Music
Music
idea
What is it about musical hooks that makes them so catchy?
From hummable riffs to striking lyrics, the catchiest hooks tell us something about the limits of human attention and memory
by Tim Byron & Jadey O’Regan
Artists and art history
idea
Is the attunement of abstract art and music more than a metaphor?
How does the abstract art of Kandinsky and Klee imitate the meaning and emotion in the music of Shostakovich and Bach?
by Michelle Liu
Music
guide
How to listen to, and enjoy, classical music
Whether you’re a newbie or an aficionado, these ways to navigate and approach the genre will enrich your experience
by Lawrence Kramer
Brain injury and dementia
film
The songs of Bob Dylan suffuse a poignant story of dementia and music
Directed by Harry Shaw
Music
idea
They’re playing our song! The philosophical puzzle of cover songs
Can a song be both the original and a copy? Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, and the ‘crazy’ philosophical puzzle of song covers
by P D Magnus
Music
idea
Can you ‘feel’ the music? You’re probably an empathetic person
People who are more empathic toward others are also more likely to have more feeling for the emotions communicated in music
by Benjamin Tabak & Zachary Wallmark
Music
guide
How to start making music
It’s never too late to play an instrument or learn to sing. Take the leap from listener to maker in the way that suits you
by Gayla M Mills
Music
film
Witness the cool musical game played by Inuit women for centuries
Directed by Eva Kaukai and Manon Chamberland
Music
idea
A musician with sensory overload shows there are ways to adapt
When a musician’s senses are overwhelmed by music that’s too loud or stimulating, there can be another way to play
by Neesa Sunar
Communication and language
idea
The allure of cosmopolitan languages to courtiers and pop fans
The song Despacito tells a truth about cosmopolitan language, or the ‘mistress tongue’ – we desire it before we know it
by Karla Mallette
Dance
film
Exquisite subaquatic choreography stretches the limits of mind and body
Directed by Julie Gautier