Jenine Brown

Jenine Brown is Associate Professor of Music Theory and Coordinator of Ear Training at The Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University. She joined the faculty in 2015 and teaches the undergraduate ear training core curriculum and a graduate seminar on music cognition and analysis. Her work bridges empirical research and music-theoretical inquiry, with a strong focus on listener expectation and aural skills pedagogy.

• Ph.D. in Music Theory, Eastman School of Music
• Degrees from University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
• Executive Leadership Training, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

Her research takes an empirical approach to understanding how listeners perceive musical structure, especially in tonal and post-tonal contexts. She investigates pre-compositional structures and collaborates on projects exploring the pre-dominant function with Dr. Daphne Tan and others. Her pedagogical scholarship focuses on aural skills instruction, including reviews of digital tools and contributions to major publications such as The Routledge Companion to Aural Training in Music Education. She has published in Music Theory Spectrum, Music Perception, Frontiers in Psychology, and Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy.

Her recent publications and presentations reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, combining music theory, cognitive science, and educational research. Topics include listener expectation, aural pedagogy, Suzuki method applications, and empirical modeling of musical cognition. She frequently presents at major conferences such as the Society for Music Theory, Society for Music Perception and Cognition, and the International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition.

Her scientific awards include:

• Johns Hopkins University Catalyst Award (2023)
• Peabody Conservatory CARES Award (2020)
• COVID-19 Research Accelerator Grant (2021)

Brown is actively involved in academic service and mentoring. She has served as Associate Editor of Music Theory Online, President of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic (2022–2024), and is a key contributor to the College Board’s AP Music Theory program, where she has served as Visiting Fellow and currently sits on the Test Development Committee. She mentors students through collaborative research, resulting in co-authored publications in Frontiers in Psychology and Research Studies in Music Education. Her leadership extends to hosting the 20th-anniversary MTSMA conference at Peabody in 2023.

Brown leads initiatives in music cognition and aural skills development at Peabody, collaborating with colleagues across disciplines. She is central to curriculum development in ear training and integrates cognitive research into pedagogical practice. Her lab-like collaborative environment fosters student involvement in empirical research and conference presentations.