Expression: in Real Life, and in Music
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 16:30-18:30
Senate House, Room 264
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Here is a simple puzzle. If a person’s action expresses an emotion, the person experiences the emotion. But a performer of a musically expressive action need not experience the emotion that is expressed in the musical action. How is this combination possible? In this talk, I offer accounts of expressive action; of the perception of expressive action; and of the nature of musically expressive action that aim to explain this possibility. The resources developed in these accounts suggest a unified account of emotional expression and of belief expression. They also offer an explanation of the apparent uniqueness, amongst art forms, of the expressive directness and specificity of expressive musical action.
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Following NHS guidance, all attendees are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated (including boosters) against Covid-19, unless medically exempt. Our group is diverse; please continue to be considerate of those who wear face coverings and those who don’t. Thank you.