News

Concerts and cures in nineteenth-century Scotland
12th February 2025
Rosemary Golding’s latest article examines the social and therapeutic roles of music in a nineteenth-century Scottish asylum, demonstrating its links with memory and identity.
The Polyphonic Cornett album released
29th January 2025
A collaboration between James Dooley (The Open University) and Jamie Savan (Birmingham City University), The Polyphonic Cornett (album released November 2024) presents music exploring the intersection of ‘old’ musical instruments with ‘new’ music technology.
From Okinawa to Cornwall: the music of Kikuko Kanai introduced by Maiko Kawabata
21st January 2025
The Open University is proud to support the Truro Sinfonia in bringing Japanese composer Kikuko Kanai's music to life in Cornwall. Collaborating with OU researcher Dr. Maiko Kawabata, the orchestra performed Kanai’s symphonic poem Ryūkyū where the Deigo Flowers Blossom on 9 November 2024, marking a rare UK appearance for the composer’s work.
Music academics create interactive “show” supporting OU/BBC series “Mozart: Rise of a Genius”
24th September 2024
OU Music academics Naomi Barker and Helen Coffey create interactive ‘show’ supporting OU/BBC co-production “Mozart: Rise of a Genius”
OU Music launches scholarships for teachers of underrepresented groups
12th June 2023
Open University Music department offers scholarships to teachers who work with traditionally underrepresented groups, to study either of the modules Music, Sound and Technology, or Understanding Music.
Arts project to explore surprising Victorian asylum treatments
25th January 2023
A new OU research network has been awarded £25,000 in Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding to explore the use of arts in Victorian asylums, as well as its relevance today. The Psychiatry and the Arts in Nineteenth-Century Britain Network (PAN) will be led by Staff Tutor and Senior Lecturer in Music Dr Rosemary Golding.
Emeritus Professor of Music honoured
23rd November 2022
Emeritus Professor of Music Donald Burrows has been honoured by the publication of a festschrift by those he has inspired throughout his career which celebrates his work.
BBC Philharmonic concert to feature Music academic’s research
4th November 2022
Research carried out by an OU Music academic will be featured in the upcoming BBC Philharmonic: Rediscovered Composers concert.
Brand new short courses launching
5th September 2022
Next month, the Faculty is launching brand new short courses, with no less than three coming from our Music discipline.
Double Award win for OU Music academics
5th May 2022
OU Music academics celebrate a double win for their published work with the announcement of the CB Oldman Awards by the International Association of Music Libraries (UK & Ireland branch).