Callaway Centre Research Seminar

Callaway Centre Research Seminar Series

The Conservatorium of Music is a vibrant centre for research in music and music education, where a thriving community of scholars is engaged in exploring the frontiers of knowledge, working on a wide range of research projects with diverse outputs.

Our free weekly seminar series showcases presenters from within UWA and from the wider community.

Jameson Feakes - Wandelweiser: Then and Now

Abstract: Since 1992, a multinational group of composers have interacted, collaborated, and gathered together under the title of Wandelweiser (rough translation change wisely) with a shared interest in exploring the idea of silence—most notably the possibilities that were opened in the wake of John Cage’s 4’33” (1952). Also a record label and publishing house, Wandelweiser additionally functions as a means for the collective to release and promote their compositions. Although the list of founding members has largely remained the same, Wandelweiser has since expanded beyond this core group to include a large community of a younger generation who have found value in aligning their compositional, performance, or even philosophical practice with the label. My research aims to explore the history of Wandelweiser and examine what has made it such an influential community of practice today.

Bio: Jameson Feakes is a guitarist, composer, and researcher currently studying at the University of Western Australia. His PhD focuses on community-making in experimental music practices, in particular, that of the multi-national Wandelweiser Collective. Jameson also works as the archivist for Tura New Music, Western Australia’s longest running new-music organisation.

Yiming Xian - The Sacred Oratorios of Baldassare Galuppi: An Analysis with a Selected Performing Edition

Abstract: Baldassare Galuppi (1706-1785) was an eighteenth-century Venetian composer who was active in nearly every contemporary genre and achieved international fame. He was also one of the notable composers who bridged the gap between the high Baroque and the Classical era. However, unlike Antonio Vivaldi, Galuppi’s place in history has largely been overlooked. Galuppi produced 27 oratorios during his tenure at major Venetian charitable and religious institutions that distinguish him as among the most prolific oratorio composers of his time, however, the oratorios have remained almost unexplored, and few of them were published or are now in print.
This presentation gives a glance over the proposed research which aims to investigate the existing manuscripts of Baldassare Galuppi’s oratorios, including: a historical and musicological context of oratorio settings in the eighteenth century; an introduction to one of Galuppi’ s oratorios and the preparation of the critical edition.

Bio: Yiming Xian comes from China and pursues a DMA degree, specializing in choral conducting under the supervision of Professor Nicholas Bannan and David Symons at the Conservatorium of Music, University of Western Australia. His research focuses on the Venetian composer Baldassare Galuppi and his oratorios. Yiming is also a choral conductor who has eight years working experience with more than ten choirs and orchestras before.

Free entry - no bookings required

Contact details: [email protected]