Communicative human musicality: A cross-cultural comparative study of dance, singing and musical instrument skills in 12-15 year olds. The project aims to investigate musicality as a positive bodily, mental, social educational experience, and so fits with National Research Priority 2. It will develop international links and offer potential for understanding ethnic groups, and contribute also to areas of social policy by suggesting recommendations specific to children. By stimulating a theorisati ....Communicative human musicality: A cross-cultural comparative study of dance, singing and musical instrument skills in 12-15 year olds. The project aims to investigate musicality as a positive bodily, mental, social educational experience, and so fits with National Research Priority 2. It will develop international links and offer potential for understanding ethnic groups, and contribute also to areas of social policy by suggesting recommendations specific to children. By stimulating a theorisation of music as a social science, it will generate new research, and bring important unpublished materials to the academic community. Forging international collaborations and stimulating postgraduate study, the project will place UWA at the cutting edge of international scholarship.
Read moreRead less
Transformations from Renaissance to Baroque: The Cultural and Musical Significance of Giovanni Gabrieli. The Western European tradition forms a significant part of Australia's culture, and it is important that Australians are contributors to the extension of this tradition as well as being consumers. This project will discover new music and materials that will be of immense interest to many Australians, and it will make its discoveries known in an accessible way that meets the demand in Austral ....Transformations from Renaissance to Baroque: The Cultural and Musical Significance of Giovanni Gabrieli. The Western European tradition forms a significant part of Australia's culture, and it is important that Australians are contributors to the extension of this tradition as well as being consumers. This project will discover new music and materials that will be of immense interest to many Australians, and it will make its discoveries known in an accessible way that meets the demand in Australian society. My leadership in Renaissance music studies, especially Gabrieli, is contributing to Australia's involvement in the dynamic, international revival of early music, as well as facilitating telecasts, broadcasts, concerts and recordings.Read moreRead less
Developing techniques for evolutionary music. Traditional compositional conventions do not meet the needs of contemporary composers who are increasingly working in non-linear media, such as DVDs, the Internet, video games, and mobile phones. This research will create a new class of algorithmic music techniques inspired by evolutionary processes to meet these challenges. While exploring new musical techniques, this research will provide new insights into the applicability of theoretical principle ....Developing techniques for evolutionary music. Traditional compositional conventions do not meet the needs of contemporary composers who are increasingly working in non-linear media, such as DVDs, the Internet, video games, and mobile phones. This research will create a new class of algorithmic music techniques inspired by evolutionary processes to meet these challenges. While exploring new musical techniques, this research will provide new insights into the applicability of theoretical principles from biological evolution and artificial life to support human creativity.Read moreRead less
Islam and Ideologies of War, Gender and Class as Determinants of Musical Identity in Twentieth Century Aceh, Indonesia. In the colonial and postcolonial periods, the natural wealth and strategic location of Aceh province brought it fame, foreign contact and frequent war, yet its cultural expressions - which can help explain Acehnese behaviour and the current war situation - are poorly known. Aceh's musical identity is determined by intersections between the music's internal syntax and extramusic ....Islam and Ideologies of War, Gender and Class as Determinants of Musical Identity in Twentieth Century Aceh, Indonesia. In the colonial and postcolonial periods, the natural wealth and strategic location of Aceh province brought it fame, foreign contact and frequent war, yet its cultural expressions - which can help explain Acehnese behaviour and the current war situation - are poorly known. Aceh's musical identity is determined by intersections between the music's internal syntax and extramusical associations arising from ideologies and functions of religion, combat, gender and class; history of noble and religious leadership; and social change. New theories are presented that relate musical style to the ideologies and explain the performing arts' fusion of indigenous, Arabic and other foreign elements.Read moreRead less
Smart Music: Combining music perception and algorithmic composition. Music is an important aspect of Australian culture and a key driver of the creative industries. A better understanding of music will provide the basis for enhanced computer music techniques that support creative musicians, result in more efficient music production, and lead to the creation of interesting new music. This project connects Australian and International researchers in a world-leading team to produce "smart" compute ....Smart Music: Combining music perception and algorithmic composition. Music is an important aspect of Australian culture and a key driver of the creative industries. A better understanding of music will provide the basis for enhanced computer music techniques that support creative musicians, result in more efficient music production, and lead to the creation of interesting new music. This project connects Australian and International researchers in a world-leading team to produce "smart" computer software that can make music using many of the same techniques as the human mind. Tools based on this research could be applied to assist with music education or be used by professional musicians to improve their music enterprises.Read moreRead less
Transformations from Renaissance to Baroque: The Cultural and Musical Significance of Giovanni Gabrieli. Giovanni Gabrieli was a major composer at the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque. His polychoral music is glorious and his innovations in musical form and style gave rise to major developments in the seventeenth century and beyond. This research will involve in-depth study of Gabrieli and his music in the extraordinarily rich environment of Venice. Libraries will be sear ....Transformations from Renaissance to Baroque: The Cultural and Musical Significance of Giovanni Gabrieli. Giovanni Gabrieli was a major composer at the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque. His polychoral music is glorious and his innovations in musical form and style gave rise to major developments in the seventeenth century and beyond. This research will involve in-depth study of Gabrieli and his music in the extraordinarily rich environment of Venice. Libraries will be searched for lost compositions. Gabrieli's music will be more fully understood, and this research will lead to worldwide performance of his works. Read moreRead less
Artistic signatures in violin playing on sound recordings: What makes the performance of a prominent violinist recognizable and legendary? The project's comprehensive account of performance styles in the age of recording will provide significant new knowledge in several respects: The examination of the relationship between the record industry and classical music practitioners will inform about cultural responsibilities, changing taste and the impact of technology on art. The systematic analyses ....Artistic signatures in violin playing on sound recordings: What makes the performance of a prominent violinist recognizable and legendary? The project's comprehensive account of performance styles in the age of recording will provide significant new knowledge in several respects: The examination of the relationship between the record industry and classical music practitioners will inform about cultural responsibilities, changing taste and the impact of technology on art. The systematic analyses of renowned violinists' (including two Australians') recordings will demonstrate the richness and diversity of valid artistic approaches to standard pieces. This will encourage emerging talent to explore the full gamut of expressive and technical means in creating unique and convincing interpretations to invigorate the appeal of classical music in Australia.Read moreRead less
Policy Notes: Local Popular Music in Global Creative Economies. In providing the first comprehensive analysis of how music policy is created, the project assesses the viability of local music industries in a time of rapid, global technological change. It forges new ways of planning the different needs of producers, audiences and government in cultural production; and contribute to the economic and cultural health of Australian popular music industries. The project fills a major gap in Australian ....Policy Notes: Local Popular Music in Global Creative Economies. In providing the first comprehensive analysis of how music policy is created, the project assesses the viability of local music industries in a time of rapid, global technological change. It forges new ways of planning the different needs of producers, audiences and government in cultural production; and contribute to the economic and cultural health of Australian popular music industries. The project fills a major gap in Australian and international cultural policy studies in relation to the effectiveness of popular music policy and practice, particularly for industries situated outside the predominant centres of music production in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.Read moreRead less
From Muslim devotions to global niveau: the art of body percussion music as expression of cultural memory in Aceh and the diasporas. After Aceh's tsunami tragedy, Australia/ns pledged large amounts of money and effort to collaborate in rebuilding the devastated province. Results of this project can help us approach reconstruction in a more culturally sensitive way. Challenging stereotypes of Acehnese as fanatical and potentially hostile, the project can help explain Aceh's strong commitment to ....From Muslim devotions to global niveau: the art of body percussion music as expression of cultural memory in Aceh and the diasporas. After Aceh's tsunami tragedy, Australia/ns pledged large amounts of money and effort to collaborate in rebuilding the devastated province. Results of this project can help us approach reconstruction in a more culturally sensitive way. Challenging stereotypes of Acehnese as fanatical and potentially hostile, the project can help explain Aceh's strong commitment to Islam, pride in its great cultural achievements, and the continuing war. Improved bilateral and people-to-people relations between Australians and Acehnese/Indonesians can facilitate a more confident and sympathetic interpretation of the needs of our national security. In addition, material results of the project will augment two National Collections.Read moreRead less
Female body percussion music as a contribution to cultural identity in western Aceh before and after the conflict and tsunami. This project contributes to the national priority of understanding our region and the world for the safeguarding of Australia. An intimate awareness of the intercultural contexts in which Australians work is essential to Australia's leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region. The deep understanding of Aceh's culture that this research will bring will assist Australia's o ....Female body percussion music as a contribution to cultural identity in western Aceh before and after the conflict and tsunami. This project contributes to the national priority of understanding our region and the world for the safeguarding of Australia. An intimate awareness of the intercultural contexts in which Australians work is essential to Australia's leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region. The deep understanding of Aceh's culture that this research will bring will assist Australia's ongoing engagement with Aceh after our post-tsunami aid involvement ends, and help us assess the success of Australia's billion dollar reconstruction efforts. Knowing how the female performing arts therapeutically aided the survivors of the conflict and tsunami will assist future disaster relief projects funded by Australia.Read moreRead less