Justin London

Justin London is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Music, Cognitive Science, and the Humanities at Carleton College, Minnesota. He holds a Ph.D. in Music History and Theory from the University of Pennsylvania (1990) and degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (BMus 1982, MMus 1986).

His research bridges music theory, cognitive science, and psychology, focusing on rhythm/meter perception across cultures, sensorimotor synchronization, and musical aesthetics. Key projects include cross-cultural studies of Malian percussion music, tempo perception experiments, and cognitive approaches to musical virtuosity.

• 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award, Society for Music Perception and Cognition
• Fulbright Fellowships at University of Cambridge (2005–2006) and University of Jyväskylä (2014)
• Presidencies: Society for Music Theory (2007–2009), Society for Music Perception and Cognition (2017–2018)

His recent work explores microtiming in non-isochronous meters, visual-auditory tempo cues, and cognitive constraints on metric systems. He mentors graduate students at institutions including Eastman, Northwestern, and University of Amsterdam.