Toni Amadeus Bechtold

Toni Amadeus Bechtold is a Lecturer in Music Research at the Lucerne School of Music (HSLU), Switzerland, specializing in music perception and groove studies. He holds a PhD candidacy at the University of Birmingham (since 2019) under Maria Witek and Ben Curry. Previously served as a Research Associate (2014-2024) and Research Assistant (2013-2014) at HSLU's Music Performance Research Competence Center.

Education includes a Master's in Performance (Lucerne School of Music, 2014) and a CAS in Music Research (2013-2014). His work bridges academic research with professional music performance, focusing on groove, catchiness, rhythm, and popular music psychology. He leads projects like the Lucerne Groove Research Library and co-organized the 2023 Groove Workshop.

Research spans empirical studies on drum patterns, psychological models of groove, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. His publications appear in PLoS ONE, Psychology of Music, and Music & Science. Active in jazz and popular music scenes as a saxophonist, he collaborates with ensembles like the Zurich Jazz Orchestra and Roberto Bossard New Group.