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December 2014

Best in the UK for Music research

Just after term ended, the results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 were announced, and we are delighted that Southampton has been ranked as the top Music department in the UK for its research in musicology and ethnomusicology, composition and performance.  90% of our work was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent, with 68% achieving the very highest world-leading standard. Continue reading →

Cramer at Chawton

Pianist Harry Matthews (year 2) tells us about the most recent Music department concert at Chawton House Library: Last Tuesday, I went with Professor David Owen Norris, Laurence McNaughton and Manikka Marchant to provide a night of Georgian piano music at Chawton House Library. The concert was performed on an early 19th-century Stodart Patent Compensating Grand piano. Continue reading →

Performance roundup

A few more items from the last month in performance: We were really chuffed to read this wonderful blog post from London Sinfonietta violinist extraordinaire David Alberman, who joined Southampton staff and students for the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's new work, Remembrance Day. This year jazz and pop students from the department of Music and MuSoc - the student music society - are putting on a series of nights at our partner live music venue, Talking Heads. Continue reading →

Places of Remembrance

Among the activities during last month's Remembrance Day premiere weekend was a composition workshop with guests from the world-leading new music vocal ensemble, EXAUDI.  Mate Szigeti describes the pieces he and fellow postgraduate composers created: The rite of remembrance is always connected with a place. We remember at festive dinner tables, we remember in churches, as we do in public spaces designated for this purpose. Continue reading →