Education
Ph.D. in Music Theory and Music Cognition
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 2015
Certification in Cognitive Science
Doctoral Dissertation: “Musical Counterpoint: Attention and Perception”
Co-advisors: Richard Ashley and Nina Kraus
Committee: Robert Gjerdingen and Vasili Byros
M.Mus. Musicology
Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 2009
Master’s Essay: “Ravel’s Miroirs: A Hybrid of Neoclassicism and Impressionism”
Co-Advisors: Piero Weiss and Richard Giarusso
M.Mus. Piano Performance
Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 2008
Advisor: Marian Hahn
B.A. Double Major in Music and Neuroscience
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 2006
Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Senior Honors Thesis: “Chopin’s Only Self-Quotation: The Piano Concerto Op. 21 and Posthumous C#-minor Nocturne Lento con gran espressione”
Advisors: Charles Fisk and Lois Shapiro
Professional Experience
Collegiate Faculty
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, CA
Fall 2019-Present
Course Name: Music and the Brain–Co-taught an introductory music cognition course with Dr. Indre Viskontas. This survey course was geared towards graduate performance music students as a discussion-based graduate seminar + lecture. Covered topics related to the biological and behavioral perception of music, music therapy, music and medicine.
Adjunct Faculty
Peabody Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Spring 2014-Spring 2016
Course Name: Introduction to Music Cognition – Taught a survey course to graduate performance music students as a discussion-based graduate seminar. Covered topics related to perception of musical form as well as biological and behavioral processing of music.
New Initiatives Research Coordinator
Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals (www.ripm.org), Baltimore, MD
July 2015-January 2016
Served as an independent consultant aiding with workflow management, database organization, and promotional materials. Increased workflow efficiency and organization for the digitization of historical music periodicals. Served as the promotional editor for the newly-launched RIPM academic blog “Curios, News, and Chronicles” featuring scholarly anecdotes on Classical music history. Handled social media presence (facebook and twitter) as well as interacting with users at academic music conferences.
Adjunct Faculty
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Intersession 2014
Course Name: Introduction to Music Cognition
Taught a survey course to undergraduate students of varied backgrounds. The course was structured as a three-week intensive covering topics related to social psychology of music and biological/behavioral processing of music.
Teaching Assistant in Music Theory
Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Course Name: Sophomore Music Theory
Implemented and adapted lesson plans from coordinator Robert Reinhart, educated students on analytical techniques from Baroque counterpoint to 21st century music, planned classes, lectured, tutored, graded, and organized all class activities.
Research Assistant to Dr. Susan Weiss
Peabody Institute of Music
Summer 2008
Prepared document Music in the Culture of the Renaissance for publication
Acted as copy editor, wrote permissions for reprinting of figures and media
Graduate Assistant to Piero Weiss
Peabody Institute of Music, Baltimore, MD
2006-2008
Course Names: Graduate Seminar on History of Opera, Graduate Seminar on Mozart, Graduate Seminar on Schubert, Undergraduate Music History: 19thCentury Music
Attended all classes and aided in preparation of teaching, proctored exams and took responsibility for class organization and management.
Graduate Assistant to Elam Ray Sprenkle
Peabody Institute of Music, Baltimore, MD
2006-2008
Course Name: Undergraduate Music History: The Classical Period
Taught seminars on how to write academic papers about music, graded all exams and papers.
Honors and Awards
Nominee for the Northwestern University Presidential Fellowship, 2012
Nominee for the Bienen School of Music
Featured in Northwestern University Graduate Research Highlights 2011-2012
Northwestern University Cognitive Science Graduate Specialization 2010
Irving Lowens Endowed Memorial Prize in Musicology, Peabody Institute of Music 2009
Wellesley College Trustee Scholar 2006
Wellesley College Departmental Honors in Music for Senior Thesis 2006
Billings Performance Prize in Music, Wellesley College Department of Music 2006\
District Finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship 2005-2006
Wellesley College Candidate for the Marshall Scholarship 2005-2006
Wellesley College First-Year Distinction 2003
Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarships
Society for Music Theory (SMT) Minority Travel Grant 2012
Mariani Foundation Neurosciences and Music IV Travel Scholarship 2011
Northwestern University Graduate Research Grant 2011-2012
Northwestern University Advanced Cognitive Science Fellowship 2010-2011
Northwestern University Graduate School Conference Travel Grants 2010-2011
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music Conference Travel Grants 2010-2011
Anne Louise Barrett Fellowship for Graduate Study 2006-2007
Robert C. Byrd Scholarship 2002
Professional Service
Society for Neuroscience of Creativity Organizing Committee Member, 2021-present
Diversity and Minority Chair and Steering Committee Member of spARO (student, postdoc, resident and fellow) chapter of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2018-present
Member of Planning Committee for the Music, Mind, Meaning Conference 2012-2013
Graduate student volunteer at the Society for Music Theory Conference 2013
Select Performance Activities
Solo Piano Recitals (yearly) 2001-2008
Masterclass with Leon Fleisher, Peabody Institute of Music, 2007
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
With Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, 2005
With Wellesley Brandeis Orchestra as 2003 Concerto Winner
Fortepiano Concert, Wellesley College, Triple Helix Festival, March 2004
Grieg Piano Concerto, Op. 16
With Salem Philharmonic Orchestra, 2002
With Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21
With Boston University Chamber Orchestra. 1999
With Longy Young Performer’s Chamber Orchestra, 2000
Performances with Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra (GBYSO), 2001-2002
Central European Tour (Prague, Budapest, Debrecen)
Performance in Boston Symphony Hall of Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin
Karen Chan Barrett 