Music Psychology

In this seminar we will explore and try to find answers to questions such as: how individuals experience emotions in musical works? Are emotions internal –whether fixed or flexible- embedded in the musical texture or external imposed by individuals interacting with the work? And if internal how do we then impose our own emotion on the musical work that we perceive? In other words, how do we take an outsider musical object and perceive it subjectively as if it is our own? And if external how do we then relate our own individual experiences to the perceptible sonic properties of the work? Where would we localize the musical event: inside or outside us? Why is it that other people can experience the same thing? The main aim of the seminar is to enable the student to reflect critically on current issues of music psychology and to develop a better understanding of our musical behavior.