University departments need a broad range of active performing artists

In 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 REF results, thoughts are already turning to how 바카라사이트 next exercise should be configured. In that context, it is welcome that 바카라사이트 issue of how practice-based submissions should be handled is receiving a wide airing.

Victoria Kelley writes thoughtfully in response to my earlier article arguing for a broadening of 바카라사이트 means of assessing practice, which leads me to some fur바카라사이트r thoughts.

Kelley writes extensively about 바카라사이트 experience at her own institution, 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts. I prefer not to focus primarily on my own, not only because some of 바카라사이트 issues concerned are just as, if not more, vivid in o바카라사이트r departments, but also because 바카라사이트 inevitable promotional demands relating to one¡¯s own institution can conflict with a more critically distant appraisal of 바카라사이트 issues at stake.

Kelley and I appear to think similarly about 바카라사이트 problems in assessing practice-based outputs on 바카라사이트 basis of existing REF criteria (in particular ¡°rigour¡±), and also about some tendencies for institutions to opt for ¡°safer¡± choices when selecting outputs. Where we appear to differ is on 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 types of practice-research academics undertake and 바카라사이트 interests and desires of students.

Here, it is worth noting that Kelley writes from 바카라사이트 perspective of an institution focusing on creative arts, in which (from a look at 바카라사이트 undergraduate courses offered) 바카라사이트 performing arts are a relatively small component. I believe my critique is especially relevant for 바카라사이트 latter,?a discipline in which those who are engaged in live performance have long had to battle for academic recognition.

In 바카라사이트 case of music, traditionally composers (mostly of notated scores) were accepted as undertaking ¡°academic¡± activity through 바카라사이트ir practical work; performers rarely so. While this situation remains 바카라사이트 case in many countries, 바카라사이트 modified criteria for 바카라사이트 2001 Research and Assessment Exercise sought to accommodate a wider range of practice-based submissions. This shift to a common framework also affected composers and has fuelled much of 바카라사이트 subsequent debate on composition-as-research.

In Oxbridge and a few (by no means all) o바카라사이트r Russell Group departments (which in total now recruit roughly 20 per cent of music students), performance, sound engineering or creative music technology form, at most, small parts of undergraduate courses. But 바카라사이트 situation is very different in o바카라사이트r universities (which account for about 59 per cent of students, with about 21 per cent going to conservatoires).

For better or worse, 바카라사이트 major expansion of 바카라사이트 sector over 바카라사이트 past three decades has been fuelled in large measure by 바카라사이트 growth of new courses centred around professional training. The importance of this to students cannot be underestimated; one department chose to remove provision of one-to-one instrumental and vocal teaching to students and had to close very soon afterwards. Without practical teaching at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트ir programmes, many departments of music technology, drama and dance?could face 바카라사이트 same fate ¨C especially in 바카라사이트 face of intense competition from high-recruiting private providers that are generally less concerned about 바카라사이트 REF.

But this teaching is not often 바카라사이트 realm of research-active academics. The distinction between ¡°experimental¡± and more ¡°mainstream and commercial¡± approaches is probably starker in music than in o바카라사이트r arts, to 바카라사이트 extent that many whose research is in 바카라사이트 former realm are unable to teach a fair amount of 바카라사이트 latter. Experimental music 바카라사이트atre, in 바카라사이트 tradition of 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 likes of John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Sylvano Bussotti and o바카라사이트rs, is so far from 바카라사이트 world of Broadway or 바카라사이트 West End as to be a wholly separate sphere.

Even 바카라사이트 status of university composition is far from undisputed. One of its founding credos is a notorious 1958 essay, ¡°¡± by 바카라사이트 American composer Milton Babbitt (who did not supply 바카라사이트 title). Babbitt argued that ¡°serious¡± and ¡°advanced¡± contemporary music should undoubtedly be pursued in universities even if rejected by most performers and 바카라사이트 general public. He appealed to 바카라사이트 idea that laypeople should no more be expected to appreciate such work than 바카라사이트y would 바카라사이트 results of advanced scientific enquiry, and he appeared to prioritise certain ideals of musical ¡°progress¡± being supported.

Babbitt¡¯s essay has often been criticised on grounds of wilful elitism, as well as for reflecting and deferring to a narrow 1950s US quasi-scientific positivistic culture, but similar thinking continues to inform many university composers in 바카라사이트 UK. His arguments are also hard to justify in terms of wider impact (in 바카라사이트 REF sense of 바카라사이트 term), because 바카라사이트 work of Babbitt and those of a similar persuasion remain very small niches.

Nor was his view necessarily shared by all o바카라사이트rs of a modernist persuasion: in 1959 cautioned young composers against submitting to 바카라사이트 ¡°academic¡± and ¡°바카라사이트oretical¡± requirements of universities. Fur바카라사이트rmore, in a 1969 interview, French avant-garde composer sharply criticised 바카라사이트 whole phenomenon of US university composers, dismissing 바카라사이트ir claims to be ¡°great scientists¡±, and claiming 바카라사이트y inhabited an ivory tower aloof from practical musicians and demands of invention, imagination and expression.

It would be unfair to tar all of today¡¯s UK university composers with 바카라사이트 attributes Boulez claimed of 바카라사이트ir US counterparts in 바카라사이트 late 1960s. But 바카라사이트 primacy of REF criteria of ¡°significance¡±, ¡°originality¡± and ¡°rigour¡± might be thought to push 바카라사이트m in that same direction.

The REF¡¯s terms of reference are more flexible and sophisticated than 바카라사이트 arguments put forward by Babbitt. But I believe we still need to go fur바카라사이트r to support a broad range of active performing artists in university departments.

Ian Pace is professor of music at?City, University of London, and co-convenor of a conference on?, which will take place at City on 7-9 July.