Position open

Lynn Brooks (L_BROOKS@ACAD.FANDM.EDU)
Thu, 08 Jan 1998 08:26:41 -0500 (EST)

I have been sent the following information about an open position at the
University of Surrey, which might interest some of you on this list.
Please DO NOT respond to me on this, but rather contact the secretary of
the department at Surrey:
N.Browne@surrey.ac.uk

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