28581 - Psychology of Music (1) (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

The course will outline the most recent studies on music and emotion according to philosophical, musicological, psychological, biological and anthropological perspectives. The composers, performers and listeners points of view will be taken into account. Music and emotion studies will be presented within the actual musical education context.

Course contents

Music and emotion: multidisciplinary perspectives. Psychological theories on emotion. The influence of music structure on emotional expression. Communicating emotion in music performance. Emotions in everyday listening to music. Educational perspectives

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended reading:

1)  P. Juslin and John Sloboda, Music and Emotion. Theory and Research, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001.

or the following readings:

1) L. Marconi, Musica Espressione Emozione, CLUEB, Bologna, 2001.

2) R. Caterina, G. Magherini e S. Nirenstein Katz (a cura di). Crescere con la musica. Dal corpo al pensiero musicale.  Firenze: Nicomp, 2009.

3) I. Peretz, La musica e il cervello, in J. J. Nattiez (a cura di) Enciclopedia della Musica, Vol. 2, Torino: Einaudi, 2004, pp. 241-270.

4) I. Deliege, La percezione della musica, in J. J. Nattiez (a cura di) Enciclopedia della Musica, Vol. 2, Torino: Einaudi, 2004, pp. 305-334.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures

Assessment methods

Students who regularly attend the class (the course is made of 15 lectures, students are requested to attend at least 10 lectures) will be examined in two differents steps: 1) A Small Group (from 2 to 5 people) discussion and ppt presentation on a subject which has been examined during my lectures: students are requested to bring a part of the presentation and to coordinate their presentations with those of their colleagues. Time limitations in the presentations will be fixed; the presentation may be an opportunity for a review on the existing scientific literature concerning one or more topics on music and emotion; the presentation may also concern specific theorethical hypothesis students will try to defend; 2) Individual examinations on other subjects which have been discussed during my lectures. Final individual evaluations will refer to the mean of the single tasks evaluations.

Students who did not attend the class (or students who prefer this type of examination even if they attended the class)  will be examined in an oral interview concerning the books which have been mentioned as suggested readings.

Students are requested to apply for the final test using "almaesami" on line system.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations. Musical examples. Didactic materials.

Links to further information

http://www.webalice.it/roberto.caterina

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Caterina