Mingfu Qin's visit to RITMO

Why did I come to RITMO?

I embarked on my research journey at Hong Kong Baptist University, driven by my passion for exploring the impact of musicians¡¯ body movements on the audience¡¯s perception of music performance. My introduction to RITMO, the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time, and Motion, was serendipitous, spurred by an academic connection engendered my interest in the center¡¯s pioneering work. My foray into the work of RITMO commenced with a dissertation by Alexander Refsum Jensenius, the esteemed Director of the Center, and a book titled ¡°Musical Gestures¡±, which encapsulates significant research work by Jensenius and Rolf Inge God?y, a distinguished Professor at the Department of Musicology, UiO. As I delved deeper into my research, I encountered a plethora of relevant literature on body movement in music, which were research outputs of RITMO. My discovery that Alexander Refsum Jensenius is the Director of RITMO was an astonishing coincidence. Therefore, when an opportunity arose to visit an international institute outside of China, I expeditiously submitted my application to RITMO.

When I was in RITMO:

This was my first visit to Norway. Despite concerns about the country¡¯s climate, the weather in Oslo in mid-August was simply amazing! The blue sky, fresh air, and vast forests were peaceful and relaxing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and look forward to experiencing Norway in the winter. Having lived in a city with similar weather conditions, I am confident that I will enjoy the winter in Norway. Additionally, I have seen some stunning photos of Oslo¡¯s winter online, which have further piqued my interest. One of my favourite activities during my trip was taking photos.

During my 3-month visit to RITMO, I had a fantastic experience. The place is perfect for researchers who want to conduct research, make new friends, and enjoy life. As soon as I arrived at RITMO, I was welcomed by a dynamic academic environment that matched my passion for interdisciplinary research. Life at RITMO perfectly blended structured research activities and exploratory work with amazing people and cutting-edge technology.

RITMO organized plenty of activities that allowed us to share ideas and research work, such as Food&Paper. I had the opportunity to listen to diverse studies conducted by world-class scholars in various research fields, which helped me broaden my horizons. I was also able to meet people from different backgrounds and learn from them through communication.

RITMO also organizes several tours to visit other cities per year, such as the Xmas tour. Unfortunately, I missed the tour this year due to the end of my visit. I must mention the culture of RITMO, which is warm, lovely, and supportive. RITMO has its own logo, which you can find everywhere in the office, from T-shirts to coffee cups. The atmosphere at RITMO binds the members closely together, making me feel at home with families.

I would like to express my highest gratitude towards my supervisor, Dr Laura Bishop, for her invaluable support during my research work at RITMO. Laura¡¯s expertise, patience, and encouragement helped me immensely with my experiments, data collection, and analysis. She always responded promptly to my questions and provided me with helpful insights. Her patience and willingness to listen made me feel comfortable and confident even when I struggled with English. Laura¡¯s dedication and passion for her research have inspired me to work harder towards my research goals. I am genuinely thankful to have had the opportunity to work with her.

I am pleased to say that despite the challenges of conducting research, the members of RITMO have been incredibly welcoming and open to discussing their work and personal experiences. I have gained many new ideas from our conversations, and some of them even participated in my research experiments. I am grateful for the kindness and support shown by Anna-Maria, Sara, Marit, Arthur, Eirik, Balint, Pedro, Maham, Bilge, Vegard, Jonna, Dana, Pia, Kayla, Finn, and others who helped me along the way.

Hold on a moment! I want to introduce to you my two new special friends at RITMO: Korra and Ekko. They sometimes join us in the RITMO offices; every time I see them, they provide me with emotional support. The pet-friendly environment here is one of the reasons why I like RITMO more and more.

I am looking forward to having another opportunity to visit RITMO again! I had such a great time the last time I was there, and I cannot wait to see what new experiences await.