Special Events

Online Registration for this event has now closed.

There are tickets still available at the door! Doors will open at 7:15pm.

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS (driving/parking, HSR, GO Transit)

We are pleased to announce our 5th annual McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind Integrated Concert and Lecture. This year's event features world renowned researcher David Huron from Ohio State University.

THE MCMASTER INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC AND THE MIND PRESENTS
A PUBLIC INTEGRATED CONCERT AND LECTURE

Major and Minor: A Psychological History of Two Scales

Dr. David Huron, Ohio State University

Friday, November 13, 2009
Centenary United Church
24 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
8:00 p.m.

The lecture will feature illustrative performances by Canadian musicians:

• Brett Kingsbury, Piano
• Margaret Bardos, Voice
• David Gerry and Laurel Trainor, Flute
• Darcy Hepner, Saxophone
• Pat Collins, Bass

GENERAL ADMISSION $15 (STUDENTS $10)

To reserve tickets in advance, please call 905-525-9140 ext. 28621 or click here to reserve tickets online.
Tickets also available at the door

Important: Payment is by cash or cheque (payable to "McMaster University") at the door only. No other methods of payment will be accepted.

Directions

Lecture Abstract: Most Western music has been built around the major and minor scales.  In contrast with the major mode, the minor mode has been variously described as sounding sad, exotic, angry, serious, or even feminine.  These associations are not universal, however.  Even for some cultures that use Western scales (such as in Bulgaria) common associations may not apply.  The current major/minor system is merely a waystation in a slowly evolving culture that grew out of a complex system of Medieval modes and continues to evolve with the advent of new variants, such as the Blues scale.  Inspired by historical linguistics, this presentation offers a psychological history of the major and minor scales. Musical scales are products of culture, but like languages, the scales musicians use are not arbitrary constructions, nor are the historical changes random. As in the case of language, scales show the hallmarks of deep underlying psychological processes and offer important insights concerning human minds.