David Rothenberg
David Rothenberg
Distinguished Professor, Humanities & Social Sciences
318 Cullimore Hall (CULM)
About Me
David Rothenberg wrote Why Birds Sing, Bug Music, Survival of the Beautiful and many other books, published in at least eleven languages. He investigates the musicality of animals and the role of nature in philosophy.
Education
Ph.D.; Boston University; ; 1991
B.A.; Harvard College; ; 1984
B.A.; Harvard College; ; 1984
Website
2024 Fall Courses
COM 381 - ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN PRACTICE
STS 325 - ST: THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS
STS 303 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
STS 403 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
STS 325 - ST: THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS
STS 303 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
STS 403 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
Teaching Interests
interspecies music, environmental philosophy, philosophy of technology, music technology, globalization, medical ethics
Past Courses
EPS 660: ETHICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
HSS 403: HUMANITIES SENIOR SEMINAR - LITERATURE
HSS 403: LIT SEM:
HSS 403: LIT SEM: ART AND EXPERIENCE
HSS 403: LIT SEM: LITERATURE OF MUSIC
HSS 403: LIT SEM: MUSIC,PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCE
HSS 408: STS SEM:
HSS 491: HONORS SEM IN HUMANITIES
HUM 102: WRITING, SPEAKING, THINKING II
PHIL 351: BIOMEDICAL ETHICS-HONORS
STS 257: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY I
STS 257: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY I HONORS
STS 258: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY II
STS 308: GLOBALIZATION
STS 308: TECH & GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
STS 325: ST:
STS 325: ST: THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS
STS 325: ST:SOUND DESIGN FOR VIDEO
STS 347: INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
STS 347: MUSIC & TECHNOLOGY
STS 349: ADVANCED MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
STS 349: ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN PRACTICE
STS 490: PROJECT & SEMINAR I
STS 491: PROJECT & SEMINAR II
HSS 403: HUMANITIES SENIOR SEMINAR - LITERATURE
HSS 403: LIT SEM:
HSS 403: LIT SEM: ART AND EXPERIENCE
HSS 403: LIT SEM: LITERATURE OF MUSIC
HSS 403: LIT SEM: MUSIC,PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCE
HSS 408: STS SEM:
HSS 491: HONORS SEM IN HUMANITIES
HUM 102: WRITING, SPEAKING, THINKING II
PHIL 351: BIOMEDICAL ETHICS-HONORS
STS 257: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY I
STS 257: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY I HONORS
STS 258: TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY II
STS 308: GLOBALIZATION
STS 308: TECH & GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
STS 325: ST:
STS 325: ST: THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS
STS 325: ST:SOUND DESIGN FOR VIDEO
STS 347: INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
STS 347: MUSIC & TECHNOLOGY
STS 349: ADVANCED MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
STS 349: ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN PRACTICE
STS 490: PROJECT & SEMINAR I
STS 491: PROJECT & SEMINAR II
Research Interests
interspecies communication, music and technology, environmental philosophy, human computer musical interfaces
Chapter
Rothenberg, David B. (2023). Undersound, Hanna Mattes (Ed.), Living Stone Publishing. Berlin: Living Stone Publishing
Rothenberg, David B. (2021). Among the Nightingales, Etienne Turpin (Ed.), K Verlag. (pp. pp. 13-25). Berlin: K Verlag
Rothenberg, David B. (2019). Zoo, Sound, Silence, Marion Laval-Jeantet (Ed.), Editions CQFD. (pp. pp. 127-137). Paris: Editions CQFD
Rothenberg, David B. (2019). The Body Speaks Whale, Edwin Torres (Ed.), Counterpath Press. (pp. pp. 83-90). Denver, CO: Counterpath Press
Rothenberg, David B. (2017). Improvisation and the Image: What Graphic Notation Is For, Byrdcliffe Guild. (pp. pp. 8-13). Woodstock, NY: Byrdcliffe Guild
Rothenberg, David B. (2021). Among the Nightingales, Etienne Turpin (Ed.), K Verlag. (pp. pp. 13-25). Berlin: K Verlag
Rothenberg, David B. (2019). Zoo, Sound, Silence, Marion Laval-Jeantet (Ed.), Editions CQFD. (pp. pp. 127-137). Paris: Editions CQFD
Rothenberg, David B. (2019). The Body Speaks Whale, Edwin Torres (Ed.), Counterpath Press. (pp. pp. 83-90). Denver, CO: Counterpath Press
Rothenberg, David B. (2017). Improvisation and the Image: What Graphic Notation Is For, Byrdcliffe Guild. (pp. pp. 8-13). Woodstock, NY: Byrdcliffe Guild
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Book Review
Why the Mountains Are Black
The Wire, August 2023
Alien Listening
The Wire, February 2022
Rainforest V by David Tudor
The Wire, June 2015
Not the Same as It Ever Was
Globe and Mail, September 2012
Why We Need Music
Globe and Mail, November 2010
The Wire, August 2023
Alien Listening
The Wire, February 2022
Rainforest V by David Tudor
The Wire, June 2015
Not the Same as It Ever Was
Globe and Mail, September 2012
Why We Need Music
Globe and Mail, November 2010
Journal Article
Rothenberg, David B. (2023). Pond Sound Mystery. Echo(5),
Rothenberg, David B., & Roeske, Tina, & Gammon, David E (2021). Mockingbird Morphing Music: Structured Transitions in a Complex Bird Song. Frontiers in Psycology(May 4, 2021),
Rothenberg, David B. (2018). Spider Music. Performing Arts Journal, MIT Press(118), pp. 31-36.
Rothenberg, David B. (2017). The Point is to Change It. Brill, 1-17.
Rothenberg, David B., & Janney, Eathan, & Taylor, Hollis, & Scharff, Constance, & Tchernichovski, Ofer, & Parra, Lucas (2016). Temporal regularity increases with repertoire complexity in the Australian pied butcherbird's song. Royal Society Open Science,
Rothenberg, David B., & Roeske, Tina, & Gammon, David E (2021). Mockingbird Morphing Music: Structured Transitions in a Complex Bird Song. Frontiers in Psycology(May 4, 2021),
Rothenberg, David B. (2018). Spider Music. Performing Arts Journal, MIT Press(118), pp. 31-36.
Rothenberg, David B. (2017). The Point is to Change It. Brill, 1-17.
Rothenberg, David B., & Janney, Eathan, & Taylor, Hollis, & Scharff, Constance, & Tchernichovski, Ofer, & Parra, Lucas (2016). Temporal regularity increases with repertoire complexity in the Australian pied butcherbird's song. Royal Society Open Science,
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Magazine/Trade Publication
Do Whales Have Culture?
Nautilus, June 2023
Mockingbirds Are Better Musicians Than We Thought
Scientific American, June 2021
Emerging from Darkness: Why I Make Music with Cicadas
New York Times, May 2021
Whale Songs Decoded
National Geographic, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2021
This Rescue Moose Was Also 2020
New York Times, January (1st Quarter/Winter) 2021
My Big Night Out Playing With the Nightingales of Berlin
Pacific Standard, December 2015
Survival of the Prettiest
New Statesman, March 2012
Nautilus, June 2023
Mockingbirds Are Better Musicians Than We Thought
Scientific American, June 2021
Emerging from Darkness: Why I Make Music with Cicadas
New York Times, May 2021
Whale Songs Decoded
National Geographic, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2021
This Rescue Moose Was Also 2020
New York Times, January (1st Quarter/Winter) 2021
My Big Night Out Playing With the Nightingales of Berlin
Pacific Standard, December 2015
Survival of the Prettiest
New Statesman, March 2012
Book
Rothenberg, David B. (2023). Whale Music. Cambridge, MA: Terra Nova Press / MIT Press
Rothenberg, David B. (2022). Invisible Mountains. Cold Spring, NY: Terra Nova Press
Rothenberg, David B., & Nachmanovitch, Stephen (2021). From This World, Another. Cold Spring, NY: Terra Nova Editions
Rothenberg, David B. (2020). Stadt der Nachtigallen. Berlin: Rowohlt
Rothenberg, David B. (2020). The Possibility of Reddish Green. Cambridge, MA: Terra Nova / MIT Press
Rothenberg, David B. (2022). Invisible Mountains. Cold Spring, NY: Terra Nova Press
Rothenberg, David B., & Nachmanovitch, Stephen (2021). From This World, Another. Cold Spring, NY: Terra Nova Editions
Rothenberg, David B. (2020). Stadt der Nachtigallen. Berlin: Rowohlt
Rothenberg, David B. (2020). The Possibility of Reddish Green. Cambridge, MA: Terra Nova / MIT Press
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Broadcast Media
Breathe. Earth
Terra Nova Music, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2022
Faultlines
Rattle, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2021
In the Wake of Memories
Clermont Music, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2020
They Say Humans Exist
Oslo Sessions Recordings, September 2020
Homages
Terra Nova, December 2019
Nightingales in Berlin: The Film
Playart Productions, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2019
Terra Nova Music, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2022
Faultlines
Rattle, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2021
In the Wake of Memories
Clermont Music, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2020
They Say Humans Exist
Oslo Sessions Recordings, September 2020
Homages
Terra Nova, December 2019
Nightingales in Berlin: The Film
Playart Productions, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2019
Other
Tablatun
April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2019
Nightingale Cities
February 2019
Bird Saw Buchla
Clang, August 2018
Red Mountain, Gold Mountain
Terra Nova Music, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2018
Grenseland
Drolehåla Music, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2018
April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2019
Nightingale Cities
February 2019
Bird Saw Buchla
Clang, August 2018
Red Mountain, Gold Mountain
Terra Nova Music, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2018
Grenseland
Drolehåla Music, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2018
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Newspaper
How to Make Music with a Whale
New York Times, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2014
New York Times, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2014
Translation or Transcription
Is It Painful to Think published in Korean
Korean Book Service, May 2010
Korean Book Service, May 2010