'Communicative Musicality' explores the intrinsic musical nature of human interaction. Groundbreaking studies have demonstrated that in mother/infant communication there exist noticeable patterns of timing, pulse, voice timbre, and gesture.This landmark book examines the nature of musical expression in human communication from infancy upwards.

The first book on the communicative musicality theory, including contributions by authors from a variety of disciplines in the biological and social sciences, and showing the theory's wide application to many disciplines. Contains expert reviews, supporting the theoretical and empirical chapters-on many forms of human performance and communication, and discusses applications in education and clinical fields. Edited and written by a distinguished group of authorities from the fields of development and music psychology.

Stephen Malloch is Adjunct Fellow at MARCS Auditory Laboratories, University of Western Sydney and works in private practice, counselling and coaching individuals and organizations around communication and the exploration of meaning. Having initially studied performance and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Stephen completed his Masters at King's College, London, then went on to complete his PhD in music analysis and psychoacoustics at the University of Edinburgh. The theory of Communicative Musicality was born from research Stephen conducted on mother-infant communication during his post-doctoral fellowship in psychology at Edinburgh. On his return to Australia, Stephen focused on research into post-natal depression, music therapy and communication between infants. Complementing his study of psychology, Stephen has practised and taught Buddhist meditation and now combines these areas of expertise. Colwyn Trevarthen, a New Zealander, is Professor (Emeritus) of Child Psychology and Psychobiology at the University of Edinburgh, where he has taught since 1971. He trained as a biologist, and has a PhD in psychobiology from Caltech. While a research fellow at the Center for Cognitive Studies at Harvard in the 1960s, he began research on infant communication that led to the discovery of the innate capacities for human intersubjective communication. His work at Edinburgh in the 1980s on the development of mother-infant interactions pioneered a theory of cultural learning. His published work covers neuropsychology, brain development, infant communication child learning, and emotional health and methods of education and therapy. He is interested in the natural motives and emotions children have for learning in companionship, the effects of disorders such as autism and depressive illness, and how parents and teachers may best support needs of young children.

The first book on the communicative musicality theory, including contributions by authors from a variety of disciplines in the biological and social sciences, and showing the theory's wide application to many disciplines. Contains expert reviews, supporting the theoretical and empirical chapters-on many forms of human performance and communication, and discusses applications in education and clinical fields. Edited and written by a distinguished group of authorities from the fields of development and music psychology.