Music cognition through dynamic interaction
This thesis investigated the process of music cognition stressing the role of sensorimotor visualisation and emphasising the importance of embodied and enactive approaches in this process. An exploratory process-based action research was conducted to inquire how music cognition can be shaped by the dynamic interaction between sound and human sensorimotor systems, and what methodological technique can be used to engage the human sensorimotor system in the process of the music cognition. I designed the experimental activity, which incorporated a constant interplay between musical sound, sensorimotor responses and music cognition. The cornerstone of the experiment was the sensorimotor visualisation, which was focused on activating and bringing out bodily sensory (auditory, visual) and motor responses simultaneously. Participants listened to three different excerpts of music and generated responses in reaction to the changes in the musical structure. The sensorimotor visualisation provided a methodological approach to connect, experience and interact with music, engaging participants in a highly personal way and providing the autonomous experience of the processes. The course of the study revealed the performative nature of music cognition. The idea of the study is to expand the boundaries of standard academic approaches and address different aspects of experiencing music that is not accessible through purely verbal explanation and instruction.
Keywords. Music cognition, interaction, sensorimotor visualisation, embodied approach, enactive approach, music experience.