3.5.3.6 Research Partnerships and Engagement

The majority of the School’s partnership activity in research occurs at the level of individual researchers. For example:

• Dr Broughton partners with researchers from the School of Psychology (UQ Music Dance and Health Research Group), the Business School (Tourism area) and a wide range of researchers from the Institute of Social Science Research

• Dr Klein collaborates with researchers in the Schools of Architecture and Information Technology and Electrical Engineering

• Dr Ballantyne partners with educational networks and music organisations interested in understanding participant experiences (such as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra)

• Dr Collins has worked with RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales) since 2017, including discussions with RISM members on database structures and protocols (such as MARC standards for music) while preparing the Canons Database (www.canons.org.au), one of the major outputs of his ARC-funded research

• Dr Collins has worked with Intersect Australia (NSW) on the design, construction and implementation of the Canons Database

• Dr Levitsky partners with the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, cataloguing and curating mediaeval musical manuscript fragments

• Performance and composition staff partner with a wide range of industry and commercial entities in creating new recordings (for example Decca, Naxos, ABS Classics) and live performance experiences (for example many festivals and concert promoters nationally and internationally).

• Professor Viney’s series of articles for The Conversation have been republished in outlets such as Time and Newsweek, with a readership of over three-quarters of a million.

The School has partnered with QMF for over a decade, including a strong research focus as well as regional capacity-building projects in Torres Strait Islands and Cape York communities. The projects in Far North Queensland encompassed creative and cultural collaboration and the establishment of a formal music education program for remote schools. The School of Music’s leadership contributed expertise, research capabilities and the participation of leading performers, as well as learning experiences for music students as mentors. UQ students who were engaged through remote experiences have gone on to serve in regional and remote communities where they have built successful music education programs. Greater awareness of the challenges faced by teachers based in regional and remote communities has led to an increase in peer-to-peer mentoring and informal support networks. Importantly, we have seen several years of students from regional and remote communities graduating from participating schools in both Cape York and the Torres Strait, who have realised the benefits of formal music education as they transition into further study away from their communities, such as increased confidence and positive peer networks developed through music camps and experiences.

The current focus of the partnership with QMF revolves around major projects led by Dr Klein, specifically City Symphony and CAHF projects.

3.5.4 Research Training

The School has long supported a thriving HDR culture, with a commitment to excellence in research training and preparation for diverse career paths. The School values and supports an inclusive research culture and promotes a sense of belonging through partnered learning, research and leadership opportunities across undergraduate and postgraduate spheres. Cross and interdisciplinary HDR research aligns with the School’s diversity and our research and supervisory practices take various forms, from solo enterprise through to laboratorystyle collaborative groups.

Long-term strengths in musicology, composition and music education have been a feature of the School of Music HDR environment. More recently, artistic research in performance, music technology and the psychology of music disciplines have seen growth in HDR enrolments. Artistic research in performance at the PhD level has seen particular growth, with the first PhD in Music Performance awarded in 2014.

In addition to standard thesis formats, both the MPhil and PhD offer alternate music thesis formats. The alternate music thesis formats allow for research outcomes in the form of a folio of creative work and critical exegesis related to the folio. Principal areas of discovery are in performance, composition or music media, with scope for potential hybrid and cross-disciplinary approaches. The purpose of the folio of creative work is to realise the primary research activity, and the folio of creative work is the outcome of the research. The purpose of the exegesis is to provide a scholarly context and framework by which to fully understand the folio of creative work as the research outcome.

In some disciplines, academic staff recruit and accept HDR students whose work closely aligns with the academic’s own research, creating opportunities to collaborate and occasionally co-publish. This contributes to an efficient and self-sustaining research culture in those disciplines. Performance and composition HDR culture has been less successful in replicating this pattern, and the School seeks to encourage a similar approach in those disciplines.

3.5.4.1 HDR Student Cohort

The HDR community is close-knit, with various cohort and community-building activities designed to create a collegial atmosphere. The School develops its HDR students through a seminar series and linking with Faculty and Central research initiatives such as the Three-Minute Thesis competition, career development opportunities and support services. Each year, 2 HDR students volunteer to organise (under the supervision of the Director of HDR) a HDR Symposium, usually scheduled in early December.

As of September 2022, the HDR cohort is predominantly female (67%), domestic (85%) and full-time (74%).

3.5.4.2 HDR Advising and Support

The School is currently focused on incorporating new processes for candidature progress reviews, aligning with the expectations of the UQ Graduate School and its new policies.

Not all academic staff have doctorates, and one DMA-qualified academic is Teaching Focused, so the pool of PhD principal advisors is limited to 9 out of 12 continuing academics. The 2 continuing academics without doctorates have research masters qualifications and can act as associate advisors. The School also partners with academics at other Schools at UQ and other universities in some instances.

The School supports HDR students to present their research at international conferences. In 2022, 12 HDR students presented at the International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference. All confirmed candidates can access up to $2,000 (for PhD) or $1,000 (for MPhil) of research support funding over the duration of their HDR candidature. The funding is for students to undertake research activities that enhance their research project, present their research at conferences and carry out other activities relating to their project. Other HDR scholarships include the Nancy Jones Travelling Scholarship and the Ronald Douglas Kitchen Scholarship, both with a value of $10,000 in 2022.

3.5.5 Emerging Priorities in Research

The School of Music can celebrate strong research performance since the last review, realised through its vibrant and diverse high quality music research outcomes. This performance is generated by a small team of researchers who carry high teaching and music engagement workloads. The School’s true research performance is not fully reflected in university systems, significant improvements to eSpace in recent years notwithstanding. At the same time, the School must find ways to better articulate and communicate its research achievements and directions. Our research capacity has been diminished through staff departures, with the impact of

COVID-19 increasing pressure on remaining staff. Additionally, a high level of performance engagement activity impacts the amount of overall research capacity in the School.

Going forward, the School’s research strategy focuses on:

• leveraging CAHF’s next phase and its potential for School of Music researchers

• researcher development and mentoring

• seeking new income streams in response to a challenging funding environment

• effectively capturing and communicating research performance, impact and engagement

• efficiently managing HDR supervision and administrative load.

More broadly, the School also aspires to grow its research capacity through future appointments.

3.6 Engagement

The School of Music has an important role to play in the UQ Strategic Plan, in which engagement is part of Enriching our Communities. The Plan states:

We seek to enrich communities here in Queensland, and around the world. Our commitments to leading reconciliation, global development and capacity building, broadening access to education and leveraging our research impact to strengthen the economy demonstrate just some of the ways in which we will deliver for the public good.

In the background are several UQ priorities, including the Queensland Commitment, UQ Sustainability Strategy (embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals), UQ’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan application, and UQ’s commitment to bringing partners and community onto campus.

The School’s community engagement falls into three broad categories:

• Performance (including the ViceChancellor’s Concerts, and ‘Live at UQ’ Concert Series)

• Research (including QMF, creative works research, public lectures)

• Teaching (including regional tours, local masterclasses at schools)

The School has significant discretionary resources to support its engagement activities, including:

• The Kinnane Bequest – $204K in 2022, currently supports the vacant Indigenous Postdoctoral role

• The Sleath Bequest – $39K in 2022, currently supports the UQ Symphony Orchestra conductor role

• Concerts Operating – $195K in 2022, currently supports the Concerts and Engagement Officer role (33% of professional continuing staff team).

Because the School is viewed positively within UQ for its contributions to the cultural life of the campus through its performances, the School tends to use these resources to support performance engagement, which has been prioritised ahead of other forms of engagement activity. With this in mind, the School plans to broaden and diversify its strategic use of the Kinnane bequest so that other areas of the School can expand engagement activity.

3.6.1 Partnerships

The School of Music engages in a wide range of partnered activity that encompasses and overlaps teaching and research domains. It is a highly connected School, with all staff working closely with industry, professional or community partners in some way. Major partners include:

• Opera Queensland (OQ)

• Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO)

• Queensland Music Festival (QMF)

The partnership with OQ includes access for UQ singers to rehearsal and performance facilities on the OQ premises and learning experiences with OQ staff. In addition, the School has collaborated with OQ on major projects, including the Festival of Outback Opera in Longreach and Winton (2022) and a performance at Urban Art Project in 2021 that combined music by Monteverdi with new works by UQ composition students, performed by professionals alongside UQ vocal and instrumental students.

The partnership with QSO is over 5 years old, and now features major side-by-side performance projects where scheduling permits. Planning is underway for a new phase of partnership – a 3 way collaboration between UQ, Griffith University and QSO –to develop a postgraduate orchestral training program.

While the partnership with QMF has primarily focused on research, there has been extensive performance-oriented activity as well. Twilight in the Red Box was a series of concerts held at the State Library of Queensland between 2015 and 2019. The annual concert series was conceptualised by Mr Patrick Murphy and included UQ Chamber Singers, UQ Pulse Chamber Orchestra, and selected string students from the School of Music. Each year, Mr Murphy’s program explored topical themes through the music of renowned Australian and international composers in an eclectic program that included reflections on the past, present and future through current issues, such as domestic violence, migration and Indigenous voices. Introduced in 2015, this concert series was well-received by audiences and cultural stakeholders and became an annual event that continued until COVID-19 disrupted QMF’s activities in 2020.

The School has close ties with 4MBS Classic FM radio station, including collaboration on performance events in the Festival of Classics, as well as a monthly show called “Music from UQ” presented by School staff members.

In 2022 the School entered into a partnership with Yamaha Music Australia, designed to enhance the outcomes for future high school instrumental music teachers, whereby Yamaha sponsored the teaching of Rob McWilliams for a semester. Discussions are underway regarding future growth of the partnership.

3.6.2 Performance Engagement

Public engagement through performance is one of the School’s most substantial forms of activity. It plays a vital role in campus life and in the region more broadly through its annual program of performances. Lunchtime concerts have been a feature of the School since the late 1960s, with larger-scale orchestral and choral performances held in Mayne Hall from 1972 until its redevelopment in 2004. The UQ Symphony Orchestra now performs in the

Queensland Performing Arts Centre concert hall at South Bank, with recent years seeing a return to the UQ Centre for some large-scale performances on campus. Other regularly used venues include UQ Art Museum, UQ Customs House and St John’s Cathedral.

Student ensembles include:

• UQ Symphony Orchestra

• UQ Chamber Singers (choral focus)

• Pulse Chamber Orchestra

• UQ Singers (opera focus)

• Sketch (contemporary focus)

• SignWaves (flute ensemble)

Various student performance activities also occur in the Technology course sequence and research space. For example, live performances by students for assessment in MUSC2010 (Music Technology for Live Performance) in the Red Room (preCOVID-19) and in the Music Student Common Room (during COVID-19).

In 2020, the School formalised its relationship with a number of affiliate ensembles, including the UQ Big Band, the Seven Sopranos, Nonsemble, and Dots+Loops. These groups include current and former students, and members of the broader music community.

3.6.3 Professional and Industry Links

Staff are involved with various professional and industry groups, particularly in terms of music education. As examples:

• Dr Perry has been a Board member of the Australian Music Examinations Board (QLD) since January 2021. He has also acted as a consultant for the AMEB –authoring handbooks for the grade books: Piano for Leisure, series 4 (2017); Piano, series 18 (2018); Violin, series 10 (2021). He is currently serving as a consultant on a project to revise the Theory curriculum for AMEB. Dr Perry also served on a Queensland Curriculum and Assessment External Assessment Scrutiny Panel for Music and Music Extension in 2022. Dr Perry has given frequent pre-concert talks for the QSO since 2012.

• Professor Viney has served on the Council of the Music Teachers Association of Queensland since 2016. He also served on the organising committee for the 2019 Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference (held at UQ).

• Dr Broughton chaired the 3rd Conference of the Australian Music and Psychology Society incorporating the 5th International Conference on Music and Emotion at UQ in 2017.

• Dr Morton served on the National Council of the Royal School of Church Music, including involvement with Queensland InSpires (National Conference of the RSCM, postponed 2 years running and now scheduled for July 2023).

• As an Ableton Certified Trainer, Dr Klein regularly consults with Ableton on education and music technology.

Many staff are regularly engaged as professional musical artists. As examples:

• Associate Professor Chalabi and Mr Murphy are core members of Tinalley String Quartet. Mr Murphy has appeared with the Australian World Orchestra and was a longtime member of Southern Cross Soloists. Mr Chalabi has been Guest Concertmaster of Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria.

• Dr Brown regularly appears in important roles in mainstage Opera Queensland productions.

• Dr Morton is Director of Music at St John’s Cathedral and Artistic Director of the Brisbane Chamber Choir.

• Dr Davidson is a founding member of internationally recognised new music ensemble Topology.

• The Viney-Grinberg Duo are active nationally and internationally, with CD releases on Naxos, ABC Classics and Tall Poppies.

3.6.4 Alumni and Community Links

The School’s primary mechanism for engaging with alumni and community is through its significant performance engagement activity. This activity attracts alumni participation through collaborative performances, or appreciative reception as audience members. Another important outlet is UQ Friends of Music, which provides connection points between staff, students and alumni of the School of Music, a broad community of music appreciation, and opportunities to engage with local and international artists visiting UQ.

Friends of Music was established in 2015 by graduates with an interest in music and was intended to be driven by volunteers for the purpose of developing stronger connections with UQ current students, graduates and the wider community. In practice, the principal driver has been the Director of Performance. The School plans to review the effectiveness of Friends of Music as part of its post-review implementation process.

The School is fortunate to enjoy support from a range of community and alumni groups. UQ’s Alumni Friends has donated $75,000 since 2009 to support the School’s QPAC performances, and Ray White Clayfield supported post-concert reception functions at QPAC from the early 2000s until 2019.

The School offers students a range of performance and composition prizes, many supported by donations. The School has worked to ensure that all student cohorts have access to some form of prize, including chamber music groups and collaborative piano.

The School of Music is highly engaged with high schools in the Brisbane region. It has articulated relationships with St Peters Lutheran College, Brisbane South State Secondary College, and Kenmore State High School. Staff have individual connections with many dozens of other schools, including in regional Queensland. That said, the School of Music’s profile needs to be raised and a strategy of regular school visits is being designed in collaboration with Yamaha Music Australia.

3.6.5 Internationalisation

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the School of Music maintains a highly internationalised student cohort (especially in the MMus), strong international links between individual staff members and overseas researchers and musicians, and a number of institutional links. The pandemic has impacted the School’s ability to maintain and nourish those connections, and our current focus is to re-vitalise existing links while growing new relationships.

The international make-up of the MMus, with 100% of international enrolments currently from China, has been driven by the School’s engagement via a number of mechanisms. As well as several visits to various institutions by staff over the last decade, the School has had ongoing relationships with the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra, Shaanxi Normal University, and Hong Kong Baptist University.

Up to 30 students and staff members from the School of Music toured Xi’an in 2017, 2018 and 2019, where Dane Lam is Chief Conductor of the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra. UQ musicians work closely with the orchestra over a week of rehearsals leading up to a major public performance. These visits allowed further connections to be made at local music institutions and, in late 2022, the School will host two visiting scholars from Shaanxi Normal University.

From 2023, a masters dual degree arrangement will be in place with Hong Kong Baptist University Department of Music, allowing students from either institution to complete a year of education in the other location, obtaining a second masters qualification.

Internally, the School has endeavoured to broaden the MMus curriculum to be accommodating of the more diverse student cohort, as well adjusting assessment, calibration and research training. The School has also invested in support mechanisms for international students including an academic writing course, cohort activities and the use of blackboard sites.

The School plans to diversify its student-facing engagement beyond China, with Vietnam identified as a country of promise for music. In terms of domestic students and their access to international experiences, for many years our BMus(Hons) students were unable to access study-abroad opportunities because of year-long core courses in performance. By moving to semester-long performance courses in 2020, students will now be able to undertake semester-long study abroad opportunities without significantly delaying their graduation.

In research, the School’s international collaborations are primarily driven by individual researchers and their networks. Our staff have teaching and research partnerships with:

• NYU Steinhardt School

• Sibelius Academy

• Cambridge University

• Aarhas University

• Oslo Conservatoire

• Princeton University

• University of Leeds

• Liverpool Hope University

• McGill University

• Choral Directors Association (Singapore)

Our performance and composition staff are internationally connected with a range of performers, ensembles and organisations. The School has been a member of the Association Européenne des Conservatoires for some years but has had minimal engagement with the organisation to date. This November the Head of School will attend the Annual Congress and General Assembly in order to establish connections with this network.

As part of the School’s plan to increase its international collaborations, we will focus on building meaningful and productive relationships with our overseas honorary staff members.

3.6.6 Emerging Priorities in Engagement

In reviewing the School’s engagement activity, a number of themes have emerged. Our profile is significantly bound up with extensive performance activity, creating an opportunity to enhance the profile of other areas of the School. Partnerships are often driven by individual staff members, partly due to our disciplinary diversity, creating an opportunity for more coordination at the School level. The School’s best internationalisation opportunities still lie in China and Hong Kong, but there is a need to diversify engagement, with possibilities to be explored in Vietnam and the Indo-Pacific (aligning with UQ’s strategic plan), the United States and Europe. The School also plans to review the aims and effectiveness of its current approach to the Friends of Music. Priorities in engagement, going forward, therefore include:

• diversifying the distribution of Kinnane support throughout the School

• pursuing partnership and philanthropic opportunities to support staffing capacity

• reviewing the Friends of Music activity and support

• growing the School’s international links.