On the 5th June, at 9:30 

the Auditorium Melotti will open to welcome the participants

Arrival: 9:30-9:55

Pop by the registration desk and collect your badge.

Keynote and research talks: 10:30-17:30

10:35 - Timothy Hubbard – Arizona State University, USA 

Title: An introduction to auditory imagery: Findings, methods, and theoretical issues

Abstract: A selective survey of auditory and musical imagery is presented, and examples of empirical findings, methodological considerations, and theoretical issues are considered. Empirical findings regarding preservation of acoustic features in imagery (pitch, timbre, loudness, tempo, melodic contour), auditory imagery in reading (phonological and articulatory information, notational audiation), and effects of mental (imaged) practice (facilitation of subsequent musical performance, musical ensemble coordination) are briefly summarized. Different methodologies used to study auditory and musical imagery (questionnaires, behavioral measures, physiological measures) are introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages of designs based on each methodology are presented. Theoretical issues regarding auditory and musical imagery (aphantasia and whether imagery is causal; differences between voluntary and involuntary auditory imagery; the role of motor activation and subvocalization in auditory and musical imagery; a redefinition of the historical distinction between the mind’s ear and inner voice based on audition-for-identification and audition-for-action; the relationships of auditory and musical imagery to working memory, motor theories of perception, different auditory pathways in the brain, and embodied cognition) are introduced. Potential directions for future research are suggested.

11:55 - Carlotta Lega - University of Pavia, Italy 

Title: How motor prediction shapes rhythm perception and imagery

Abstract: Humans can flexibly extract a regular beat from complex rhythmic patterns, perceive, imagine, and synchronize with musical rhythm. Unlike many perceptual phenomena, rhythmic abilities are not based on a fixed mapping between sound features and perception but rely on top-down mechanisms that construct temporal regularity. The motor system supports such predictive timing even without overt movement, and the premotor cortex (PMC) appears crucial in generating top-down predictions about upcoming auditory events. Despite this, the causal role, spatial specificity, and connectivity of the PMC in beat-based timing remain unclear, as do the effects of individual and contextual factors. This project addresses these issues by combining behavioral and neurophysiological methods to examine the causality, topography, excitability, and connectivity of the PMC during rhythm perception and imagery. We conducted a series of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies. In Study I, repetitive online TMS targeted right rostral and caudal dorsal PMC (dPMC), SMA, pre-SMA, and a sham site to assess topographical specificity and hemispheric differences in beat perception. Study II tested the causal contribution of dPMC and SMA to beat imagery. Study III combined TMS and EEG to investigate dPMC excitability and connectivity with auditory regions. Stimulation of the caudal right dPMC selectively disrupted beat perception compared with other regions, and only right-hemisphere stimulation affected performance. TMS over the same area also modulated beat imagery, particularly in individuals with lower auditory imagery ability. Combined TMS–EEG results revealed that higher right dPMC excitability predicted stronger responses to perceived or imagined strong-beat positions, indicating its role in modulating auditory processing through top-down predictive signals. These findings support models emphasizing the dorsal auditory stream’s involvement in auditory beat perception and imagery, highlighting the right dPMC’s role in generating internal action predictions and perceptual expectations. Overall, this work advances understanding of the neural bases of rhythm and suggests that predictive motor–auditory mechanisms may have contributed to the evolution of human musicality and its social functions.

13:00-14:00 - Lunch buffet

14:05 - Bruno L. Giordano – CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, France 

Title: The perceptual and cerebral representation of natural sounds

Abstract: Every day, we encounter diverse natural sounds (chirps, impulses) and effortlessly recognize the objects and events producing them (a bird call, a nail being hammered). Studying how we perceive these sounds provides a unique window into how the auditory system operates under real-world conditions, moving beyond the traditional focus on speech and music. Investigating these signals promises a broader understanding of auditory processing, encompassing both acoustic complexity and semantic structure. I will start this talk by describing my early behavioural and fMRI work attempting to tease apart acoustic and semantic components of natural sound representation. I will then focus on more recent collaborative efforts that combined behavioral measures, ultra-high-field (7T) fMRI, and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to reveal that CNN-based models closely mirror perceptual and fMRI representations. Here, mid-layer CNN representations best predicted brain and behavioral data, likely emphasizing the acoustic structure critical for identifying objects and actions (hyperacoustics). I will then  describe ongoing work that aims to track the temporal unfolding of natural sounds representations through magnetoencephalography. I will conclude the talk with an overview of a new collaborative effort that aims to extend our AI + computationally modelling framework from isolated sounds to the complexity of real-life auditory scenes. By embracing the full richness of everyday listening, we seek a unified perspective on how the auditory system decodes our ever-changing acoustic environment, ultimately integrating neural, behavioral, and computational insights to illuminate the complexity of real-world hearing.

15:20 - Giovanni Di Liberto – Trinity College Dublin, Ireland 

Title: Investigating the neurophysiology of melody: Expectation, polyphony, and silence

Humans seamlessly process multi-voice music into a coherent perceptual whole. Yet the neural strategies supporting this experience remain unclear. One fundamental component of this process is the formation of melody, a core structural element of music. Here, I will present a series of electrophysiological studies aimed at better understanding the neurophysiology of melody. Focusing first on monophonic streams, I examine the neural processing of properties such as pitch progression and timing, as well as exploring the informational role of silent moments (rests) in shaping melodic structure. I then extend these approaches to polyphonic contexts to probe melody extraction from concurrent streams and compare predictive dynamics between music and sung speech. This work positions auditory prediction as a central mechanism for melody processing and leverages the temporal sensitivity of electroencephalography to infer how the brain constructs, encodes, and actively processes melody.

16:15 - Christopher Chambers – Cardiff University, UK 

Title: Advancing the culture of research using Registered Reports

Open science practices are changing the way we do research across the life and social sciences, including in the field of auditory cognition and music perception. One of the major innovations to improve rigour and transparency of research in the last 15 years has been Registered Reports. Registered Reports are a form of empirical publication, now offered by hundreds of academic journals, in which study proposals are peer reviewed and pre-accepted before research is undertaken. By deciding which articles are published based on the question and methods rather than the results, Registered Reports offer a remedy for a range of biases that distort the academic literature. In this talk, I will briefly discuss early impacts and characteristics of the Registered Reports initiative before focusing on a platform we established in 2021 called the Peer Community in Registered Reports (PCI RR). PCI RR is a non-profit, non-commercial platform that coordinates the peer-review of RR preprints, prior to submission to any journal (https://rr.peercommunityin.org/about/about). I will discuss the advantages of this platform and will highlight some recent examples of studies recommended by PCI RR that are advancing both research and the culture of research in music cognition and auditory science.

Moderator:

Fabio Cifariello Ciardi – Conservatorio Bonporti, Italy 

Discussants:

Elena Rusconi – University of Trento, Italy

Christopher Chambers – Cardiff University, UK

Poster session: 17:30-18:30

On the 6th June, at 9:30 

the Auditorium Melotti will open to welcome the participants

Research talks: 10:00-12:30

10:00 - Marco Pennese – "A. Steffani" Conservatory of Music, Castelfranco Veneto and "G. Puccini" Conservatory of Music, La Spezia; Supervisor: Lara Corbacchini - "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento

Title: Gesture, rhythm, and musical imagery: Strummin’ Gym as an interactive environment for pop-rock guitar learning

This contribution presents Strummin’ Gym, a digital environment for pop-rock guitar learning that interprets strumming not only as a technical-motor skill, but as a multimodal process based on the integration of rhythmic perception, musical imagery, bodily gesture, and temporal synchronization. Through a short presentation with an interactive demo, the intervention will show how rhythmic patterns, audio examples, metronomic pulse, synchronized visualizations, and gesture-oriented guidance can support learners in constructing an internal representation of pulse, accents, subdivisions, and movement. Particular attention will be devoted to the role of a two-dimensional guiding figure, conceived as an initial prototype of a pedagogical avatar. This figure does not replace the teacher, but provides a stable and repeatable visual reference that allows students to observe, mentally anticipate, and imitate the trajectory of the movement, thus fostering the connection between perceived sound, imagined gesture, and instrumental action. The focus of the intervention will therefore be placed on the transition from external stimuli to the ability to internalize rhythmic flow, simulate gesture, and coordinate physical action with the perceived temporal structure. In this perspective, Strummin’ Gym is proposed as a case study for reflecting on the role of musical interfaces in supporting auditory-motor coupling and embodied forms of musical imagery. The contribution aligns with the theme of the AMI&P Conference by showing how imagined sound, perceived rhythm, visual guidance, and performative gesture can be integrated into an interactive environment for music learning.

10:30 - Luca Morino – "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Supervisors: Fabio Cifariello Ciardi - "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Nicola Conci - University of Trento

Title: Playing with feedback: Two noise games for evaluating human-human interactions with harsh sounds

This contribution presents an ongoing research trajectory on mobile-based networked music systems that employ multiplayer game mechanics to foster participatory music-making within a noise-music paradigm. It comprises two interactive browser-based prototypes: B3-H4RSH and Xplosive Collision. Both systems rely on the perceptual evaluation of harsh-noise timbre as the basis for gameplay, structuring interdependencies among co-located players via competitive game logic that shapes interpersonal interaction. While B3-H4RSH was introduced as a demonstrator prototype of the underlying web-based system and audio instrument, Xplosive Collision refines the framework on dyadic interactions between two players. Moreover, it has been evaluated through an exploratory study with seven pairs of players. Preliminary results indicate that participants effectively relied on sound to orient themselves, used game mechanics to guide their actions, and remained focused on the game objective. I propose a participatory demonstration session of the systems, either during the presentation itself or/and as a poster.

11:15 - Davide Baldo – "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Supervisors: Cosimo Colazzo - "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Raul Masu - "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento

Title: Interacting boundaries: A participatory demonstration of audience interaction with notated flute repertoir

This presentation explores the relationship between audience participation and notated contemporary music, with a specific focus on flute repertoire. In order to reconstruct a connection between the audience and the musical event, interactive and participatory technology is proposed as a tool for exploring the relationship with the aesthetic act. The central case study is Kathinka's Gesang als Luzifer's Requiem from Samstag aus Licht by Karlheinz Stockhausen, a work particularly suited for experimentation since, as prescribed by the composer, a space is identified where performers are tasked with constructing their own sounds. Building on this creative threshold, a web-based multiplayer prototype has been developed, conceived for use on personal devices. Through a minimalist graphical interface, participants record and layer sounds in real time, thus having the opportunity to interact directly with the live performance. The system's architecture enables simultaneous sonic exchange between multiple devices, introducing a participatory layer that coexists with the score as conceived by the composer, while also allowing the audience to experience the spatial dimension of sound — a distinctive feature of the composer's aesthetic. The audience therefore engages in a laboratory dynamic that enables a more conscious approach to the repertoire in its original characteristics, attempting to reframe in contemporary terms the figure imagined by Stockhausen of the musical informer. This presentation places emphasis on the demonstrative nature of the prototype. The demonstration aims to open a practical and critical discussion on the boundaries between score, performance, collective listening, and the role that participatory design can play within the field of contemporary music research.

12:00 - Andrea Losi – "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Supervisors: Fabio Cifariello Ciardi - "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory of Music, Trento; Elena Rusconi - University of Trento

Title: Auditory Imagery Recorded through EEG: A Systematic Review

Abstract: Auditory imagery refers to the voluntary generation of internal auditory experiences in the absence of external sound. Although widely investigated through different neuroimaging techniques, electroencephalography (EEG) remains one of the most commonly employed methods due to its high temporal resolution and applicability to Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) research. However, EEG studies on auditory imagery remain highly heterogeneous in terms of protocols, stimuli, and methods. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize current evidence on the neural correlates of non-verbal auditory imagery as measured by EEG, and to evaluate how experimental design influences acquired neurophysiological signals. This study was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines to summarize EEG-based research on auditory imagery in healthy adults. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to March 2026. After screening and eligibility assessment, 18 studies were included. The reviewed literature showed substantial variability in participant musical expertise, stimulus typology, experimental paradigms, and EEG acquisition procedures. Despite methodological heterogeneity, the findings highlight the feasibility of EEG in correlating auditory imagery with the activation of temporal, motor, and fronto-parietal regions. However, the establishment of a unified research framework is needed to overcome current discrepancies in terminology and protocols. Unifying these methodological approaches is essential for advancing our understanding of endogenous auditory processing and translating these insights into practical Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications.

Poster session: 12:30-13:30

Closure: 13:30