Copyrighted imageCredit: Southbank Centre A festival from the Southbank Centre The Open University has partnered with the Southbank Centre and the BBC on a new festival of music, running throughout 2013 at London's Southbank Centre venue.

Join us to explore how war, race, sex and politics shaped the most important music of the 20th century.

The Rest Is Noise is a year-long festival that digs deep into 20th-century history to reveal the influences on the composing and making of art in general and classical music in particular.

Read more about the events at the Southbank Centre website.

These concerts are supported by a range of talks and debates which discuss the wider historical, political and cultural contexts in which these works were composed.

Explore 20th century composers

20th century composers: making the connections Featuring: Activity Creative commons imageCredit: The Open University

Explore the world of 20th century classical and avant-garde music through the composers and the fascinating connections that exist between them.  Launch now: 20th century composers: making the connections

OU on the BBC: The Sound And The Fury Copyrighted imageCredit: BBC

In this 3-part documentary series, BBC Four explores a century of modern music, examining composers and their works in a broader cultural context.  Read more : OU on the BBC: The Sound And The Fury

You can also use the links below to find information on upcoming weekend events, as well as OpenLearn content on music and the 20th Century.

Upcoming weekend events at the Southbank Centre

The Rest Is Noise: Art of fear Updated content Creative commons imageCredit: Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dimitri_Schostakovich.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0

11/12 May: Music of oppression and war. The Rest Is Noise considers darkest period of death, destruction and cruelty the world had ever seen.  Read more : The Rest Is Noise: Art of fear

The Rest is Noise: Britten's Centenary Updated content Creative commons imageCredit: Work found at http://en.wikipedia.org / CC BY-SA 3.0

28/29 September: Place, nationhood and community. The Rest is Noise considers Britten's remarkable work in the context of post-war Britain.  Read more : The Rest is Noise: Britten's Centenary

The Rest Is Noise: All weekend events Copyrighted imageCredit: Southbank Centre

Here's a list of all the weekend events for The Rest Is Noise  Read more : The Rest Is Noise: All weekend events

Learn more about 20th Century music

Musical landscapes: the symphony after 1900 Creative commons imageCredit: an unsung Symphony / Jithin Radhakrishnan / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Fiona Richards looks at the symphony around the world during the first half of the 20th Century  Read more : Musical landscapes: the symphony after 1900

Listen Up! Developing an appreciation of music Copyrighted imageCredit: BBC

Nick Jones explains why knowing a little about what makes music, and listening carefully, can reveal much more in a simple tune  Read more : Listen Up! Developing an appreciation of music

Start listening to music Course Copyrighted imageCredit: Dreamstime

A short online course about perceptive listening – exploring form, instrumentation and context through a wide range of music, including classical, jazz, popular and world...  Visit prospectus for Start listening to music

The arts past and present Course Copyrighted imageCredit: Dreamstime

Study a broad range of arts subject areas (from history to philosophy, music to English) across multiple cultures and historical periods in this university-level introduction.This...  Visit prospectus for The arts past and present