Friday 25 April 2014

Vacancy: Peter Sowerby Research Associate in Performance Science


Peter Sowerby Research Associate in Performance Science

Fixed-term for one year (starting September 2014)

 

The Royal College of Music is one of Britain’s leading conservatoires. It provides specialised musical education and professional training at the highest international level for performers and composers.

 

This is a newly created fixed term post (one year) which sits within the RCM’s Centre for Performance Science (CPS), an internationally distinctive centre for research, teaching and knowledge exchange in music performance science. The post, which is funded by the Peter Sowerby Foundation, is linked to the CPS’s Performance Simulator, an innovative training facility that enables musicians to practise and refine their professional skills in interactive, virtual performance environments. The appointment will involve taking a lead role in researching and developing applications of the simulator, including designing original studies into musicians’ learning and performance and working to apply project outcomes widely across the RCM’s learning and teaching activities.

 

You should be an active researcher with a proven ability to manage large-scale projects, preferably within the fields of applied performance psychology and physiology (e.g. studies of heart rate variability in stress assessment contexts), and an ability to work effectively in music education and training settings.

 

The successful applicant should be available to start by 1 September 2014.

 

For further information please see the ‘Jobs and Opportunities’ section of our website at www.rcm.ac.uk.

 

Completed application forms should be returned to Tim Rounding at recruitment@rcm.ac.uk or Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BS.

 

Closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on Friday 16 May 2014.

 

Interviews will be held on Thursday 5 June 2014.

 

The Royal College of Music is an equal opportunities employer.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Youth Music charity invests £1.2m in new approaches to music in schools




PRESS RELEASE

23RD April, 2014

 

 

YOUTH MUSIC INVESTS £1.2M IN NEW APPROACHES TO MUSIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

 

 

Ten pioneering ‘Exhanging Notes’ projects awarded grants to explore new collaborative approaches to music education in schools for young people at risk

 

 

The National Foundation for Youth Music today announced grants totalling £1,195,308 to support new partnerships between schools and music education providers who normally work in out-of-school settings.  Investment of up to £120,000 is being made available to music projects delivered by these new partnerships.

 

Projects benefiting from funding include Leeds based charity, Opera North working in Winifred Holtby Academy in Hull, Kinetika Bloco working in St Gabriel’s College, Lambeth, London, and Derbyshire Music Education Hub, which will work across the Virtual Schools Network in Derbyshire.

 

The ‘Exchanging Notes’ initiative aims to establish if this collaborative approach brings additional benefits for young people at risk of low attainment, disengagement or educational exclusion. Over a four year period, Birmingham City University will be undertaking a rigorous study of the ten projects to evaluate the educational, musical and other outcomes of these new models of partnerships for the pupils involved. It will also examine how the distinctive educational approaches used in schools and out-of-school settings might be combined to improve young people’s educational outcomes and encourage the exchange of ideas, practice and understanding of effective music teaching techniques between practitioners working in these different settings.

 

This action research project follows publication of Youth Music’s ‘Communities of Music Education’ pilot study which highlighted some of the key differences in music education experienced outside and inside the classroom. The study noted that the teaching style used in the out-of-school music projects placed an equal focus on personal and social outcomes as well as musical outcomes. The findings also indicated that partnership-working between different settings was a positive and valuable process with practitioners recognising strengths in different methods of delivery.

 

Derbyshire Music Education Hub, in partnership with Derbyshire ‘Virtual School’ and delivery partner organisation Baby People, was awarded a grant of £120,000 to bring care and education professionals together with specialist music providers to support children in care. The programme will use music education to improve social and emotional resilience amongst the young participants from twenty schools across the county and increase their academic achievement.   There will also be a focus group for music leaders, teachers and supporters to share learning. A toolkit with case studies, practice notes, impact, evidence and signposts will be produced.

 

Jayne Briggs, School Improvement Adviser, Derbyshire Music Education Hub says: “We are delighted that Youth Music is providing this opportunity for us to work with our Virtual School in an action research study, using music-making to engage and motivate young people in challenging circumstances. Narrowing the gap between the attainment of children in care and all young people is a high priority for Derbyshire. Our approach will be for our delivery partners, Baby People, to use music to harness the interests and personal passion of the young people to help drive their learning and show improvements in their attainment across the curriculum.”

 

Opera North and Winifred Holtby Academy, located on the Bransholme estate north of Hull, have been awarded a grant of £120,000 to work with pupils who suffer socio-economic disadvantage and face low attainment.  Opera North's approach will use the voice as a way into musical learning, with a focus on classical music styles although folk, gospel, jazz and popular genres will also be included.

 

Kinetika Bloco, in partnership with Sound Connections and Lambeth Music Education Hub, was awarded a grant of £120,000 to work with Saint Gabriel’s College in Lambeth, London to deliver a programme of music and leadership opportunities. Participants will receive tuition on percussion, steel pan, woodwind and brass instruments and over 600 young people will be involved. The aim of the project is to develop a Bloco in-school model which joins up formal and non-formal music-making to empower young people through activities that develop their creative life skills and transform their educational attainment.

 

Matt Griffith says:  “In designing the Exchanging Notes programme, we encouraged schools, music organisations and local music education hubs to work together. The range of applications we received has shown us how vibrant our music education system can be with, in many cases, very creative ideas for partnership working. We look forward to the outcome of this action research project with great excitement as it is the first time such a rigorous study of combined approaches between schools and music providers, who normally work in out-of-school settings, has been done. The results may well turn out to be of enormous significance to stimulate fresh thinking in music education and support the aspirations set out in the National Plan for Music Education.”

 

 

Further details about the grants awarded under the  ‘Exchanging Notes’ programme can be found at http://network.youthmusic.org.uk/exchangingnotes

 

 PIC ATTACHEDCaption:  Kinetika Bloco musicians lead TeamGB in the Greatest Team Parade, London 2012 Olympics

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

ABOUT YOUTH MUSIC

 

·         Youth Music believes that music-making is life-changing and the charity wants the opportunity for music-making to be available to all children.   Every year, Youth Music provides more than 90,000 young people with the chance to take part in a local music project. 

 

·         Many of these children and young people face challenges in their lives including coping with disability, homelessness or living in care.  Others simply need help to develop their full musical talent and potential.

 

·         In addition to developing musical skills, Youth Music projects help young people to develop their creative and social skills, make positive contributions to their community and live happy, successful lives. Youth Music projects work across all music genres.

 

·         Youth Music currently supports over 400 music projects around the country.

 

·         The charity knows that many more young people still need its help and continues to fundraise to realise its mission to ensure that all children and young people have access to life-changing music-making opportunities.

 

·         Find out more about the work of Youth Music by visiting www.youthmusic.org.uk

 

For enquiries about Youth Music please contact:

 

David O’Keeffe,

Media and PR Consultant,

Youth Music

 

E:   david.okeeffe@youthmusic.org.uk

T:   0207 902 1096

M:  07977 067576.

 

For the projects mentioned please contact:

1.Kinetika Bloco:

 

Tamzyn French

Bloco Manager

Kinetika Bloco

E: tamzyn@kinetikabloco.co.uk 

T: 07795142535

 

www.kinetikabloco.co.uk 

 

2. Derbyshire Music Education Hub

Jayne Briggs

School Improvement Adviser

with responsibility for the

Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership  -  Leading the Music Education Hub for Derbyshire

T: 01629 532871

E: Jayne.Briggs@derbyshire.gov.uk

3. Opera North

Rebecca Walsh,

Education Director

Opera North

Tel:  0113 243 9999

E:Rebecca.Walsh@operanorth.co.uk

 

 

 

David O’Keeffe
Media and PR Consultant
..........................................................
National Foundation for Youth Music

T 020 7902 1096

M :07977 067576

website     twitter    facebook

Join us in supporting life-changing music-making.

Donate here

..........................................................................
Suites 3-5, Swan Court, 9 Tanner Street, London, SE1 3LE
Registered charity 1075032
...........................................................................

 

 

 


Tuesday 8 April 2014

Call for applications for Musical Accompaniment for Dance (MAD) audition

 

The Danish National School of Performing Arts are now receiving applications for the Musical Accompaniment for Dance education. This is a part-time postgraduate education that may be interesting for your readers/members of this forum. Therefor we hope that you will help us spread the word of our upcoming audition and forward this email and/or the attached flyer about the education to your network.

If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to contact me.

 

Call for applications for Musical Accompaniment for Dance (MAD) audition 

MAD is a unique postgraduate education for professional musicians who wish to broaden their competences in music. The education focuses on accompaniment for dance and theatre, with a particular emphasis on improvisation and newly composed music for the above.

As the education is part time, it is possible to continue one’s professional carrier parallel to the education.

 

Call for application deadline is April 22nd

Audition is the 3rd of May

 

Application form can be found and completed online at www.scenekunstuddannelser.dk while further information can be found on www.scenekunstskolen.dk. Specific questions can be sent to kih@scenekunstskolen.dk.

 

 

Bedste hilsner / Best regards

MAJA BONDE HOLTZE
Studentermedhjælper/
Student assistant

 


+ 45 4172 2093
mabo@scenekunstskolen.dk
scenekunstskolen.dk

 


Monday 7 April 2014

International Jazz Day, 30 April 2014

Jazz, a Film by Ken Burns http://www.pbs.org/jazz/

A supplement to the excellent film documentary by Ken Burns. Find artist biographies, film clips and recordings here. For younger students use the Jazz for Kids area on the web site. 

Smithsonian Folkways Jazz Education Website  http://smithsonianfolkways.us/
This is a terrific website developed by John Hasse and the jazz experts at the Smithsonian Museum. Included is an introduction to jazz history with a timeline.  I really love the Jazz Mixer. Select from three jazz standards and play with the sliders to control the instruments in the virtual jazz quintet as you listen to the improvised solos. 

Jazz at Lincoln Center's Jazz Academy  http://academy.jalc.org/

Explore the archives of films available at this website to learn from members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Lessons include warming up, practice technique on the trumpet, how to solo in a big band, and topics for everyone from babies to seniors! 

Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz  http://www.monkinstitute.org/education/

Included in the Jazz in the Classroom video library are masterclasses with drummer Max Roach, pianist Chick Corea, and others. Find the Blues and Jazz Curriculum for 5th, 8th and 11th grade. Under the International section you can read about touring groups that may be traveling to your country. 

Bobby McFerrin   http://bobbymcferrin.com/

Master jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin's website is full of engaging activities and information for teachers and their students. My favorite is Sing and Play with Bobby. You can play with Bobby's layered vocal lines and see how he constructed "Don't Worry Be Happy." 


Arts Edge is the education resource for the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Jazz pianist Billy Taylor was a master at explaining jazz to people who are new to the art form in a fun, engaging way. Explore his talks and those by others. 


Check out the multimedia of the father of jazz, Louis Armstrong. There are wonderful recordings of him talking, singing and playing! 

Kimberly McCord
Professor of Music Education
Board Member, International Society for Music Education
School of Music 
Campus Box 5660
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61790
309-438-3365