Sarah Louden

Sarah Louden is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Music and Director of the Music Theory and History Program at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She holds a Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of Buffalo SUNY, an M.A. in Music Theory from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a B.A. in Music Performance from Concordia College Moorhead.

Her research focuses on the cognitive effects of multisensory perception in music and visual media, with a neuro-cognitive approach to cross-domain mapping in multimedia. She has pioneered work on inclusive music theory pedagogy and curricular redesign, currently leading a project to restructure NYU Steinhardt’s undergraduate music theory and history coursework. This initiative was supported by grants from the NYU Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, the Center for Faculty Advancement, and the Center for Humanities.

Dr. Louden has presented her curricular reform efforts at prominent conferences, including the Society for Music Theory (2023), Music and the Moving Image (2023), and the American Musicological Society Annual Talkback (2023). Her dissertation, “Cross-Sensory Perception in Music and Visual Media: A Neuro-Cognitive Approach to Cross-Domain Mapping in Multimedia,” earned the 2018 Distinguished Dissertation Award from the University of Buffalo.

Her research and teaching intersect with digital technology, virtual reality, and accessibility in music education. She actively advocates for inclusive practices in music theory instruction and has contributed to redefining music pedagogy through interdisciplinary collaboration.