Below is the position announcement:
The UNIVERSITY of SURREY
THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
Lectureship: Multi-media Composer/Performer
The new School of Performing Arts at the University of Surrey intends to=20
develop its profile in Music and Dance Technologies in the next phase of it=
s=20
development=2E This initiative will be led by the appointment of an active=20
researcher with a clear research strategy across the School who will also=20
contribute to teaching in the creative uses of video, sound and IT=2E The=20
School has recently been established to include the Departments of Dance=20
Studies and of Music and also a post-graduate development in Theatre=2E
In making this appointment the School is particularly interested in=20
introducing and developing the field of cross-media composition=2E This is=20=
an=20
exciting area of exploration on the world-wide front which Surrey is=20
well-suited to develop in a University context in the UK, given its existin=
g=20
strengths in audio engineering and dance technology=2E It is important that=
=20
the academic staff member appointed will be both able to initiate and take=20
part in joint initiatives in Music and Dance=2E
The successful applicant is likely to be a specialist in at least two of th=
e=20
following fields: electro-acoustic composition, audio-visual media, sound=20
synthesis, multi-media performance and will be keen to explore links betwee=
n=20
composition, performance and Dance/Music notation systems=2E
OVERVIEW
This post is part of a School initiative which is not only interdisciplinar=
y=20
in the sense described above but which invites collaboration with Electrica=
l=20
Engineering and with Physical Sciences=2E The field of audio engineering i=
s=20
already well established at Surrey, combining a study of the principles and=
=20
practice of audio with a broad music education (the Tonmeister course)=2E T=
he=20
initiative described here represents an intention to develop activities=20
involving the creative use of sound and
video in cross-media composition and performance - a field where artistic=20
endeavour as much as technical expertise is envisaged=2E
Work to relate leading-edge computer and digital communications technologie=
s=20
to dance and music has already begun at the University of Surrey, reflectin=
g=20
a world-wide interest in the field=2E Surrey is in the vanguard of such wo=
rk=20
with its highly-regarded BMus(Tonmeister) course, its Dance multi-media=20
workshop and research in recording movement through Labanotation/Lifeforms=20
computer graphics=2E Dance Studies will host the second International Danc=
e=20
and Technology Conference in 2001=2E
Projects already exist in various stages of completion=2E For example:
=B7 A Royal Opera House CD-ROM, supported by The Friends of Covent Garden a=
nd=20
the University of Surrey Teaching and Learning Innovations Group, using=20
Dance history and education research
=B7 Maths and Computing's Artificial Intelligence group is involved in the=20
analysis and manipulation of multimedia information, as a result of which a=
=20
joint paper is to be given in Australia in February 1998=2E A Maths PhD=20
student works regularly in the Dance laboratory=2E
=B7 In Music, electronic score recognition projects have resulted in=20
commercial material, and the development of a software editor for Benesh=20
Movement Notation is currently being undertaken, funded through the Lottery=
=20
at =A390k=2E
=B7 The MEDUSA project (EUREKA 1653) is developing multi-channel enhancemen=
t=20
for consumer stereo sound reproduction in collaboration with European=20
partners including the BBC=2E
=B7 A research project proposal has been awarded by the EPSRC to Dance and=20
Electrical Engineering on 'Synthesising human motion for virtual=20
performance' =2E
Other submissions to external agencies for funding include a recent=20
application to the British Academy for a project to 'Reconstruct a dance=20
text (Javanese ninth century reliefs) from sculpture using computer=20
technology', which aims to sketch the possible form that dances took=2E We=
=20
are awaiting the outcome of these projects at present=2E
Dancing through time in Cyberspace or 'Electromythologies' is an ongoing=20
project linking the University of Surrey to Simon Fraser (Vancouver),=20
Amsterdam and various other European and overseas sites=2E Image manipulat=
ion=20
technologies used in performance are underpinned by research in the=20
philosophy of virtual reality and given visible life in London performance=20
venues by a member of staff of the University=2E
The teaching in this area is already supported by initiatives funded throug=
h=20
HEFCE (for the National Resource Centre for Dance) and through the=20
Library-based PERFORMING ARTS TEACHING RESOURCES ONLINE (PATRON) eLiB=20
project which aims to deliver digital audio, video and music scores across=20=
a=20
high speed ATM network (c=2E=A3500k)=2E There is a thriving community of=20=
Dance=20
research students (19 PhDs currently enrolled) with a completion rate of 3-=
5=20
a year=2E The numbers of Music research students have grown considerably o=
ver=20
the last five years and 13 PhD students are currently enrolled=2E A=20
considerable development in Drama/Theatre Studies and related research=20
programmes is anticipated, so applicants' experience of supervising researc=
h=20
students to successful completion will be an advantage=2E
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Accountable to the Head of School of Performing Arts=2E
KEY TASKS and DUTIES
The Lecturer appointed will undertake two key roles within the School=2E Th=
e=20
first will be to take a major responsibility for developing academic=20
research in the fields exemplified above=2E This will bring together work=20
already undertaken and ensure a focused and planned evolution leading to=20
world-class research=2E The second is to work with existing academic staff=20=
to=20
start a new undergraduate programme in the technology/dance/music-related=20
field=2E
Applicants will be expected to have an excellent research record=2E There=20=
is=20
a preference for a scholar already working in an interdisciplinary field=20
which draws on Dance or Music=2E
The Lecturer appointed will be a key member of a team, led by existing=20
experienced course designers in both departments, working to develop a=20
curriculum proposal during the first year alongside their research=2E This=
=20
might be validated in order to recruit students for a start date in the=20
third year of the appointment=2E
UNIVERSITY OF SURREY
SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
PERSON DESCRIPTION
Lectureship: Multimedia Composer/Performer
It is ESSENTIAL that the person appointed to the post has:
=B7 a clear vision about the place of Performing Arts in Higher Education
=B7 wide experience and success either/or: as an electro-acoustic composer,=
=20
synthesist or multi-media performer
=B7 an involvement in technology within the Performing Arts
=B7 excellent communication skills, both written and oral
=B7 an excellent record of published work in the field (using the term in t=
he=20
widest sense to include performance)
=B7 research experience
=B7 good IT literacy and is both interested in and capable of relating this=
to=20
developments in the Performing Arts
It is DESIRABLE that the person appointed to the post has experience of
=B7 lecturing to postgraduate students and supervising their work=2E
=B7 experience developing new courses
FURTHER INFORMATION
It is intended to invite short-listed candidates for informal interview=20
prior to the appointment board on 20 February=2E
Additional information about Schools and their activities is given in the=20
current University Annual Report, copies of which are available on=20
application to the Personnel Office, tel: (01483) 259279=2E The University'=
s=20
web site can be found at www=2Esurrey=2Eac=2Euk=2E
Informal enquiries about the post may be addressed to the Head of School,=20
Professor Janet Lansdale (01483) 300800 ext 3020 or email:=20
j=2Elansdale@surrey=2Eac=2Euk=2E
Applications in the form of a curriculum vitae (2 copies, including the=20
names and addresses of three referees should be sent to the School=20
Administration Manager, Nicky Browne, University of Surrey, Guildford,=20
Surrey, GU2 5XH