Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications
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ItemNo Preview AvailableHigh levels of synaesthetic endorsement in a study on music listening styles(UK Synaesthesia Association and American Synesthesia Association, 2024)This presentation focuses on the discussion of a surprising result in a study investigating the association between endorsed synaesthetic experiences and music engagement and cognitive styles, in response to music listening: namely, the unusually high level of synaesthetic endorsement in a population of young adults. The sample comprised of 310 individuals aged 18-34 (M = 20.03, Mdn = 19, SD = 3.06), with 237 identifying their gender as female (76.50%). Participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire that included demographics, the musicianship module of the MUSEBAQ, the Music Engagement Test (MET), the short version of the MusicEmpathizing-Music-Systemizing Inventory (MEMS Inventory), and items from the Synesthesia Battery. Only complete responses were considered. In total, when asked directly about whether they had synaesthesia (n = 302), 196 participants said no (64.90%), 89 (29.50%) said they were not sure, and 17 (5.50%) said they were completely confident that they had synaesthesia. However, 61 of the people who were 'not sure' and a further 31 of the people who said 'no', did select 'yes' to at least one of the synaesthesia type questions. Therefore, for subsequent analyses, a binary classification based on whether the participants had endorsed none (n= 193) or at least one of the synaesthesia types (n= 109) was created. This unusually high endorsement of at least one type when presented with a full list of currently known types of synaesthesia suggests that one explicit question may not best capture individuals' experiences of synaesthesia or synaesthesia-like experiences in self-report measures. This finding also compels reflection on both population awareness of synaesthesia and how we, as researchers, classify synaesthetic experiences.
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Item4E Music Cognition in Theory and Practice(Open Book Publishers, 2024-06-20)Research in the Western Balkans and Western Europe Blanka Bogunović, Renee Timmers, Sanela Nikolić. Part 4 is entitled Psychology of musicians : From motivation and personality to addressing challenges and anxiety , and it consists of ...
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ItemThe HOMESIDE Study-A Research Project to Support People Living With Dementia and Their Family Caregivers: Preliminary Report on Reading Intervention(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2024)The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) can be challenging for family caregivers to cope with, leading to distress and fatigue. It is therefore important to offer effective strategies to reduce the impact of BPSD. The HOMESIDE randomized controlled trial (RCT) was testing purposefully developed interventions to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of dyads of people with dementia and family caregivers as a result of reduction of BPSD. HOMESIDE RCT was conducted in Australia, Germany, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom between 2019 and 2022. The study design was a three-arm parallel-group single-blinded, pragmatic RCT with a sample size of 432 dyads. Dyads were randomly allocated to one of three treatment conditions: Music Intervention plus Standard Care; or Reading Intervention plus Standard Care; or Standard Care only. The Reading Intervention (RI) within the HOMESIDE RCT aimed to evoke shared discussion, reminiscence, meaningful shared experiences and consequently enrich everyday life, interaction and the emotional connection between the caregiver (CG) and carereceiver (CR); as well as to enhance activities of daily living and to promote relaxation or stimulation as appropriate. This paper describes the underlying conceptual framework, the content, and delivery of the Reading Intervention within the HOMESIDE RCT.
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ItemThe Living Instruments Project: Sharing sounds of heritage instruments in the Grainger Museum Collection(Australasian Sound Recordings Association, 2022-01-01)The Living Instruments project aims to digitally preserve the sound of the fragile Grainger instrument collection, but it also presents a way of transforming the relationship between musical artefacts and their cultural value with a diverse group of people including contemporary makers. The Living Instruments project emerged in the nexus of teaching, learning, and research activity in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, and the stewardship of Percy Grainger’s historic instruments held in the Grainger Museum, at the University of Melbourne. It aims to provide greater research opportunities and creative engagement with the instruments through an interactive platform of sonic resources. This paper provides an overview of the stimulus for the Living Instruments project and shares the stages of the research journey and public outcomes.
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ItemLa colección Alberto Ginastera en la Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes: un fondo documental desconocido(Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes, 2023)The Alberto Ginastera Collection at the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is one of the most significant institutional holdings related to the composer worldwide, second only to that of the Paul Sacher Stiftung in Basel (Switzerland). Its existence, however, has gone unnoticed by researchers, and it is not mentioned in the extensive literature on the renowned Argentine composer. This article offers a preliminary overview of the collection's contents. After a brief introduction to the composer and his work, the ANBA collection is contextualized within the framework of other repositories related to Ginastera, both in Argentina and abroad. Its contents are classified into a tentative taxonomy comprising five categories: writings, photographs, periodical documents, and memorabilia, which are briefly described. The article mentions the preventative conservation actions taken by the author and suggests potential future actions. It concludes with some reflections on the importance of documentary collections for a cultural history-engaged musicology.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableQuadrifoglio(Nailuj Music, 2023-08-25)‘Quadrifoglio’ is a 2023 album release of original compositions by Alex Pertout. The album is the culmination of an extensive original investigation of various Latin American, West African and Carnatic rhythmic and melodic concepts, combined with contemporary electronica via the use of synthesizers, samples and loops, in various collaborative improvisatory settings with four distinguished world percussion master drummers. The album features Pertout both in duo and solo formats, in the former engaging in improvisatory dialogues with four world percussion masters: legendary US conguero Raul Rekow, English multi-percussion expert Pete Lockett, Egyptian tabla master Hossam Ramzy and with Australian master drummer David Jones. Recorded, edited and mixed by Alex Pertout in Melbourne, Australia, with additional recordings by Hossam Ramzy and Pete Lockett in London,England. The album was expertly mastered by Leon Zervos at Studios 301 in Sydney. The recording of ‘Quadrifoglio’ makes an honorable contribution to innovation and new knowledge in the field of contemporary jazz by presenting creative original works and original arrangements informed by traditional and non-traditional sources. ‘Quadrifoglio’ aims to create a unique listening experience, highlighting the art of percussion and showcasing Pertout's virtuosity and creativity as a multi- instrumentalist, improvisor, composer and producer. The works feature landscapes of polyrhythmic performances making use of a vast array of percussion instruments including congas, berimbau, bongos, kanjira, djembe, cajon and udu, as well as melodic and harmonic segments performed on vibes, marimba, glockenspiel, nyunga nyunga mbira, quena, quenacho, electric piano and synthesizers, enhanced by selected loops, electronic textures, soundscapes and personal atmospheric field recordings in various cities across the globe.
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ItemA Day with Michael Shrieve(Musictek Australia, 2023-10-24)A Day with Michel Shrieve addresses the US drummer’s background and identity as a band member, band leader, composer and record producer. I delve into Shrieve’s outstanding career which commenced as the drummer of the legendary San Francisco based band Santana, instantly famed after their ground breaking performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Throughout his career he has been praised for his innovative approach to drumming and his ability to blend diverse musical influences seamlessly, his contributions to the drumming world inspiring generations of musicians, myself included. With the recent marking of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Santana album Caravanserai, considered one of the outstanding works in Santana’s discography, Shrieve discusses with me various aspects of recording that remarkable album, his upcoming book on master drummer Elvin Jones, as well as his much-anticipated forthcoming release Drums of Compassion.
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ItemA Day with Bobby Sanabria(Musictek Australia, 2023-05-19)A Day with Bobby Sanabria addresses New York based, Puerto Rican Sanabrias’ background and identity as a band leader, arranger and record producer. I delve into Sanabria’s career in New York and discuss his work, and particularly this latest release by his Multiverse Big Band titled ‘Vox Humana’. Sanabria discusses his approach to the organization and development of this latest album, which apart from his extraordinary big band, also features three remarkable jazz contemporary vocalists; Janis Siegel from the Manhattan Transfer, blues and jazz vocalist Antoinette Montague and multi-lingual vocalist Jennifer Ledesna. The album recorded live in New York City received a Grammy nomination under the Latin-Jazz category.
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ItemA Day with Agustin Diaz(Musictek Australia, 2023-01-09)A Day with Agustin Diaz addresses master drummer Diaz’s Latin American identity, his style and career. I delve into Diaz’s connections with the highly acclaimed Cuban ensemble Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Diaz discusses percussive development and techniques as applied to Cuban percussion styles, his long tenure as a member of the ensemble and his work in maintaining and further developing Cuban cultural and folkloric musical styles.
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ItemHidden diversity in the conservatoire: A qualitative enquiry into the experiences of higher education music students with disability(SAGE Publications, 2024)Students undertaking higher education music degrees represent a rich tapestry of experiences, cultures and needs. However, equity and inclusion issues related to music students with disability in higher education are frequently addressed in generic ways, and without consultation or consideration of their unique requirements. With limited research available, this qualitative study within an Australian Conservatorium of Music analysed the experiential and situated reflections of 18 music students with disability. Based on our reflexive thematic analysis, we propose that issues related to equity and inclusion for music students in higher education are multi-faceted and interrelated. By foregrounding the participants’ voice, the qualitative themes suggest that enhancements related to disclosure processes, quality of communication and reliability of resources, would fortify equity and inclusion. The findings span the need for reforms at the institutional level, as well as specific professional development for educators and awareness raising amongst the student cohort. Informed by the participants’ lived experience, the findings call for music educators, professional staff and institutional leaders to effectively apply features of inclusive, caring, professional practices so that music students with disability can thrive in higher education.