Charles Limb, Research Statement

"As a hearing specialist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and an auditory researcher at the National Institutes of Health, my work focuses on the neural mechanisms responsible for music perception. Music research is an essential component of the advancement of the musical arts. Specifically, music research adds to our understanding of how human beings can produce, perform, hear, and interpret music. By applying rigorous quantitative methods (such as functional MRI, positron emission tomography, and electroencephalography), we are able to gain unique insights into what makes music such a compelling, provocative experience. Through collaborations with the Peabody Conservatory of Music and the Department of Computer Music, where I hold a joint faculty appointment, we have developed an active program in music research that introduces students to this exciting field. We utilize methods common to both the field of Computer Music and neuroscience as the basis for scientific experiments, many of which involve musicians at Peabody. Ultimately, these kinds of studies will refine our understanding of the role music plays in the human experience."