Sound on Screen conference to explore the link between music, sound, and the moving image

From grand orchestral scores in epic fight sequences to restrained, subtle video game soundtracks, the fourth annual Sound on Screen conference returns to Oxford Brookes University this week from 24 to 26 June.

Hosted online and in person at the University’s Headington campus by academics from the Music and Film departments, the event will bring together international scholars, composers, and media professionals for three days of cutting-edge research, in-depth discussion, and scholarly debate.

The conference will delve into everything from jazz in children’s television to classical music in cult comedies, showcasing just how sound and music shape our emotional and cultural responses to what we see on screen. 
The conference begins online on Tuesday 24 June, with presentations on topics such as jazz in television scores, loud and quiet Hollywood fight scenes, masculinity in Westerns, and the surprising musical choices of online media.

On Wednesday 25 June, discussions will focus on music and politics in stories about trauma,  avant-garde music in feature films, and the evolution of video game sound. With topics ranging from Star Wars to experimental gaming experiences, the programme reflects the diversity and complexity of sound across modern media platforms.

The conference will close on Thursday 26 June, featuring sessions on music education and children’s television, classical music in cartoons, and the emotional resonances of sound design in contemporary film and series such as ‘Wolf Hall’, ‘Severance’, and ‘Drive My Car’. 

Dr Matt Lawson, conference co-organiser and a Senior Lecturer in Music at Oxford Brookes, said: “Sound on Screen has become a leading space for those exploring the vital - yet often underappreciated - role of sound and music in film, television, games, and beyond. This year’s event is our most diverse and exciting yet, bringing together international scholars to explore how sound shapes memory, identity, and emotion in media.”

Full details can be found on the Sound on Screen conference website.