Jane W Davidson
Encyclopedia
Jane Davidson is a British musicologist currently Callaway/Tunley Chair of Music
and Coordinator, Postgraduate Studies at the School of Music, University of Western Australia
in Perth
.
Davidson has written more than one hundred scholarly contributions on performance, expression, therapy and the determinants of artistic abilities. Her edited volume The Music Practitioner (Ashgate, 2004) explores the uses of research for the practising musician. Current research projects include: the expressive body movements of duettists; the adaptive value of music, including singing and personal identity; the development of ‘talent’; the function of music in mental health
settings; the music performances of the Temple Street musicians in Hong Kong
; the process of music theatre directing, and the staging of Baroque
works. These interests reflect her unusual background in music psychology and musicology, vocal performance and contemporary dance.
Davidson has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in music, vocal performance and contemporary dance, having studied at University of Newcastle, University of Leeds
and University of London
, and at Laval
in Quebec
, Canada
. She has won many prizes and scholarships, including a Rotary International
Graduate Scholarship, and number of awards for singing. In her academic career, she has taught at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, contributing to courses on: psychological approaches to performance, development of musical ability, psychology
for musicians, music therapy, music in the community, gender studies in music, opera and music theatre studies, vocal pedagogy and movement classes. She was a recent recipient of the University of Sheffield
’s ‘Senate Award’ for her innovatory teaching practices.
A former editor of the international academic journal Psychology of Music, she is currently Vice-president of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music. After much solo operatic performance, which included world premiere performances of operas at London International Opera Festival and a main role with the highly innovative and acclaimed Théâtre de Complicité, Davidson turned her attention to a stage direction in opera and music theatre. Besides forming her own company Soundbodies, Soundmoves, she has collaborated extensively with companies including Opera North
and Drama per Musica. Davidson and Andrew Lawrence-King
(The Harp Consort) have worked together on a range of Baroque music theatre projects, and have a series of new projects in the pipeline including the forthcoming Window to the Soul involving a cast of blind opera singers.
She has held a number of visiting posts across the globe, including Hong Kong Institute of Education
, University of New South Wales
, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
(London
), Luzern Konservatorium (Switzerland
), Aveiro University
(Portugal
). She currently holds a Chair in Music Performance Studies at University of Sheffield
and is the inaugural Callaway/Tunley Chair of Music
at University of Western Australia
.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and Coordinator, Postgraduate Studies at the School of Music, University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
Davidson has written more than one hundred scholarly contributions on performance, expression, therapy and the determinants of artistic abilities. Her edited volume The Music Practitioner (Ashgate, 2004) explores the uses of research for the practising musician. Current research projects include: the expressive body movements of duettists; the adaptive value of music, including singing and personal identity; the development of ‘talent’; the function of music in mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
settings; the music performances of the Temple Street musicians in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; the process of music theatre directing, and the staging of Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
works. These interests reflect her unusual background in music psychology and musicology, vocal performance and contemporary dance.
Davidson has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in music, vocal performance and contemporary dance, having studied at University of Newcastle, University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
and University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and at Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She has won many prizes and scholarships, including a Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
Graduate Scholarship, and number of awards for singing. In her academic career, she has taught at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, contributing to courses on: psychological approaches to performance, development of musical ability, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
for musicians, music therapy, music in the community, gender studies in music, opera and music theatre studies, vocal pedagogy and movement classes. She was a recent recipient of the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
’s ‘Senate Award’ for her innovatory teaching practices.
A former editor of the international academic journal Psychology of Music, she is currently Vice-president of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music. After much solo operatic performance, which included world premiere performances of operas at London International Opera Festival and a main role with the highly innovative and acclaimed Théâtre de Complicité, Davidson turned her attention to a stage direction in opera and music theatre. Besides forming her own company Soundbodies, Soundmoves, she has collaborated extensively with companies including Opera North
Opera North
Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle...
and Drama per Musica. Davidson and Andrew Lawrence-King
Andrew Lawrence-King
Andrew Lawrence-King is a harpist and early music specialist, and is currently the director of The Harp Consort...
(The Harp Consort) have worked together on a range of Baroque music theatre projects, and have a series of new projects in the pipeline including the forthcoming Window to the Soul involving a cast of blind opera singers.
She has held a number of visiting posts across the globe, including Hong Kong Institute of Education
Hong Kong Institute of Education
The Hong Kong Institute of Education is one of eight subsidised tertiary institutes under the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong. It is the only one dedicated to teacher education....
, University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
(London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
), Luzern Konservatorium (Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), Aveiro University
Aveiro University
University of Aveiro is a Portuguese new generation public university, with its headquarters in Aveiro since its 1973 creation. It also provides polytechnic education in three distinct additional poles....
(Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
). She currently holds a Chair in Music Performance Studies at University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
and is the inaugural Callaway/Tunley Chair of Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
at University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
.
External links
- Professor Jane Davidson at University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaThe University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...