The collection contains primarily research materials, correspondence, writings, publications, and other items related to Picken's career and his study of East Asian musical traditions, especially those of the Tang Court. The project materials include essay notes and drafts, translations, concert programs, miscellaneous research materials, instrument collection files, and a handful of personal files. Picken's articles and research materials for Musica Asiatica, the journal he co-edited, and for his publication Music from the Tang Court are also included. The writings include Picken's articles, essays, and lectures; his notebooks; and books written for Picken. In addition, there are manuscript and published scores for Picken's musical compositions, transcriptions of traditional East Asian music, and some photographs.