Monthly Archives: June 2019

Music Alumni Concert and Reception Evening

The City Music Department’s annual alumni event was held on Friday 24th May 2019, as part of the Summer Sounds Festival 2019.

The evening began with a concert featuring four of our outstanding pianist alumni, each of whom are variously established as concert soloists with international careers, as award-winning creative musicians, and as rising stars.

First on stage was Ben Smith (BMus, 2015), performing the extraordinary extended piece Phrygian Gates (1977-1978) by John Adams. This was followed by Ikuko Inoguchi (PhD, 2016) playing a series of pieces by Japanese composer Karen Tanaka (b.1961): Who Stole the Tarts? (2016), Water Dance I. Very lightly with flow (2011) and Crystalline II (1995).

Robert Mitchell introducing his set

Jazz pianist Robert Mitchell (BSc, 1993) then performed a solo set, followed by Clare Hammond (DMA, 2012) who completed the concert with a series of pieces around the theme of ‘bees’: Felix Mendelssohn’s The Bee’s Wedding (Op. 67 No. 4), Rimsky-Korsakov’s (arr. Rachmaninov) Flight of the Bumblebee and Ewan Campbell’s Flight of the Killer Bee (2013). Clare also performed the piece A Garland for Anne (2003) by City Professor Emeritus Rhian Samuel, who was also in attendance at the concert.

Clare Hammond

Dr Clare Hammond and Professor Rhian Samuel

 

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The evening ended with a drinks reception for alumni, final year music students and current and former staff.

Many thanks to all who attended, and to the alumni office for organising the evening, and of course to our amazing pianist alumni!

Current second and final year students enjoying the reception!

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC DOCTORAL PROGRAMME FEE WAIVERS

The Department of Music at City is offering two fee waivers for PhD studies commencing in September 2019 or January 2020. Enrolment can be on full-time or part-time basis.

While these fee waivers are open to all, we wish particularly to encourage applicants from under-represented groups at this level, or those considering doctoral studies who have taken non-traditional educational routes.

The Department combines world-leading research with exceptional teaching in performance, composition and musicology. We have one of the highest completion rates per member of staff of any music department in the UK.

For information about our PhD programme please visit:

https://www.city.ac.uk/courses/research-degrees/music

For details on staff research interests please visit:

https://www.city.ac.uk/arts-social-sciences/music#unit=staff

 

What is Offered

These awards will provide a full tuition-fee waiver for UK and EU students for the duration of the programme. Applications from overseas applicants are welcome, but the applicant must make appropriate arrangements to cover the difference between the overseas and UK tuition fee.

As part of our commitment to doctoral student training, you will also be eligible for appointment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and are likely to be offered teaching-related duties (to a maximum of 150 hours each year for full-time students). This work will be paid in full.

Eligibility

The studentships will be awarded on the basis of outstanding academic potential, and a record of achievement that evidences the capacity to successfully complete a programme of doctoral research.

  • Applicants whose first language is not English must have achieved at least 7.0 in IELTS or a recognised equivalent
  • Applicants must not be currently registered as a doctoral student at City, University of London, or any other academic institution

How to Apply

Applications must be made online using the link to the Music PhD programme page above, and with the materials requested on that page. Applicants are strongly advised to make contact with a potential supervisor prior to making an application.

Closing date: 23.59 on Monday 15th July 2019

For any enquiries, please email SASS-enquiries@city.ac.uk

Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum, 20th May 2019

On Monday 20th May, City hosted the bi-annual Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum study day, with speakers from the UK and abroad.

The morning sessions focused on Iran and included papers on Iranian film music, rave culture, experimental musical theatre and Iranian classical music.

The afternoon included papers on Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Muslim communities in Berlin.

The day ended with a drinks reception to mark the publication of Sense and Sadness: Syriac Chant in Aleppo by Tala Jarjour (2018, Oxford University Press).

The day also included a lunchtime musical origami session!

 

Darci Sprengel (University of Oxford): ‘Theorizing “Quiet”: Atmospheres of Sleep and Political Refusal in Post-Revolution Egypt’

 

 

 

 

Peter McMurray (University of Cambridge): ‘Listening with the Dead in Muslim Berlin (and Beyond)’

 

 

 

 

Laudan Nooshin (City, University of London): ‘The Phoenix of Persia: Introducing Primary School Children to Iranian Music’

 

 

 

The Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum has been running since 2007 and is open to researchers, students and anyone interested in the music and culture of the region. In the spirit of fostering dialogue and interdisciplinarity, we hope that the issues discussed at the forum will be of interest to a broad audience, including musicologists, ethnomusicologists and other researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences. In addition, we welcome those working on other aspects of Middle Eastern and Central Asian culture broadly speaking (dance, visual arts, media, film, literature, etc.).

The Forum is convened by Professor Laudan Nooshin, City, University of London (l.nooshin@city.ac.uk) and Dr Rachel Harris, SOAS, University of London (rh@soas.ac.uk).

 

 

Chi-Chi Nwanoku Delivers the Music Department 2019 Distinguished Lecture

On Tuesday May 28th 2019, the Music Department welcomed Chi-chi Nwanoku, OBE, to present the 2019 Distinguished Lecture.

Chi-chi talked about her work with the Chineke! Foundation, which she established in 2015 with the aim of increasing the representation of Black and ethnic minority musicians in British and European orchestras.

Chi-chi has been an inspirational figure and role model for those working towards greater inclusion, diversity and equality in the classical music world.

As well as her international performing career as a double bass soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player, Chi-chi is a broadcaster, teacher, board member and trustee of numerous organisations. Amongst many broadcasts, she presented a two-part series on BBC Radio 4 in 2015 entitled In Search of the Black Mozart, which explored the stories and music of black composers and musicians from the 18th century.

Chi-chi was awarded the MBE in 2001 and OBE in 2017 for Services to Music.

The talk was followed by a Q&A with the audience.

https://www.city.ac.uk/news/2019/may/chi-chi-nwanoku-obe-to-give-distinguished-lecture-on-improving-diversity-in-orchestras