A McGill Reads Special Event (Alumni Education)

The McGill Alumni Association presents a book launch and signing with Professor Daniel Levitin.

"The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature"

Books will be available to purchase at the event, or beforehand at the McGill Bookstore (3420 McTavish Street). There will be a special musical performance by McGill grad and award-winning blues musician Dale Boyle, BA’01, MEd’03. Please reserve your spot in advance. Your ticket will be given to you at the event.

In "The World in Six Songs", Professor Daniel Levitin picks up where his "New York Times" bestseller "This Is Your Brain On Music" left off, blending cutting-edge scientific findings with his own sometimes hilarious experiences as a musician and music industry professional. The result is a book that takes readers on a journey across human civilization through six different types of songs - those that express friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion and love. Arguing that music is a core element of our identity as humans, Levitin discusses over 380 songs and gives the theory behind each type.

Our brain’s structure confirms that, from its very beginning, music has played a significant role in preserving the emotional heritage of our lives and our species. Drawing on extensive neurological research, Levitin demonstrates how music (and dance) enable humans to bond, creating the friendships necessary for society, science and art to co-evolve over thousands of years.

Daniel Levitin runs the Laboratory for Music Perception, Cognition and Expertise at McGill, which studies the science of musical sound from the neural level all the way to our sophisticated emotional responses. Before becoming a research scientist, he was a record producer¬¬ and professional musician. He has 17 gold and platinum records to his credit as a result of his work with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Midnight Oil and k.d. lang. He has also played professionally with Mel Tormé, Blue Öyster Cult and David Byrne, among others. His academic work has been published extensively in scientific journals such as "Science and Neuron", as well as in audio trade journals like "Grammy, Billboard and Audio."

Cost: Free