Is Music Joy? Retrofitting Ancient Music By Prof. Daniel Chua

About the Talk:

Joy seems an unlikely paradigm for music theory, Yet it was fundamental to music theories from different parts of the ancient world. Today, joy is not fundamental to music theory; if anything, much philosophical thought on music veers towards the tragic. This talk considers the relationship between music and joy, and in what sense a theology of joy might help in recovering joy as a music theoretical paradigm today. 

About the Speaker:

Daniel K.L. CHUA is Mr. and Mrs. Hung Hing-ying Professor in the Arts and the Chair Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Music at the University of Hong Kong. He has written widely on music, from Monteverdi to Stravinsky, but is particularly known for his work on Beethoven, the history of absolute music, and the intersection between music, philosophy and theology. Prof. Chua is the recipient of the 2004 Royal Musical Association’s Dent Medal, and a Corresponding Member of the American Musicological Society. He is currently the President of the International Musicological Society (2017-2022). Click here to register online. 

The talk is sponsored by Initiation Grant for Faculty Niche Research Areas (FNRA).