003 with the assistance of an award of £1.3 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and of funds from the University and Colleges. The site comprises a fully sound-isolated Recording Studio (consisting of a Control Room and Recording Room, both linked to the Concert Hall and Recital Room), a Computer Room and a Research Room.

The CMS was led from its inception in 2003 by Ian Cross, now Emeritus Professor of Music and Science. In 2011 Ian was joined in the CMS by Sarah Hawkins, now Emeritus Professor of Speech and Music Science. Ian and Sarah supervised a great number of students and research fellows during their time, many of whom can now be found in research and teaching institutions all over the world. Ian retired in September 2021, and now the CMS is now directed by Peter Harrison, an alumnus of Cambridge with particular expertise in computational music cognition.

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Latest news

ICMPC17 presentation - Huw Cheston - Coordination Strategies in Networked Jazz Performances

4 September 2023

We just got back from from an inspiring ICMPC17 (International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition) in Tokyo. It was so great to hear from music psychology laboratories over the world, and to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. Several of our CMS members presented at this conference, including PhD student...

Michaelmas 2023 seminars announced

30 August 2023

The seminar list for Michaelmas 2023 has now been published on the CMS seminars page ! We are excited to have guests joining us from institutes around the world, including Europe, the United States, and Australia, to talk about a variety of topics spanning pitch, rhythm, timbre, and memory.

Research associate position for managing a randomised controlled trial of music therapy with autistic children

30 August 2023

The Autism Research Centre at the Cambridge Department of Psychiatry is looking to appoint a research associate (fixed-term) to manage a randomised controlled trial of music therapy with autistic children. The application deadline is 10 September 2023. For more details see the following link: https://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job...