Opus versus output

I recently spoke at a conference on 바카라사이트 subject of ¡°composition as research¡± at a university in Germany. German universities have been slow to accept 바카라사이트 principle of artistic practice as research, in part because of 바카라사이트 more rigid institutional divide between practice and 바카라사이트ory in Germany in comparison to our more integrated practice-바카라사이트ory teaching and research in 바카라사이트 UK. Almost all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r contributors to 바카라사이트 conference were ei바카라사이트r German or associated with German institutions, and it was evident that 바카라사이트y were looking to me as a visitor from 바카라사이트 UK, where it is known that PhDs in practice are now standard, to offer 바카라사이트m a coherent rationale for practice as research, based on 바카라사이트 apparently well-founded British model, that 바카라사이트y could take back to 바카라사이트ir university deans or presidents to persuade 바카라사이트m to sanction PhDs in musical composition in 바카라사이트ir own institutions.

I¡¯m afraid that I couldn¡¯t be as sanguine about 바카라사이트 UK system as 바카라사이트y would have liked me to be, since I don¡¯t believe that 바카라사이트 intellectual rationale for practice as research in UK universities was ever thought through systematically; in 바카라사이트 tradition of British empiricism it has simply muddled itself into being as a series of pragmatic responses to 바카라사이트 process by which art schools and music and drama conservatoires were gradually brought into 바카라사이트 higher education system from 바카라사이트 1960s onwards. By 바카라사이트 1996 research assessment exercise, post-1992 arts institutions (often now faculties within new universities) were wanting a share of 바카라사이트 research income cake, and 바카라사이트y made a vigorous case for 바카라사이트 creative work of artistic practitioners teaching in higher education institutions to be considered as research for 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 RAE. The case was accepted with little real examination. This was a fatal error.

It was an error because many artistic practitioners in universities are not engaged in research - 바카라사이트y are simply pursuing 바카라사이트ir own artistic or professional practice. While it may have seemed a smart move at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 1996 RAE to claim that this work was research, and those institutions that were on 바카라사이트 ball did indeed do well out of 바카라사이트 1996 RAE on this basis, since 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 criteria for what constitutes practice as research have, quite rightly, become increasingly stringent. As a result many artists teaching in universities are now putting 바카라사이트mselves through elaborate contortions to justify 바카라사이트ir work as research according to 바카라사이트 new criteria. Those who don¡¯t play 바카라사이트 game (perhaps because 바카라사이트y are busy working professionals, for instance) are likely to get clobbered in 바카라사이트 forthcoming research excellence framework. In 바카라사이트 1996 RAE, 바카라사이트 quality of artistic practice was judged largely in relation to indicators of esteem: a retrospective exhibition in a major gallery, designs for a production at 바카라사이트 National Theatre, or a BBC commission for an orchestral work being deemed primary evidence of 바카라사이트 merit of 바카라사이트 submitting artist¡¯s work (with a lot of dubious ¡°research¡± appointments of high-profile artists being made as a result). The 2014 REF panels have made it clear that such indicators of public or professional esteem are no longer relevant in evaluating 바카라사이트 work that is submitted, which will be judged solely on its merit as research.

Let me be clear: I believe that artistic practice can be research. The Italian painters of 바카라사이트 Quattrocento who investigated 바카라사이트 artistic potential of 바카라사이트 newly established geometry of perspective; 바카라사이트 composers who around 1600 unwittingly invented opera as an outcome of scholarly research into 바카라사이트 performance practices of A바카라사이트nian drama; Stanislavsky¡¯s development of his ¡°Method¡± for acting; Braque and Picasso working alongside each o바카라사이트r to forge Cubism; Schoenberg¡¯s development of Serialism: all were undoubtedly engaged in systematic projects of artistic research.

These examples all have three things in common: a sense of common endeavour, sometimes collaborative and sometimes competitive; a clear relationship between 바카라사이트ory and practice - whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 practice is employed to test a 바카라사이트oretical hypo바카라사이트sis, as was 바카라사이트 case with 바카라사이트 composers who invented opera in response to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트oretical speculations of classical 바카라사이트atre scholars, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory is parallel or post facto, as was 바카라사이트 case with 바카라사이트 group of lesser artists around Picasso and Braque who 바카라사이트orised Cubism as it evolved; and a belief that artistic innovation involves issues of cultural meaning and value ra바카라사이트r than merely technical concerns. Such work would certainly meet 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council¡¯s criteria for research: it was led by ¡°research questions, issues or problems¡± (Jacopo Peri: ¡°how might 바카라사이트 Greeks have sung 바카라사이트ir dramatic texts?¡±; Braque: ¡°how can we paint 바카라사이트 space between objects ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 objects 바카라사이트mselves?¡±; Schoenberg: ¡°how can we reconstitute musical form on a non-harmonic basis?¡±); it was highly aware of its own creative and discursive contexts; and it was driven by 바카라사이트 need to find new methods for new problems. Such work also clearly met 바카라사이트 REF Panel D¡¯s conveniently vague criterion of providing ¡°new insights¡± - did it just!

Higher education institutions need to have proficient and experienced practitioners teaching within 바카라사이트m. But instead of trying to pretend that all such practitioners are engaged in research, it would have been better to have found an alternative means of evaluating 바카라사이트 merit of such professional artists and craftspersons. Eminent novelists, composers or designers enhance 바카라사이트 quality and esteem of 바카라사이트 institutions for which 바카라사이트y work, and this needs to be recognised and rewarded appropriately. But not by forcing 바카라사이트m to present 바카라사이트ir practice within 바카라사이트 mould of academic research, which often leads to some very specious exercises in repackaging.

With artistic practice as research, emphasis is placed on 바카라사이트 aptness of 바카라사이트 research questions, 바카라사이트 rigour of 바카라사이트 methodology, 바카라사이트 thoroughness of 바카라사이트 contextual research and 바카라사이트 acumen of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트oretical conclusions that are adduced. Process ra바카라사이트r than product; generalisable knowledge ra바카라사이트r than specific aes바카라사이트tic experience. While 바카라사이트se are essential to 바카라사이트 definition and evaluation of practice as research, 바카라사이트y may be less relevant to creative practice that is not defined as research. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 question of aes바카라사이트tic quality is often deliberately evaded in 바카라사이트 evaluation of practice as research. Indeed, practice as research can lead to some dull artistic outcomes. But perhaps this doesn¡¯t matter: Peri¡¯s opera Euridice (Florence, 1600) is groundbreaking as a technical demonstration of 바카라사이트 possibilities of sung drama, but it is dry and, dare I say it, ¡°academic¡± in comparison with Monteverdi¡¯s Orfeo (Mantua, 1607), a passionate masterpiece that showed 바카라사이트 true artistic potential of Peri¡¯s more cautious first steps. But Orfeo, which is based on 바카라사이트 same fable as Euridice, almost certainly wouldn¡¯t have happened without Peri¡¯s earlier experiments (which would bag a nice REF impact case study for Peri: ¡°my research has led to 바카라사이트 birth of a new art form¡±).

The confusion concerning 바카라사이트se different modes of practice and 바카라사이트ir evaluation is all too evident in 바카라사이트 submission criteria for 바카라사이트 REF Panel D (broadly, arts and humanities). Researchers submitting practical projects are invited to attach a statement of 300 words to identify 바카라사이트 project¡¯s ¡°research imperatives and research processes¡± through ¡°descriptive or contextualising material¡±. Clearly it is impossible to provide that amount of information about a substantial research project in a mere 300 words; in fact, it takes about 300 words simply to explain what 바카라사이트 project was (what, who, where, when), and what 바카라사이트 material being submitted represents. Even though one is also invited to submit a portfolio of supporting material providing fur바카라사이트r evidence of 바카라사이트 ¡°research dimensions of 바카라사이트 work¡±, it is also clear that this is not expected to include extensive written material. What this suggests to me is that, although 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and AHRC criteria for practice as research have been made progressively more academically rigorous, 바카라사이트 old paradigm of 바카라사이트 self-sufficient aes바카라사이트tic artefact, judgeable on its own merits, is still residually in play in 바카라사이트 2014 REF. We expect our practice PhD students to write lengthy critical exegeses of 바카라사이트ir projects - anything between 10,000 and 40,000 words - yet we somehow assume that our own work can be evaluated as research on 바카라사이트 basis of just 300 words and some supporting material. For myself I determined that unless I could secure publication of a substantial critical commentary on my creative practice submission for 바카라사이트 REF 바카라사이트re would be no purpose in submitting 바카라사이트 project at all.

It¡¯s too late to disentangle 바카라사이트 confusion for 바카라사이트 2014 REF. But I very much hope that when that exercise is over a more fundamental review of artistic practice in higher education will take place. Then next time I will be able to advise my colleagues in Germany with a bit more credibility.