Archive for 2014

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[ecrea] Conference: Classical music, critical challenges

Fri Aug 29 15:09:21 GMT 2014


Classical music, critical challenges

King’s College London, The Council Room (K2.29 King's Building), October 17th 2014: 9.30 – 5.30


This one-day conference builds on the success of the conference on May 23rd: Classical music as contemporary socio-cultural practice: critical perspectives. This event drew on expertise from sociologists, musicologists and practitioners to bring to offer critiques of inequality and discrimination in the classical music industry; analysis of ways in which classical music education can sometimes entrench existing exclusions; and the enabling as well as the constraining influence of existing cultural norms, institutions, and modes of practice. 'Classical music: critical challenges' aims to continue providing new perspectives while also offering challenges to existing practices, and discussion of ways forward. Similar to our previous conference, the discussion will involve academics, practitioners and cultural sector partners. We hope that this dialogue will allow existing debates to shift in new directions, particularly in relation to analysing existing power inequalities.

We have an exciting interdisciplinary line-up of speakers which includes practitioners and academics. A central issue will be classical music's hegemonic status and how this has been produced and maintained; this will be discussed by Professor Mark Banks (Leicester University), Professor Bev Skeggs (Goldsmiths, University of London), and Laudan Nooshin (City University). Following the critical questions raised at the panel on education at our May conference, a further panel on education featuring Pamela Burnard (University of Cambridge) and Christine Bates (Leeds College of Music) will examine ways in which classical music education is changing, taking examples from practice.

Possibilities for change will also be the focus of a panel examining changes which new music practices have made to classical music norms, and how institutions have enabled or constrained these. This panel will feature musicologists Stephen Graham (Goldsmiths, University of London), Roddy Hawkins (Manchester University), and Nick Williams (Huddersfield University). Music teachers' perspectives will be discussed by Fran Hanley from the Musicians Union. Finally, Professor Roe-Min Kok from McGill University will discuss her new work, a post-colonial analysis of the ABRSM's history, sharing a panel with Rachel Beckles-Willson from Royal Holloway, talking about her new book, 'Orientalism and musical mission: Palestine and the West'. A full programme will be available in September.

Registration is free but places are limited, allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please email (christina.scharff /at/ kcl.ac.uk) to reserve your place.

Public Event: What lies beneath? Exploring the hidden currents of the classical music world

The conference will be followed by a wine reception, after which conference delegates may wish to stay on for a public event taking place as part of the Kings College London Arts and Humanities Festival, 'What lies beneath? Exploring the hidden currents of the classical music world'. Conference attendees are required to book separately for this event. Booking for the festival will open on September 17th and further information can be found here.

This public event will ask how it is that classical music remains so unequal. If talent and self-application matter, why is it that those in positions of power tend to fit into quite a narrow - mainly male, white and middle-class - demographic? And given that there is strong support, at least theoretically, for more inclusive practices, why is it that racial, classed and gendered inequalities prevail? By excavating personal and musical stories, research data, and musical cultures, this panel discussion aims to dig deeper into the underground of the profession to explore why demographic background, rather than talent and hard work, seems to matter.

Panellists:

ANNA BULL is currently engaged in PhD research, funded by the ESRC, examining the pathways of young classical musicians to illuminate questions of class, authority, and bodily practice in classical music.

ALICE FARNHAM is Course Director of Women Conductors at Morley – a programme to encourage women into the profession.

BEVERLEY MASON, director at medar pysden international, is a consultant researcher and advisor in the cultural and creative industries.

CHRISTINA SCHARFF is lecturer at King’s and has recently won the prestigious ESRC Future Research Leaders grant to conduct extensive research on the working lives of classically trained, female musicians.

JESSICA DUCHEN is a classical music journalist, novelist and playwright who writes regularly for the Independent as well as leading classical music publications

And with music from:

AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON is a young, up and coming composer and performer. www.ayannamusic.com







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