Caroline Curwen

Dr. Caroline Curwen is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of Music at Durham University, specializing in music cognition and synaesthesia research. Her work focuses on sensorimotor and embodied accounts of music perception, particularly how synaesthetic experiences (e.g., music-color associations) arise from cognitive and motor processes.

• Education: Clarinet and academic studies at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), PhD from the University of Sheffield.
• Affiliations: Consulting editor for Musicae Scientiae; Treasurer of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ESCOM).

Her research investigates the interplay between music, emotion, and action in both synaesthetic and non-synaesthetic musicians. Key themes include the conceptual vs. perceptual nature of synaesthesia, sensorimotor frameworks in music cognition, and the role of embodied experiences in musical understanding.

Publications highlight trends in studying synesthesia’s impact on music perception, cognitive mechanisms in key signature interpretation, and the sensorimotor underpinnings of musical imagery. Recent work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches combining psychology, neuroscience, and music theory.

• Awards: Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (2024–present).

While no formal advisees are listed, her editorial and organizational roles reflect her active engagement in shaping the field of music cognition research.