We are using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to analyze the brain areas and neural pathways that control vocalization. We recently characterized a part of the human motor cortex that controls laryngeal function, and have shown this to be the major vocal centre of the human brain, for both speaking and singing.

We are especially interested in the role of this part of the brain in the human capacity for vocal imitation, both developmentally and evolutionarily, and this is leading us to study the neural projections to and from the larynx motor area. In addition, we are interested in genetic aspects of speech production, including syndromes like developmental stuttering that have strong familial inheritance as well as high concordance rates in twins studies. We are attempting to combine neuroimaging and genetic techniques to shed new light on the nature of stuttering.

2. Comparative musicology: Classification, universals, and cultural evolution

A principal objective of the lab is the revival of comparative musicology studies, in the spirit of both the Berlin School of the early 20th century and the Cantometrics project of the 1960´s. We are developing new methods for musical classification, so as to establish a taxonomy of musical styles (cantotypes) across human populations (cantogroups) throughout the world. We are applying this information to an investigation of the relationship between regional musical styles and certain genetic markers (mitochondrial DNA haplogroups) that are used by molecular anthropologists to study the migration patterns of human populations over the last 50,000 years.

The focus of our current project is east Asia, attempting to characterize the migration of populations from Taiwan all the way to eastern Polynesia during the last 6,000 years. This work is being done in collaboration with Victor Grauer (Pittsburgh), Jean Trejaut and Marie Lin (Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan), Yingfen Wang (Taiwan National University, Taipei), and Jonathan Dushoff (McMaster University, Hamilton). Other work on comparative musicology, musical universals, and traditional polyphony is being done with Joseph Jordania (University of Melbourne).

3. Singing: Its development and tuning

The lab is studying how singing develops from infancy to adulthood, including the occurrence of tuning problems like “tone deafness” that affect many individuals. This work involves a direct comparison of song development to speech development, not least the “prosodic” modulation of pitch and rhythm that is common to both domains. In addition, we are interested in the expression of emotion during song production, especially in ritual settings. Cross-cultural aspects of this work involve emerging field projects to analyze vocal tuning in individuals in non-western cultures. Our collaborators include Peter Pfordresher (University at Buffalo) and Laurel Trainor (McMaster University, Hamilton).

4. Emotional expression: Neural and cognitive mechanisms

An important component of the study of the arts – and of human cognition more generally – is emotion. We’re examining brain areas that mediate emotion appraisals in the arts. This includes not only aesthetic emotions but the cognitive appraisal of expressed emotion in art works (i.e., the emotions intended by producers and recognized by perceivers). Collaborators on these projects include Ellen Dissanayake (University of Washington).

5. Biological foundations of human dance

A principal interest of the lab is the neural basis of dance movement, including a focus on the unique human capacity to entrain movements to external timekeepers. In addition, we are attempting to generate a classification of world dance styles, following in the footsteps of seminal work on “choreometrics” done by Lomax and his colleagues.

6. Other areas of interest

Other areas of interest include Paleolithic rock art, musical archaeology, historical theories of music origin, cognitive and evolutionary theories of religion, and singing-based music therapy methods.