Over the last decade, performers ranging from air guitarists, dancers, pianists and conductors have been studied in detail in the motion capture laboratory at the Department of Musicology. Its researchers are at the forefront in the field of music and movement, and the basic knowledge has now been assembled in the introductory course Music Moves.
Different music creates different moves
Why do you move to music? Why do you stamp your foot at a jazz concert, but dance wildly in a dark and sweaty club? Through a six-week online course the participants learn the answers to such questions. It is completely web-based, and major parts of the training rely on the use of video. In this way, students and other interested parties from all over the world receive a thorough introduction to how UiO researchers investigate the associations between music and movement.
The online course requires no previous knowledge or any university admissions. Music Moves is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), an open online course available from the giant UK online course provider FutureLearn, with which UiO has an agreement.
A major priority for the department
Alexander Refsum Jensenius, Head of Department, is one of the initiators of Music Moves. He is also one of the course instructors, and he has considerable expectations for the programme.
‘Music Moves provides us with an opportunity to recruit more students from all over the world. In addition, we hope that the online course will help draw attention to this subject, our research and the department. At the same time, Music Moves provide us with better skills and experience in how to produce courses exclusively for the web,’ Jensenius explains.
Varied tuition
Tuition in Music Moves is provided in the form of videos, articles, quizzes and discussions. The students also have the opportunity to engage in discussions with the other course participants.
UiO does not give credits for the course, but the participants can purchase a FutureLearn certificate of completion of this UiO course. The certificate includes facts about the topic and duration, and is signed digitally by the instructors.
The first course started on 1 February 2016.
Watch the trailer for Music Moves:
Free online course
Why Does Music Make You Move?
Learn about the psychology of music and movement, and how researchers study music-related movements, with this free online course.
- Learn theoretical foundations for embodied music cognition and why body movement is crucial for how we experience the emotional moods in music
- Explore research methods like advanced motion capture systems and sound analysis methods
- Guiding by music researchers
- High-quality text, images, video, audio and interactive element
Spread the word
Use the hashtag #FLmusicmoves on social media conversations about this course