In the news: Sociology and Music

Dr. Amanda Miller, assistant professor of Sociology, has coauthored another intriguing study on the vagaries of the human heart, titled “The Ecology of Relationships” and freshly published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Miller’s work with colleague Sharon Sassler of Cornell University shows that the location and means by which the typical romantic couple meets can vary widely by socioeconomic class and can be an important determinant of the relationship’s ultimate success.

The scientific version of the story is here, but for the rest of us, Canada.com has broken it down here. As the writer notes, it’s all about “location, location, location.”

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Professor Richard Ratliff of UIndy’s Department of Music earned a strong appraisal from local arts critic Jay Harvey for his solo piano concert Monday night, part of the annual Faculty Artist Concert Series that Ratliff coordinates.

Titled “Bach to Berners,” the show featured some of Dr. Ratliff’s personal favorites from the past three or four centuries, including compositions by C.P.E. Bach (son of J.S.), Beethoven, Chopin and faculty colleague John Berners.

“In more than 20 years of attending University of Indianapolis concerts featuring professor of piano Richard Ratliff, I’ve found it’s a given that the programs will be interesting, well-balanced and varied,” wrote Harvey, the longtime Indianapolis Star critic who now maintains his own website, Jay Harvey Upstage. Read the full review here.