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Music returns to Chawton House

The Department of Music has just launched a new concert series in collaboration with our friends and long-time partners at Chawton House Library, the research centre in the beautiful country house formerly owned by Jane Austen’s brother. Postgraduate pianist Ellen Day tells us about the performance: On December 10 we gathered at Chawton House for the inaugural concert, featuring a newly restored 1828 Stodart grand piano. Continue reading →

Michael Finnissy Chi Mei Ricercari Tour Part 2

Senior lecturer Tom Irvine updates us on the how the tour of Michael Finnissy’s new piece is going: University of Southampton Vice Chancellor Don Nutbeam with Andrea Amati viola ‘Henry IV’ (1590) and curator Dai-Ting Chung in the vault of the Chi Mei Foundation, Tainan Greetings from Hsinchu, Taiwan’s own ‘windy city’ and home of National Chiao Tung University, the hosts of the second of our three concerts. It’s been a real whirlwind. Continue reading →

UoS Voices sing out

Almost exactly a year ago Turner Sims Professor of Music Harvey Brough launched a new community choir based in the university. Elwyn Edwards tells us what led the group to their first big stage appearance last week (and there’s a video at the end of the post!): Like many people I have had a secret ambition to sing in a choir for most of my adult life. Continue reading →

Michael Finnissy Chi Mei Ricercari Tour, Part 1

Senior lecturer Tom Irvine is about to set off for Taiwan where he will hear the premiere of our chair of composition Michael Finnissy’s new pieces for cello and piano. Tom has promised to send posts throughout the tour but already has one advance report on how things are going: I’m still here in comparatively wintery Southampton, wondering if I will set off tomorrow as planned given various air-traffic problems in the skies overhead. Continue reading →

Behind the scenes

The hub of the Music department is the office, where our wonderful team of education and performance staff keep our huge range of activities going. Shilla NaKandi is from one of our local schools, and spent a week of work experience seeing how it all comes together: Hi, my name is Shilla, I’m 14 years old and I enjoy music and sports. Continue reading →

Recording Popular Contexts

Turner Sims Fellow and contemporary pianist extraordinaire Mark Knoop has just released a new solo recording, featuring music by our composer colleague Matthew Shlomowitz. Mark tells us about how the piece and the recording came about: Mark Knoop In 2009 Matthew and I first discussed the idea of his writing a new work for solo piano. Continue reading →

Chi Mei Ricercari – If cellos could talk

Tom Irvine (Senior Lecturer in Music) tells us about Michael Finnissy’s new piece, which had a sneak preview performance last week in preparation for the December premiere in Taiwan: I’ve been travelling to Taiwan for the department and university regularly since 2009. One of the things that has come of my visits is a partnership with the world-famous collection of fine string instruments held in Tainan (a beautiful and laid-back city in the island’s warm and sunny south). Continue reading →

Musical offerings

The gift-giving season came early to the Music department this year: over the last few months, we’ve had some fascinating presents from generous friends. Head of department Jeanice Brooks describes them: I’ll start with the smallest and also possibly the strangest gift we’ve received. Continue reading →

Running music workshops for cochlear implantees

People with hearing loss who benefit from having a cochlear implant often report problems with enjoying music, and Southampton researchers from Music and the Institute for Vibration Research have been working on rehabilitation programmes that can help. Continue reading →

Lutes and Ukes

Southampton’s Head of Early Music Liz Kenny tells us about her summer project: In my daily life I play the lute. I’m interested in how groups of plucked instruments organized themselves to produce music on the stage and in shows and masques in the seventeenth century, and how we might go about it now. Continue reading →

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