Caleb Mutch

Dr. Caleb Mutch is a Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, specializing in the History of Music Theory, Digital Humanities, and Global Pop Music Studies. He holds a Ph.D. in Music Theory from Columbia University (2015), with a dissertation on the history of the cadence. His academic career includes roles as Visiting Assistant Professor at Indiana University (2019–2020) and Post-Doctoral Resident Scholar (2017–2019).

Research Interests: His work bridges historical musicology and modern digital methods, focusing on early modern music cognition, global popular music analysis, and theoretical pedagogy. Notable research includes studies on W. C. Printz’s quantitas intrinseca concept and Johnny Clegg’s anti-apartheid collaborations. He also explores ancient Greek music theory and mathematical approaches to historical tuning systems.

Awards:

• 2024 David Kraehenbuehl Prize for Best Article in Journal of Music Theory
• Multiple fellowships from Columbia University and the University of British Columbia

Labs/Networks: Active in the Musicovid international research network and contributes to the Department of Music at the Max Planck Institute, focusing on interdisciplinary aesthetic studies. His work integrates music theory with cognitive and media studies.