RESEARCH AND CREATIVE SCHOLARSHIP REPORT 2 ^ INTRODUCTION 3 Introduction ith the creation of an Assistant Dean esearch and creative scholarship in the Research position in the DWFOM and Don Wright Faculty of Music take many the subsequent support for Dr. Ruth forms. Some of us conduct the types of W Wright to serve in this capacity, the R research easily recognized and identified Faculty has been able to harness the creative as such by fellow academics and the broader scholarly work that occurs in the Faculty and public, as our outputs include books, journals make explicit that which is made public. The articles and conference presentations. For creative scholarly record of the faculty members, many others in the Faculty however, research both quantitatively and qualitatively, reflects is firmly rooted in the area the Social Sciences that of top faculties of music situated in a and Humanities Research Council defines as university that is known for its strong research research-creation. This includes creation for and teaching records. research and research for creation in many forms. Our composers research techniques This publication is the first of its kind for the and styles of composition, capabilities of Don Wright Faculty of Music and I congratulate instruments and voices, creative potential of Dr. Wright for this initiative. While students electronic means of music production, optimal recognize our teaching and we experience our musical materials for particular spaces among service daily, our research tends to be known myriad other areas, to allow them to produce by our colleagues in our discipline through our compositional work that is renowned both presentations, recordings, performances and in Canada and throughout the world. Our publications in the various disciplinary circles. musicologists research practices from the very This publication represents a celebration of our earliest days of music-making on the planet, colleagues’ work and allows each of us, as well helping scholars preserve and catalogue the as colleagues across the campus, to reflect on material of the past, trace patterns within it and the creative scholarly work within the various retrace its origins and train artists in authentic disciplines in our Faculty. Congratulations to the performance practices. Others work within the faculty members for significant contributions area of popular music production, researching to each of your disciplines, to the field of music past and cutting-edge music production at large, and to the research profile of the techniques and contributing to knowledge both university. on past practice and on current developments. Betty Anne Younker This also takes the form of contributing to the Dean art form in terms of recorded music products. collaboration with living composers and with other artists With more than 20 active research grants in a full-time Much of this work is award-winning, chart- to extend the limits of previously defined capabilities of faculty of just 42, and 18 research outputs per faculty topping material that you, or at least your their voices or instruments and push forward knowledge, member, the Don Wright Faculty of Music is a hive of children, are listening to. Our performers expression and technique in music. Music Education research activity, richly deserving its reputation as one of research the technique and repertoire for their faculty are changing the face of music education in North America’s foremost university faculties of music. voices or instruments and apply their findings in Canada, cherishing and nurturing traditions and providing performances in world-renowned venues and on a critical voice and new ideas for educators, to keep music Ruth Wright leading recording labels. They frequently work in a vibrant and powerful force in our society. Assistant Dean Research 5 4 ^ MEET OUR FACULTY ^ MUSIC PERFORMANCE STUDIES s an established concert pianist, my pursuits justify artistic decisions regarding tempo as well as sound STEPHAN in research have been rich and rewarding with concepts for each of these solo works according to the numerous concerts and collaborations, solo physical state of Brahms during specific periods of his SYLVESTRE A recitals, performances with orchestras, CD life. It received a nomination in the category CD Recording recording publications, adjudication for national of the Year, Music of the Romantic Era at the prestigious and international music competitions, and scholarly Prix Opus Gala in Quebec, in January 2012. In addition, exchanges. I have been fortunate to receive support WholeNote magazine placed this recording alongside from Research Western as well as other sources for my Murray Perahia’s recent Brahms recording, stating that “... recording projects, adding two commercial CDs to my Sylvestre’s approach is much more romantic, but equally discography in recent years. I am presently working on appealing. His playing is introspective and thoughtful, completing a series of recordings of Brahms’ solo works imbued with a deep sensitivity. Tempos are considerably for piano from his middle and late compositional periods, more languorous, and he produces a wonderfully warm to be released under the label Production 21. and resonant tone from the instrument. If this is Brahms for the 19th century, so be it – Sylvestre’s masterful As a performing artist and scholar, my primary objective performance is a welcome presence in our sometimes has been to maintain a healthy balance between my harsh and too-technologically advanced world.” concertizing, teaching and recording activities, while sustaining their interdependent relationships. My A recording of the works for violin and piano by Karol performing schedule as a soloist and chamber musician Szymanowski with violinist Jerzy Kaplanek, which has has been very active. It includes concerts with orchestras, been supported by a residency at the Banff Centre for a professional recording residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts, has been released under Marquis Classics in the Arts in Alberta, invitation to be pianist-in-residence at 2013. This recording has been highly praised by critics, the 2010 Colours of Music Festival in Barrie, Ontario, and one of whom observed the following: “...outstanding numerous appearances at the highly acclaimed Festival of playing from both artists, with the wonderful Mythes, the Sound in Parry Sound, Ontario, among other concerts the particularly dazzling highlight of a terrific CD.” My in Canada and abroad. Collaborations with internationally work has also been acknowledged with the awarding of renowned artists and ensembles such as James travel grants to realize research and concert tours on the Campbell, Rivka Golani, Susan Hoeppner, Jonathan Crow, international scene, which included participating in the Mark Fewer, Denis Brott, Michel Strauss, Alain Trudel, Seventh International Conservatory Week Festival at the the Penderecki String Quartet, the New Zealand Quartet, St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, a first for Western As a performing artist the New Orford String Quartet, Orchestra London, the University. I also instigated the signing of an international Niagara Symphony and Sinfonia Toronto also included an exchange agreement between Western University and the and scholar, my primary extensive tour with first chairs of the Israel Philharmonic Universidade Federale do Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, in objective has been Orchestra, in addition to concert tours in Brazil, the Brazil. to maintain a healthy Middle East and Russia. I have been invited regularly to give master classes balance between my I have had the great fortune of having my work recognized and lectures abroad and to be a member of national concertizing, teaching with excellent reviews and articles in media sources and international juries, including the Canadian Music and recording activities, in both Canada and abroad. My discography to date Competition, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra includes a total of seven commercial CD recordings Competition, the Glenn Gould School and the Montreal while sustaining and further recordings are projected under various International Piano Competition. Such activities provided their interdependent Canadian labels. My most recent solo recording of the me with further opportunity to make an impact in my field works of Brahms, funded in part by an academic grant of research and within the community by contributing to relationships. from Research Western, explored the aging process the forging of the next generation of young musicians and and its effects upon the human brain and ear. This new audiences for classical music. approach to the interpretation of these works aimed to 6 ^ MEET OUR FACULTY ^ MUSIC PERFORMANCE STUDIES 7 Introduction ANNETTE-BARBARA VOGEL s a concertizing artist, my research of violin my CD French Women Composers of the 19th Century, music reflects the exciting diversity of today’s which was the recipient of the British International landscape in violin performance. This springs Record Review Award. In addition to these recording A from a curiosity to expand my repertoire, projects, my creative activity has included arranging push the boundaries of my knowledge, and fulfill my cello and piano sonatas by Chopin and Rachmaninoff desire for creativity in any form possible. In addition for violin and piano. Due to the extraordinary reception to believing that the performance of classics such as of these arrangements, which I have performed across Beethoven’s violin