The music you like and the way you hear it heavily depend on the society and music you grew into. Read more about Music Perception from a Cross Cultural Perspective

How can a succession of air-vibrations which move the small tympanic membrane of our ear become "music to our ears"? why should we be thrilled, feel elated or be moved to tears by such changes in air pressure? We are still very far from understanding this mystery. One approach is to look for connections between what happens in the music as it unfolds in time and how these changes may be tied to three simultaneous levels of responses: the reported experience (free descriptions or forced choices from sets of adjectives); the physiological responses (like change in heart rate or breathing); and changes in brain responses. Read more about Music and Emotions

We perceive the world through all our senses simultaneously and very often two senses deliver corresponding information. For example when we hear a high tone we might associate with it an object that is relatively small, light, fast, but also -- interestingly bright rather than dark. Many of these correspondences are learned but some may be innate. In my research I examine the ability to transmit through music (improvisations) non musical dimensions such as size, brightness, and sharpness. Read more about Music and Cross Modal Correspondences

We often assume that "musical giftedness" runs in families. But once you try to break down what abilities underlie "musical giftedness" you realize that it includes a large set of abilities and social conditions. In my research I focus on musical memory for melodies under the assumption that if this trait is not highly developed in an individual her musical abilities will be limited. Of course memory can be driven by a whole set of neurochemicals and neurohormones. Read more about Music, Genetics, and Neurohormones