How can active listening help you explore and assess a soundscape? How can theory improve your musical understanding and music history make you a better musician?
Music theory plays an important part in most activities at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Aural skills and knowledge of harmony, counterpoint and music history encourage active and mindful listening, which in turn boosts our listening skills and performance skills and enables us to understand the music and the role of the performer in an historical perspective. These subjects encourage reflection and deep knowledge and help us make independent musical choices when performing music.
Music theory subjects are taught on all study programmes at the academy. They are largely based on the student’s own genre. Classes are formed according to instrument or programme of study or across programmes of study. Various music theory classes are also available as optional subjects and as specialisations on master and continuing education programmes.
