Purdue Music Division

Helen Brown

Helen Brown was awarded one of the nation’s first Music Theory doctorates that presents experimental support for our understanding musical processes; in her case, for perception of tonality in music listening. She was fortunate to have studied with Dean William Poland at The Ohio State University, taking psychology, philosophy, experimental methodology and writing, and statistics—as well as the full complement of courses in music.

Prior to her doctorate at OSU, she was awarded the Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in music history and theory and harp at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Associate Professor Brown has been a member of the Division of Music faculty at Purdue since 1986. Her teaching experiences in addition to courses in music theory have included psychology of music, contemporary music history, and music appreciation. In 1995, she was guest faculty at the Indiana University School of Music, teaching and lecturing on both the psychology of music and music theory in Bloomington.

Her research has led to publications in such journals as Music Perception, In Theory Only and others; as well as contributions to the books Musical Perceptions and Cognitive Bases of Musical Communication. In addition to many presentations in the United States, she has been invited to present her research in Canada, Australia, Belgium, Holland, England, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Austria.

Professor Brown has also been active on boards and committees of the Society for Music Theory, Music Theory Midwest, International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, and College Music Society.

Her passions are driving and keeping up her 1983 Datsun 280ZX 2-seater sports car and raising Japanese Koi in the large pond she designed and built.


	Helen Brown Helen Brown was awarded one of the nation’s first Music Theory doctorates that presents experimental support for our understanding musical processes; in her case, for perception of tonality in music listening. She was fortunate to have studied with Dean William Poland at The Ohio State University, taking psychology, philosophy, experimental methodology and writing, and statistics—as well as the full complement of courses in music. Prior to her doctorate at OSU, she was awarded the Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in music history and theory and harp at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Associate Professor Brown has been a member of the Division of Music faculty at Purdue since 1986. Her teaching experiences in addition to courses in music theory have included psychology of music, contemporary music history, and music appreciation. In 1995, she was guest faculty at the Indiana University School of Music, teaching and lecturing on both the psychology of music and music theory in Bloomington. Her research has led to publications in such journals as Music Perception, In Theory Only and others; as well as contributions to the books *Musical Perceptions* and Cognitive Bases of Musical Communication. In addition to many presentations in the United States, she has been invited to present her research in Canada, Australia, Belgium, Holland, England, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Austria. Professor Brown has also been active on boards and committees of the Society for Music Theory, Music Theory Midwest, International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, and College Music Society. Her passions are driving and keeping up her 1983 Datsun 280ZX 2-seater sports car and raising Japanese Koi in the large pond she designed and built.