Dr. Somangshu Mukherji

Biography

Somangshu Mukherji's research explores the connections between language and music, particularly within the framework of computational systems of the mind. His primary focus is on the syntactic aspects of these systems, examining how syntactic structures are created in the mind, especially as articulated in the Minimalist Program of contemporary generative linguistics. He delves into the intersections of Minimalist linguistics and generative approaches to music theory, particularly Schenkerian music theory, thereby extending the inquiry into broader aspects of human cognition, evolution, and creativity. Mukherji has studied various topics within the context of musical idioms, with a keen interest in both Western classical and Indian music traditions, having trained as a violinist and remaining an active performer, particularly as a guitarist. He serves as a series editor for the Routledge book series 'New Directions in World Music Analysis,' with a volume titled 'Trends in World Music Analysis' published in 2022. His scholarly contributions also include the completion of Harold Powers's unfinished monograph on Indian music, published in 2021. Mukherji's work has been recognized through various grants, notably the support for projects like 'Generative Linguistics and Music (GLAM)' at the University of Michigan.

Research Interests

Courses