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Staff, Page 2

Made in Italy – From Rome to Venice

Many performance projects at Southampton are completely student-led, from the initial idea to final realisation. Natalie Davies (year 3) tells us about the final extravaganza of our Italian weekend, featuring rare Roman cantatas matched up with Vivaldi favourites: Having had just over two weeks to rehearse the Vivaldi Gloria with the choir, it was not without trepidation that we came together with the orchestra on Sunday for our last rehearsal before the evening’s concert. Continue reading →

Music therapy with HRH Duchess of Cambridge

Lecturer in Music Therapy Sarah Hodkinson tells us about music therapy with HRH Duchess of Cambridge: In December the Duchess made a visit to Shooting Star House (a Shooting Star Chase children’s hospice in West London). Shooting Star House is where I give music therapy to children and young people who have life-limiting conditions, meaning that they are not expected to reach their nineteenth birthday. Continue reading →

Bristol Performance for Matthew Shlomowitz

Lecturer in Composition Matthew Shlomowitz tells us about an upcoming performance: I will travel to Bristol on 23 February 2014 for a newly arranged version of my piece Avant Muzak which is scored for seven instruments and sampler keyboard. The work will be performed at the Colston Hall by the Bristol Ensemble alongside works by Tansy Davies as part of a weekend of events co-ordinated by New Music Bristol. Continue reading →

Shlomowitz and Knoop CD Launch in Germany

Lecturer in Composition Matthew Shlomowitz reports back after a recent trip to Germany: In January 2014 Mark Knoop (Turner Sims New Music Fellow) and I travelled to Germany for concerts in Berlin and Hamburg to mark the release of Mark’s CD on the Belgian label Sub Rosa. The CD features two large-scale works for piano and pre-recorded sound by Austrian composer Peter Ablinger and myself. Continue reading →

Happy new studio

Thanks to very generous donation to Maths, the new year is starting with a complete renovation and refurbishment of our recording studios. Senior lecturer Richard Polfreman reports on the progress so far of this exciting development:   The refurbishment of the recording studios began in December, shortly before the end of the Autumn term. Continue reading →

Happy holidays

We're now closed for business until 2 January.  Along with our best wishes of the season, here's a warm account of our final festive event from Phil Draisey (year 3) - with a link to the live streamed video at the bottom.  Happy holidays to all from the staff and students of the Music department! Over to Phil: It’s December the 13th, the last day of term at the University of Southampton. There is a seeping chill in the air and winter rain falls for the first time this month. Continue reading →

I’m dreaming of a French Christmas

In the first of two seasonal posts before we close down for the holidays, Head of Early Music Liz Kenny writes about the work that led to concerts with her early music ensemble, Theatre of the Ayre, in Southampton and London last week: With performance projects, getting the first plank or idea in place is the tricky bit, but once that’s done other ideas suggest themselves and the thing gets rolling. Continue reading →

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:  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. We left lovely laid-back Tainan this morning after the very successful premiere there last night, celebrated afterwards with a outdoor (!) reception with new friends and old. 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: 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 →