Research in Music

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Music research at the OU is developed through high-profile individual and collaborative projects focussing on a wide range of approaches to music. There is a distinctive emphasis on innovation and interdisciplinary research. Current strengths in OU Music research can be grouped roughly as follows:

Historical study, including editions of performance texts; performance practice; instruments and their uses; and documentary and archival research of the social, cultural and biographical contexts of music-making
Social and cultural studies of music, including through ethnomusicology, human geography, and the social history of music
Interdisciplinary research in the humanities, including of music in literature and music in religion
Empirical investigation of performance, including acoustic analysis of instrumental performance and soundscapes
Computing applications in music, including human-computer interfaces, object-oriented programming and pervasive interaction
Music education and pedagogy, including the history of music education

Specialisms include historical musicology, musical analysis, editing, performance practice, film music, music iconography, ethnomusicology, acoustical research, organology and music technology. Details of research interests of individuals in the Music discipline can be found on the Staff pages.

The Music Department is also the focus and coordination point for all inquiry into music across the University, which includes the work of the following scholars:

Dr Delia da Sousa Correa (English Department)
Prof. Graham Harvey (Religious Studies Department)
Dr Simon Holland (Computing Department)
Dr Robin Laney (Computing Department)
Prof. Janet van der Linden (Computing Department)
Prof. Derek Matravers (Philosophy Department)
Terry O'Sullivan (OU Business School)
Dr George Revill (Geography Department)
Prof. David Sharp (Department of Design, Development, Environment and Materials)
Dr Shafquat Towheed (English Department)