WHY YOU LIKE IT: Decoding Musical Taste

WHY YOU LIKE IT: Decoding Musical Taste is an immersive concert-lecture led by composer, musicologist, author, and Music Genome Project architect Dr. Nolan Gasser, inspired by the acclaimed PBS special released in 2025. Blending live performance, storytelling, and insights from neuroscience, psychology, and culture, the show explores the hidden forces that shape our musical preferences and why music affects us so deeply.

Audiences are invited to engage throughout the performance via the Why You Like It companion app. Guided from the stage by Dr. Gasser, audiences actively participate throughout the performance by responding to prompts that explore their musical identity. At the conclusion of the show, each participant receives a personalized playlist generated from their responses, extending the experience beyond the venue and transforming how audiences listen to and connect with music long after the performance ends.