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Evolution of Mind and Music exploratory workshop – University of Reading

The evolution of the human mind and the relationship between music, language and human evolution will be explored in an international workshop bringing together specialists in a variety of related fields. The workshop includes two performance sessions on the origin of instrumental performance and the latest results of research on undertone and overtone singing. The event will be held at the University between Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 September and has been organised by Professor Steven Mithen of the Human Origins Research Group in the School of Human and Environmental Sciences and Dr Nicholas Bannan of the University's International Centre for Music Education. Archaeologists, musicologists, anthropologists, psychologists and neuroscientists from Europe, the USA and Africa will present papers ranging in topic from Language as music: future trends in research into the origins of human communication; Music, Emotion and Evolution to Dances with wolves examining the rhythms of social life half a million years ago. Professor Mithen said: "This meeting will allow the exchange of information regarding the latest research in these fields, the current theories and the development of improved understanding of both early human society and the origins of music." The workshop is funded by the European Science Foundation and the British Academy. The papers and discussions at this workshop will be published in a book edited by Dr Nicholas Bannan and Professor Steven Mithen. For more information please contact Sue Rayner tel 0118 378 8005