Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University

What Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University does

Center for Music in the Brain (MIB) is a non-profit university research center based at Aarhus University's Department of Clinical Medicine in Aarhus, Denmark. The center conducts interdisciplinary research combining neuroscience, musicology, and psychology to investigate how music is processed in the human brain, including music perception, action, emotion, and learning. MIB was founded in 2015 as a collaboration between Aarhus University and the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, after receiving a DKK 52 million Center of Excellence grant from the Danish National Research Foundation in October 2014. It is the first research centre of its kind in Europe and the first Center of Excellence focused on music research.

The center's core activities include producing peer-reviewed scientific publications (79+ as documented), hosting international conferences such as the annual Mismatch Negativity Conference, running summer school programs, and training PhD and Master's students. The research team, led by Director Professor Peter Vuust, includes professors, associate professors, assistant professors, postdocs, and affiliated researchers from neuroscience, musicology, psychology, and linguistics disciplines, with international faculty affiliations from Queen Mary University of London and Sapienza Università di Roma.

MIB does not generate commercial revenue. Its funding model is based on the Danish National Research Foundation grant, Aarhus University support, and collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music. The center's "customers" are the academic and research community, collaborating universities, and graduate students who participate in its research and training programs. The center distributes its work through peer-reviewed publications, academic conferences, and educational programs rather than commercial channels.

Name

Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University

Legal name

Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University

Website

https://musicinthebrain.au.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for Music in the Brain (MIB) is a non-profit university research center at Aarhus University that conducts interdisciplinary neuroscience research on how music is processed in the brain, serving the academic research community through publications, conferences, and graduate training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neuroscience Research

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performance Coaching & Competition Preparation (Auditions, Recitals) (EDAMANAL)

Keywords

• Music neuroscience
• Brain imaging research
• Cognitive neuroscience
• Academic research center
• Clinical medicine research

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarhus

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: Primarily funded by the Danish National Research Foundation through a DKK 52 million Center of Excellence grant awarded in October 2014. Additional funding from Aarhus University and Royal Academy of Music collaboration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Center for Music in the Brain (MIB) is an interdisciplinary university research center that conducts neuroscientific research on how music is processed in the human brain. The center investigates music perception, action, emotion, and learning using modern brain imaging techniques, combining musicological, neuroscientific, and psychological approaches. It is a collaboration between Aarhus University and the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, and operates as a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation.

Product overview

Center for Music in the Brain (MIB) is a research center at Aarhus University, not a commercial product company. It does not offer products or services for sale. MIB is an interdisciplinary research center focused on investigating how music is processed in the brain and how this informs understanding of fundamental principles behind brain functioning. The center conducts neuroscientific research combining musicological and psychological approaches to study music perception, action, emotion, and learning. The organization publishes scientific research, offers academic courses, and provides educational programs including PhD positions and summer schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer School 2025
• International Conference on Music and Sleep 2026
• PhD Research Training Program

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg (RAMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founding partner of the center alongside Aarhus University. The Royal Academy of Music provides the music practice and theory foundation essential to the interdisciplinary research approach.
• Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN), Aarhus University HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal collaborator in the formation of the Music in the Brain research group in 2006, providing neuroscience expertise and facilities.
• Queen Mary University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of Honorary Professor Marcus Thomas Pearce, representing international academic collaboration.
• Sapienza Università di RomaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of Professor Andrea Ravignani, representing international academic collaboration in music neuroscience research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Centre for Music Research (Goldsmiths, University of London): Goldsmiths' music cognition and perception research hub. Comparable in studying music perception and the brain, with overlap in music theory and musicianship research.
• Indiana University Center for Music, Mind and Society: Indiana University interdisciplinary center exploring music, mind, and society. Comparable in bringing together music theory, psychology, and brain research.
• BRAMS - International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research: Joint research center of Université de Montréal and McGill University dedicated to the neuroscience of music and sound. Closely comparable mission, scope, and methodology to MIB.
• McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind (MIMM): Interdisciplinary research institute at McMaster University studying music perception, cognition, and the brain. Directly comparable to MIB as an academic music-neuroscience research center with shared focus areas.
• NYU Music Lab: University-based music perception and cognition laboratory at New York University led by Josh McDermott. Comparable in studying music processing in the brain using experimental and computational methods.
• RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion: University of Oslo interdisciplinary research center on rhythm, time, and motion including music cognition and neuroscience. Comparable Center of Excellence–style structure and music-brain research focus.

Broad incumbents

• IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique): Paris-based leading institute for music research including acoustics, composition, and perception. Comparable as a music-focused research institution with broader scope than MIB.
• Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics: Max Planck Institute focused on empirical aesthetics, including music perception and brain research. Comparable academic research orientation with broader scope than MIB but overlapping methods and questions.
• Leipzig Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences: Max Planck Institute conducting research on human cognition and the brain, including music perception. Comparable academic research mission with broader scope and larger scale than MIB.

Regional players

• MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development: Western Sydney University research institute studying brain, behaviour, and development including music cognition. Comparable research portfolio with regional (Australia) base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Music.in.the.Brain.Aarhus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-music-in-the-brain-aarhus-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University