Other Projects

Behind the music

Bringing together a team of high level practitioners, music researchers, and technologists, the project Behind the music: The performer as researcher aims to bring greater clarity in the field of artistic practice as research. By tracing decision-making processes leading up to seven carefully selected and closely monitored performances of western art music, this project will identify and clarify core research components of musicians’ performance practices.

Outcomes will contribute to our understanding of excellent performances, inform learning trajectories for emerging musicians, and provide guidelines for universities and governments struggling with negotiation the position of the arts in the research landscape.

Captive audiences

Captive audiences: Performing arts in Australian prisons is a research project that aims to develop models for the performing arts in prisons, based on Australian and international precedents. Outcomes will include an overview of approaches, practices and results of current models; in-depth case studies of current Australian practices; and a model to inform future practices, with a focus on Queensland.

Music Teachers Oz

Music Teachers Oz is an initiative that offers a new approach to music teacher education, created in response to the National Review of School Music Education. As part of the project, a Music Teachers Oz website was developed and launched where pre-service teachers are asked to engage with case studies, and teachers, music teacher educators and anyone interested in music education can find resources, news on various topics, and get involved in discussions.

This online initiative bridges the gaps between research and teaching. In addition to the development of new curriculum models and the provision of contextualised teacher education, the project also serves to decrease academic isolation through collaboration between academics, teachers and pre-service teachers.

eMERGe

eMERGe is a Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre initiative that aims to build a digital infrastructure for collaborative research in music teaching and learning. As an intercampus, interfaculty, national and international hub, eMERGe will enable the development of significant projects in the field of music education, such as those currently being undertaken with QCRC partners International Society for Music Education, International Music Council/UNESCO, Carrick Institute for Higher Education, Gender Research in Music Education, and Cultural Diversity in Music Education.

The pilot stage in 2008 focuses on developing a suite comprising a wiki, a discussion board, and a document repository. Plans are in place for further interactive websites, podcasts, and videostreaming, building on and with the IMERSD and Digital Arts programs.

Being well, playing better

In collaboration with the National Council of Tertiary Music Institutions, QCRC is steering a national initiative to address some of the most urgent issues surrounding musicians' health in tertiary institutions. The project is an outcome of the 2007 national NACTMUS conference in Brisbane, where musicians' health was highlighted as a key area of concern. 

Since then, QCRC has implemented several concrete initiatives towards tertiary music students' health and well-being. These include the distribution to all first-year students of information and resources relating to their health as musicians; a student seminar during Queensland Conservatorium Project Week in Semester 2, 2008, held by Jim Bostock (physiotherapist with The Queensland Orchestra); and the creation of an online health and wellbeing forum for all Australian tertiary music students. Documents relating to the project, and further information, are available by contacting QCRC.

Sharing the podium

Sharing the Podium: Peer learning in professional conducting is a QCRC and Young Conservatorium project that is exploring the dynamics of collaborative relationships in conducting, using practice-led, peer-evaluative and self-reflective research. Further research and international collaborations with the UK are planned for 2009.