Find Academic Supervisors

• Musicology
• Ethnomusicology
• Jewish Studies
• +5 more

Prof. Nikolay Kaufman is a distinguished scholar and arranger of Jewish musical folklore, specializing in Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions. Over five decades, he has meticulously documented songs from synagogues and communities, preserving both unaltered melodies and his own complex arrangements. His work bridges musicology and performance, emphasizing cultural heritage and vocal techniques. He has published extensively on Jewish musicology and contributed to Bulgarian choral traditions. His research focuses on the interplay between religious/secular contexts, vocal ensembles (choirs, solos), and cultural influences. Notable techniques include multi-colored harmony, ornamentation, and 'instrumental' choir effects. His upcoming publication will categorize songs by ensemble, culture, and occasion. Kaufman’s arrangements often require specialized interpretation for languages like Yiddish and Ladino, using Cyrillic and Latin scripts. Kaufman’s articles analyze historical and contemporary music, from Beethoven’s compositional methods to Bulgarian folk ensembles. He advocates for interdisciplinary approaches, linking music to drama, psychoacoustics, and education. His contributions span pedagogy (solfège, cello schools) and cultural preservation, reflecting a deep engagement with both Eastern European and global musical traditions. Key Projects: Arrangements of Jewish songs, hybrid cultural pieces (e.g., Mira la Mar), Bulgarian-Jewish fusion. Publications: Over 15 articles (2013–2015) on musicology, education, and performance. Legacy: Preservation of fading traditions and professional choir techniques.

Anders HagbergView profile

Professor

• Improvisation
• Musical Performance
• Boundary-Crossing Collaborations
• +3 more

Anders Hagberg is a Professor of Musical Performance/Improvisation at the University of Gothenburg's Department of Music, School of Music, Performing Arts and Theatre. His work bridges multiple disciplines, emphasizing improvisation, cross-cultural collaboration, and spatial acoustics. Hagberg has performed globally, collaborating with artists from India, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., West Africa, and Brazil. His research explores modal harmony, musical presence, and acoustics in performance, fostering international projects and educational tools to enhance musicians' creativity. Key collaborations include projects with Scandinavian, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Korean artists, as well as boundary-pushing performances at venues like the Show of Hands Festival (Istanbul) and the National Flute Association Convention (San Antonio). His work integrates dance, visual arts, and interdisciplinary practices, with recent highlights including the 2024 European Low Flutes Festival and solo concerts in Washington DC. Notable publications include works on Mussorgsky adaptations and spatial composition, reflecting his dedication to expanding musical boundaries. Hagberg's performances and workshops emphasize innovative pedagogy and global artistic exchange, positioning him as a leading figure in contemporary musical performance.

• Foreign Language Anxiety
• Language Educational Neurosciences
• Early Foreign Language Learning
• +6 more

Heiner Böttger is a Full Professor of English Didactics and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany, where he has served since 2007. He holds the Professorship for Didactics of English Language and Literature within the Faculty of Languages and Literature. His academic journey includes positions at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and visiting professorships at institutions including Akdeniz University in Turkey, Aristotle University in Greece, and Long Island University in New York. Professor Böttger's research focuses on the intersection of language education and neuroscience, with particular expertise in foreign language anxiety (xenoglossophobia), sensitive phases of language development, multilingual didactics, and evidence-based foreign language teaching. His work bridges theoretical knowledge with practical classroom applications, emphasizing how insights from neuroscience can transform language teaching methodologies. He has pioneered approaches to early foreign language learning, corporate language instruction, and the psychological aspects of language acquisition including memory, resilience, and mindfulness. His extensive publication record demonstrates a clear trajectory toward integrating neuroscientific findings with language education. Recent works focus on language educational neurosciences (LEN), outdoor language learning, storytelling techniques, and the neuromotor foundations of speaking skills. Böttger's research shows increasing sophistication in connecting brain-based learning principles with practical language teaching strategies across diverse contexts from primary education to corporate settings. As an active academic, Böttger serves as Chairman of the Early language learning advisory board BIG (foundation Lernen, Munich) and as an External Academic Reviewer to the Greek state. His professional activities demonstrate a commitment to advancing evidence-based language education through both theoretical contributions and practical implementation.

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Linguistic Studies
• +5 more

Jeremy Loebach is an Associate Professor of Psychology at St. Olaf College, located in Northfield, Minnesota. He is based in Regents Hall (Natural Science) and can be reached at loebach@stolaf.edu. As of 2023, he is on sabbatical leave until August 2025. His academic roles include teaching courses such as Principles of Psychology, Psychology of Hearing, and Cognitive Neuroscience, reflecting his expertise in auditory perception and cognitive processes. Loebach specializes in advising students pursuing careers in Speech and Hearing Sciences, Speech Language Pathology (SLP), and Audiology (AuD). His research focuses on speech perception, cochlear implants, and perceptual learning, with a notable emphasis on auditory neuroscience and music cognition. For detailed research, visit his lab’s website at SCofLab . His publications (2005–2014) explore topics like emotional attribution in music, perceptual adaptation to vocoded speech, and cochlear implant acoustics, demonstrating interdisciplinary engagement with psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics.

• Neurocognition of Music and Language
• Perception and Production of Sound
• Interpersonal Interaction
• +4 more

Daniela Sammler is an Adjunct Professor at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and leads the Neurocognition of Music and Language Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics. Her work bridges cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, and musicology to explore shared neural mechanisms in music and language processing. PhD in Psychology from the University of Leipzig and Max Planck Institute (2008) Habilitation on intonation in speech and music (2018) Venia Legendi in Frankfurt (2022) Her research focuses on neurocognitive overlaps between music and language, including syntax, prosody, and interpersonal interaction. Key findings include cortical tracking of rhythm, neural hubs for melodic processing, and evidence of universal links in speech-song perception despite cultural diversity. Recent publications analyze audio-motor coordination in duets, prosody-emotion mapping, and dyslexia-related auditory processing deficits. Awards include the Otto Hahn Medal (2010) and European historic preservation recognition (2012). Co-led studies with institutions like Western Sydney University and University of Glasgow Editor for The Oxford Handbook of Language and Music (under contract) Grants from Max Planck Society and Heisenberg Foundation

Freddie BryantView profile

Professor

• Jazz Performance
• Classical Guitar
• Brazilian Music
• +7 more

Freddie Bryant is a Professor in the Guitar Department at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches courses in jazz, Brazilian, Latin, and African grooves, harmonic knowledge, and guitar technique. He is a renowned guitarist and composer with a global artistic footprint, leading ensembles such as Kaleidoscope and Trio del Sol. Master of Music in Classical Guitar, Yale School of Music, 1994 Bachelor of Arts in Music, Amherst College, 1987 His research and artistic interests focus on global jazz fusion, harmonic development, cross-cultural rhythm integration, and guitar performance. He emphasizes connecting with diverse grooves and strengthening the balance between pick and finger-style playing. His work bridges jazz, Brazilian, Latin, African, and blues/funk traditions, with a strong emphasis on original composition and voice leading. His recent works, including Upper West Side Love Story and Monk Restrung , reflect a trend toward thematic song cycles, reimagined jazz standards, and cross-genre collaborations. These projects highlight his expertise in narrative composition, cultural storytelling, and innovative ensemble arrangements. Honorary Doctorate from Amherst College 2019 Chamber Music America New Jazz Works grant for Upper West Side Love Story Bryant has advised numerous students through Berklee’s programs and has secured competitive grants for new jazz works. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries such as Eliane Elias, Tom Harrell, and the Mingus Orchestra, and has toured in 55 countries, collaborating with Indian classical musicians, African singers, and traditional Arab groups. His professional experience deeply informs his pedagogy. He leads multiple ensembles, including Kaleidoscope, Trio del Sol, and the Freddie Bryant Quartet, and is a member of the Ben Riley’s Monk Legacy Septet and the Mingus Orchestra. These groups serve as laboratories for his creative and educational vision, integrating performance, composition, and cross-cultural dialogue.

Philippe RigauxView profile

Professor

• Music Information Retrieval
• Database Systems
• Spatial Databases
• +6 more

Philippe Rigaux is a Professor at the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) in Paris, France, where he conducts research at the CÉDRIC laboratory (Centre d'études et de recherche en informatique et communications). His academic career spans over 25 years with continuous publication output from 1995 through 2024, demonstrating sustained research activity in computer science with a specialized focus on music information retrieval and database systems. Rigaux's research interests center on the intersection of music and computer science, particularly in music score processing, representation, and querying. His work explores graph-based approaches to music representation, topological querying of music scores, and quality assessment in digital music libraries. He has made significant contributions to the development of tools and frameworks for music information retrieval, including the GioQoso quality assessment tool and the FACETS exploration system for large symbolic music collections. His research often bridges theoretical database concepts with practical music applications, focusing on scalable solutions for music content search and pattern matching. Analysis of his recent publications (2018-2024) reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on improving music information systems through innovative database techniques, graph theory applications, and quality assessment methodologies. His work shows increasing emphasis on multimodal music sources, collaborative music digitization, and advanced representation techniques for rhythm and structure. Rigaux frequently collaborates with researchers across Europe, particularly on projects related to digital music libraries and music information systems. Rigaux has contributed to major projects including NEUMA (a collaborative digital score library), CollabScore (integrating optical recognition with multimodal music sources), and GioQoso (a quality assessment tool for music notation). His research has been published in prestigious venues including Data and Knowledge Engineering, International Journal on Digital Libraries, and proceedings of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval (ISMIR).

Jonathan PagetView profile

Associate Professor

• Australian music
• Guitar performance
• Historical performance practices
• +3 more

Associate Professor Jonathan Paget serves as Associate Dean (Music) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University. A classical guitarist with international performance experience, he leads the classical guitar program and is a member of the Centre for Keyboard Heritage and Performance Research. His research focuses on Australian music, 19th-century guitar works, and historical performance practices. Doctor of Musical Arts (Eastman School of Music, 2003) Master of Arts and Master of Music (USA, 2002 and 1998) Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours (University of Western Australia, 1996) Paget’s research explores intersections between historical guitar traditions and contemporary performance, with particular emphasis on Bel Canto repertoire and Australian composers. His 15 most recent outputs span book chapters on 19th-century guitar manuscripts, cross-cultural collaborations with Chinese musicians, and analytical studies of Romantic guitar works. He investigates historical authenticity in Napoleonic-era compositions, Australian minimalist guitar works, and the application of Sonata Theory to Bel Canto music. Scientific awards include the Beazley Medal , Hackett Studentship , and Fulbright Postgraduate Award . He has won international competitions like the Shell Darwin and Rantucci Guitar Competitions. Grants highlight his leadership in projects such as the Historic Keyboard Instruments Restoration ($350,000) and Cross-Continental Inspirations in Australia-China collaborations. As a research supervisor, Paget mentors PhD candidates exploring topics like Beethoven performance traditions in China and Gilbert Biberian’s influence. He has held leadership roles with organizations including the Classical Guitar Society of Western Australia and contributes to the Fulbright Alumni Association .

• Auditory Working Memory
• Neural Mechanisms of Imagination
• Neuroscience of Music
• +5 more

David Ricardo Quiroga Martinez is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Social Sciences. His research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying auditory working memory and musical imagination using intracranial EEG and MEG techniques. He investigates how the brain represents and manipulates sounds during perception and imagination, with applications for understanding psychiatric disorders and brain-computer interfaces. His research interests span Auditory Working Memory , Neural Mechanisms of Imagination , Neuroscience of Music , and Reward Coding . He employs invasive and non-invasive neuroimaging to study how musical sequences are processed in the brain, examining temporal hierarchies in predictive processing from pure tones to complex songs. His work bridges cognitive neuroscience, computational modeling, and clinical applications. Key publications reveal trends in neural representation of musical thoughts (2024), asymmetric reward prediction coding (2023), and temporal hierarchies in melody processing (2023). His research consistently explores how musical structure, predictability, and expertise shape neural responses, with implications for understanding disorders involving auditory imagery abnormalities. Reintegration Fellowship from the Carlsberg Foundation: The representation of musical thoughts in neurons of the human brain International Postdoc from DFF: The neural basis of musical imagination His collaborative network spans international institutions, with significant work on congenital amusia, atonal music processing, and neural gain modulation. Current projects involve decoding imagined musical sounds and investigating reward prediction errors in cortical networks, supported by major Danish research foundations.

Joel SmithView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Jazz Performance
• Afro-Latin Rhythms
• Jazz History
• +2 more

Joel Smith is Senior Lecturer in Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Tufts University. His academic focus encompasses jazz performance, improvisation pedagogy, Afro-Latin music traditions, and jazz history. Research explores analytical approaches to jazz composition and performance techniques. Educational initiatives include international performance tours and curriculum development in jazz theory and arranging. Publication record includes pedagogical analyses of jazz standards and improvisational methods featured in JazzEd Magazine. Ensemble direction includes the Tufts Jazz Orchestra performances at Lincoln Center and international venues.

• Phonology
• Linguistics
• Language Documentation
• +5 more

Michael Obiri-Yeboah is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Georgetown University's Department of Linguistics, part of the College. He holds a PhD from the University of California San Diego (2021), and MA and BA degrees from the University of Ghana in Linguistics and the Study of Religions. His research focuses on phonological patterns using fieldwork and experimental methods, with special attention to Gua and Akan languages. He teaches courses such as Introduction to Language, Sounds of Language, and Field Methods. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of California-San Diego (2021) M.Phil in Linguistics, University of Ghana B.A. in Linguistics and the Study of Religions, University of Ghana Research interests encompass phonological phrasing, vowel harmony, tone encoding in music, and language endangerment documentation. His work bridges formal phonological analysis with empirical fieldwork, particularly in understudied languages like Gua. Recent studies investigate Akan tone systems' cross-modal representation and perceptual near-merger in ATR contrasts. Publications explore topics ranging from Gua's syntactic-melodic marking to cross-linguistic numeral systems. His teaching and research emphasize practical methodologies, including field methods and language documentation strategies. No scientific awards are listed, and no grants or advising details are provided. He speaks Gua, Akan, English, and Ghanaian Pidgin English.

• Developmental Psychology
• Music Therapy
• Cognitive Development
• +7 more

Dr. Fabia Franco is an Associate Professor in Psychology at Middlesex University , specializing in developmental psychology, music therapy, and cross-modal communication. With over two decades of research, her work bridges music cognition, language acquisition, and social-emotional development across the lifespan. Key research themes include infant communication through pointing, musical predictors of language development, and therapeutic applications of music for cognitive disorders. Her interdisciplinary collaborations span neuroscience, music therapy, and autism studies. Recent publications (2021-2024) focus on neonatal intensive care soundscapes, music-based cognitive interventions for aging populations, and cross-cultural studies of infant-directed communication in hunter-gatherer societies. She also develops assessment tools like the Music@Home questionnaire to quantify early musical environments.

Øystein ElleView profile

Associate Professor

• Performance
• Post-dramatic theatre
• Composed theatre
• +12 more

Øystein Elle is an Associate Professor in Music and Performing Arts at Østfold University College, holding positions at both the Faculty of Teacher Education and Languages and the Academy of Performing Arts. He has been affiliated with the institution since 2006, initially as a teacher of singing, composition and improvisation, then as a research fellow, and since autumn 2017 as an associate professor. Elle earned his Master of Arts from the Hoogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, Netherlands, and a Bachelor of Arts from the Music Conservatory at the University of Agder. He completed a doctorate in performing arts with interdisciplinary composition as his specialty and was a scholarship holder at the National Program for Artistic Development from 2013-2017. His research focuses on performance, post-dramatic theatre, composed theatre, intercultural art production, avant-gardism, cross-artistic composition, and extended vocal techniques. His work bridges Baroque, Dadaism, and European/North American Avant-Garde traditions, creating polystylistic compositions that alternate between atonal, melodic, noise-based, collage-influenced and improvised styles. His artistic practice particularly explores music-driven dramaturgy and "Composed Theatre." Elle's recent publications reveal a strong focus on experimental performance, sensory aesthetics, and interdisciplinary work, with particular attention to performance for young children (0-3 years) through projects like "Rock me Baby" and "Stemmestammen." His work increasingly explores political dimensions through public interventions and direct action theater, while maintaining his signature blend of vocal experimentation and cross-cultural influences. Funding from Arts Council of Norway Funding from Composers' Remuneration Fund Funding from Fund for Performing Artists Funding from Fund for Sound and Image Funding from New Music Funding from Ministry of Foreign Affairs Elle has collaborated extensively with international institutions including NTNU (editing the anthology "The Complexity and Width of Music Studies"), the University of South-East Norway (research on avant-gardism in music education), the American College in Athens and Patras University (research on ancient Greek masks), and the Kindergarten Teacher Training Program at HiØ (editing "Art Encounters and Aesthetic Processes with the Youngest Children"). He leads the Capto Musicae project, creating sonic and musical theatre in contemporary artistic contexts, and is involved in research groups focused on creativity, art and innovation in education, knowledge creation through artistic research, and material strategies. His artistic collective, Capto Musicae, has produced over 30 performing arts productions presented across Europe, Asia, the USA and South America, often featuring collaborations with international artists from diverse disciplines. Current projects include "HEXE," a physical performance concert bridging Nordic and Japanese culture, continuing his exploration of avant-garde traditions and intercultural dialogue.

Münir BekenView profile

Associate Professor

• Modal Theory
• Musical Globalization
• Phenomenology of Music
• +5 more

Münir Beken is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is also the Director of the Music of Turkey Ensemble, blending academic leadership with performance and cultural preservation. Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland M.A. in Music Theory from the Technical University of Istanbul His research focuses on **modal theory**, **musical globalization**, and the **phenomenology of music**, with a strong emphasis on melodic modal systems across the Middle East and Central Asia. His work extends to the study of Turkish music and the musical traditions of the Ottoman Empire. Beken has published in prestigious outlets such as *Ethnomusicology* and *The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians*. His career spans composition, ethnomusicology, and performance, including a state-commissioned ballet suite and scoring for television documentaries internationally. 2018 Global Music Awards Gold Medal Awards for film music As a founding member of the State Turkish Music Ensemble and director of the Music of Turkey Ensemble, Beken actively contributes to cultural preservation and performance, integrating his scholarly and artistic pursuits.

• Musicology
• Cognitive Musicology
• Song Lyrics Analysis
• +3 more

Dr. Y. Schotanus is an affiliated researcher in the Musicology department at the Humanities Institute for Cultural Inquiry , Utrecht University. Their work bridges musicology, cognitive science, and Dutch language education, focusing on how musical elements (melody, timing, accompaniment) influence the perception and interpretation of song lyrics. Research Themes : Music-lyrics interaction, intermediality, cognitive processing of sung language, vocal expressivity, and educational applications of music-literature studies. Key Contributions : Demonstrated how timing, phrasing, and accompaniment alter lyric comprehension; analyzed Bob Dylan's song structure; developed didactic tools for Dutch language education. Recent Publications : 2023 book chapter on chorus perception; 2022 empirical study on student-led literature lessons; 2021 analysis of temporal cues in vocal performance. Schotanus actively contributes to peer review (e.g., Psychology of Music , Empirical Musicology Review ) and has presented at international conferences (ICMPC15/ESCOM10, Low Countries Music Network). Their work has been featured in both scholarly journals and popular media outlets like Schrijven Magazine and The Pyramid platform.