Current Members

Igor Maia, Assistant Professor, School of Music, Federal University of Minas Gerais
Ìý
CNPq Visiting Professor

My current research investigates orchestral music in the 20th and 21st centuries, with a focus on compositional strategies and timbral innovations. I am particularly interested in microtonality, mimesis, and extended techniques, as well as the challenges faced by orchestras in programming and disseminating contemporary pieces. A central aim of my work is to bridge creative practice, pedagogy, and research, contributing to more inclusive orchestral programming and to updated resources for the teaching of composition and orchestration.

igor [dot] maiaÌý[at] mcgill [dot] ca

Yuval Adler, PhD StudentÌý(Music Technology)

During my Bachelor's in Music Composition at Tel-Aviv University I began my path in Music Technology when I was frustrated by the available amount and quality of software tools aimed at contemporary music composers. Though my interests have broadened beyond that aspect of Music Technology, especially during my Master's in Music, Science and Technology at Stanford's CCRMA, I hope to return to that initial motivation with the work I undertake at MPCL. I intend to help bridge the gap between composers and researchers by making knowledge and tools more accessible to those musicians who wish to explore topics of perception and orchestration.

yuval [dot] adler [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Jade Roth, PhD Student (Music Theory)

As a music theorist, I am fascinated by music's unique ability to shape our emotions, actions, and perception of time. In my Master's research, I examined the use of rubato as an expressive element of music and its influence on the performance and perception of musical silence. I combine aural and score-based analysis to better understand the audible features that draw us toward music in the first place. My doctoral research expands on this analytical model by examining timbre through the study of orchestration techniques. Through my research, I aim to better understand the role of timbre in musical structure. My research is co-supervised by Stephen McAdams and Robert Hasegawa.

jade [dot] roth [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Joshua Rosner, PhD Student (Music Composition)

Upon graduating from Oberlin College and Conservatory with degrees in Music Cognition and Perception (Individual Major) and Jazz Studies/Composition, I founded a contemporary music organization, The Syndicate for the New Arts, in Cleveland, Ohio. My time as executive director and ensemble guitarist not only allowed me to commission and perform new works, offer free educational programming, and present touring ensembles but also the opportunity to observe different audiences perceive and enjoy (or dislike) unfamiliar and complex music. My research is primarily concerned with how people structure sound over time and the role that attention plays in grouping and segmentation. More specifically, my doctoral research as a music theorist focuses on how listeners hear form in contemporary chamber music that focuses on non-default instrumental playing techniques. A major motivation behind my research is to expand the repertoire covered in music theory classes to include and highlight marginalized musical traditions and in turn develop curricula which help create musicians who are not bound by genre. My work draws from gestalt psychology, embodied cognition, and phenomenology, as well as my experiences as a composer and performer. My doctoral research is co-supervised by Robert Hasegawa and Stephen McAdams.

joshua [dot] rosner [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Linglan Zhu, PhD Student (Music Technology)

During my master’s studies in MPCL, my research interests consolidated around composers’ timbral practice and the role of inner hearing in it. My general interests concern how timbre can be used as an important parameter in analysis of contemporary music, and how listeners’ perception can lever the process of analyzing and evaluating composers’ compositional plan. Prior to my graduate studies, I received a B.Sc. in chemistry from Fudan University.

linglan [dot] zhu [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Yifan Huang, PhD Student (Music Technology)

I am currently pursuing a PhDin Music Technology at 91ºÚÁÏÍø. My research interests include timbre perception in emotion, cross-cultural studies, and cross-modal studies. I'm enthusiastic to investigate how timbre and orchestrations affect people's feelings and understanding of music, and how we can use this knowledge to enhance people's understanding of music from different cultural backgrounds. Before doing my graduate studies, I obtained a bachelor's degree in computer science from Zhejiang University in China, as well as a minor in archaeology and museum studies. During my undergraduate studies, I conducted research on machine learning music generation. I really enjoy my "timbre life" at MPCL!

yifan [dot] huang3 [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Jonas Régnier, PhD Student (Composition)

Jonas Regnier is a French composer and researcher. Their research and artistic interests focus on music perception and psychology, and more specifically the ways to direct listeners’ attention with timbre, space and musical discourse. They are exploring instrumental, electroacoustic, and mixed music composition with equal interest.

Jonas Regnier obtained an Organ performance diploma, an instrumental composition diploma and an electroacoustic composition diploma at the Conservatoire of Music of Toulouse (France) in 2018. At the same time, they obtained their Bachelor of Arts degree in Musicology at the Sorbonne University (Paris). They are now pursuing a PhD in Composition under the supervision of Philippe Leroux and Stephen McAdams. Jonas Regnier’s music is published by BabelScores in digital and printed formats.

jonas [dot] regnierÌý[at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Yudan Ding, PhD Student (Music Technology)

My research focuses on music perception and cognition in human voices, exploring how people perceive, interpret, and emotionally respond to vocal sounds. I am broadly interested in all topics related to human voices, including their roles in music semantics and the connections between vocal production mechanisms and measurable acoustic features.

Before joining MPCL, I earned my Master of Music in Music Technology from New York University and my Bachelor of Music in Professional Music (concentrating in Recording and Engineering) from Berklee College of Music.

yudan [dot] ding [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Mai Lyn Puittinen, Master'sÌýStudent (Music Technology)

My interest in music research was sparked by an ecomusicology elective taken during my undergraduate. Having completed my BSc in computer science at the University of Ottawa, I am extremely excited about the potential of interdisciplinary study. In pursuit of my masters, I hope to deepen my overall understanding of sound’s role in perceptual, physical and societal contexts. My specific research interest seeks to examine the boundaries of music and sound through the study of musical listening and soundscapes.

emily [dot] puittinenÌý[at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

SusanneÌýSevcik, Master's Student (Music Technology)

I am excited to pursue my interdisciplinary research, driven by a life-long passion for music, here at the MPCL. I earned a BA in Cognitive Science from Mount Allison University, where I developed interests in psychology, philosophy, and phenomenology. I also studied piano performance and musicology, focusing on early music, contemporary works, opera, and choral music. My research explores how music perception and cognition illuminate our interactions with music and its role in shaping a sense of self. Specifically, I study memory for timbre, metaphors, and semantics in music. My work integrates concepts from gestalt psychology, embodiment, performance science, and cognitive semantics. Outside the lab, I stay active as a performer and teacher, as collaborating with other musicians is what continues to inspire me.

susanne [dot] sevcik [at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca

Ziyu Wang, Bachelor of ArtsÌýStudent (Psychology)

I'm an undergraduate student majoring in psychology, with a focus on cognitive psychology and how people process sensory information. I’ve been deeply engaged with music as a listener and amateur arranger, frequently thinking about how various instruments interact. Volunteering in MPCL gives me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in researching the intersection of music and psychology, particularly human perception of timbre as well as timbre imagery. My future research pursuits may benefit from this experience,Ìýwhich inspires me to conduct multidisciplinary research. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to become a member of the big family and learn new knowledge while establishing a solid foundation in experimental research.

ziyu [dot] wang6Ìý[at] mail [dot] mcgill [dot] ca