Musicological Society of Australia

Musicological Society of Australia Incorporated

— 2002 annual general meeting —

Held at the Conservatorium (School of Music and Drama),
The University of Newcastle

Sunday, 6 October 2002 at 11.30 am

DRAFT MINUTES

Tabled: A: Agenda

B: Minutes of last AGM, 23 September 2001, Adelaide

C: Secretary’s Report

D: Treasurer’s Report

E: Membership Secretary’s Report

F: Report for MSA on SIMS 2004

G: MSA IT and Marketing Strategies Report

Nicholas Routley, Society President, welcomed Society members to the meeting.

Present: Nicholas Routley (chair), Roland Bannister, Kate Barney, Brydie Bartleet, Linda Barwick, Gavin Carfoot, Ian Cook, Patricia Dale, Craig De Wilde, Michael Ewans, Anne-Marie Forbes, Daniela Kaleva, Steven Knopoff, Paul McIntyre, Liz Mackinlay, Allan Marett, Frank Murphy, Steven Nelson, John Phillips, Leanne Power, Robyn Ryan, Margaret Sharpe, Jennie Shaw, Mark Smith, Jula Szuster, Chris Wainwright.

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Annette Anderson, Greg Anderson, Michael Burden, Nancy Calo, Brett Chapman, Kimi Coaldrake, Robert Constable, Joel Crotty, Robert Curry, Kirsty Gillespie, Malcolm Gillies, Rosalind Halton, Robyn Holmes, Margaret Kartomi, Elizabeth Kertesz, Margaret King, James Morrissey, Kerry Murphy, Jacqueline Ogeil, David Pear, Simon Perry, Claudio Pompili, Rosemary Richards, Victoria Rogers, Helen Rusak, Aline Scott-Maxwell, Natalie Shea, Gordon Spearritt, Jason Stoessel, Graham Strahle, David Symons, Shirley Trembath, Paul Watt, John Whiteoak, Stephen Wild, Carol Williams.

2. Confirmation of minutes from the previous meeting of 23 September 2001

It was moved that: The minutes of the 23 September 2001 meeting be accepted.

Moved: Craig De Wilde Seconded: Linda Barwick Carried

3. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

4. Society Reports

4.1 President’s Report

Nicholas Routley reported that he was pleased that the Society has continued to make efforts to broaden its interests and membership and that he remains optimistic about its future. The Society’s involvement with the Garma Symposium on Music and Performance, held in Sydney and associated with the 2002 Garma Festival, was an example of the Society’s active involvement in such collaborations. The Society was also looking forward to holding its 26th annual national conference in 2003 with the New Zealand Musicological Society and its 27th conference, along with the ICTM and IASPM, as part of the IMS Symposium in Melbourne in 2004. As outgoing Society President, Nicholas expressed his heartfelt thanks to Treasurer Natalie Shea, John Phillips, who had filled the position of Secretary after Kathy Marsh’s resignation, and Membership Secretary Chris Wainwright. He also thanked website co-ordinator Brett Chapman and Paul Watt, editor of Musicology Australia, who was stepping down after a three-year term. Nicholas had accepted Paul’s resignation with great regret, but was pleased that Paul will continue his involvement with the Journal as Assistant Editor and that Jennie Shaw has agreed to take over Paul’s role as Editor. Nicholas also thanked members of the National Committee for their contributions, but suggested that the incoming Executive might make more structured use of the National Committee members’ skills. Nicholas thanked in particular Anne-Marie Forbes for her continuous service to the Society in various capacities over many years.

It was moved that: The President’s Report be accepted.

Moved: John Phillips Seconded: Anne-Marie Forbes Carried

4.2 Secretary’s Report

John Phillips, Society Secretary, read his report (tabled). John noted that the Secretary’s burden in the last year had been lessened considerably by the capable administration of the Executive, especially thanks to Membership Secretary Chris Wainwright and Treasurer Natalie Shea. John had continued to advise Chris, to communicate with Society members and to put together the Society’s Newsletter.

John observed with some concern that the Society’s membership had fallen in the 2001-2002 financial year. Although a number of factors played a role, the decline was due mainly to the absence of a national conference in that financial year. John noted that the decline was likely to continue through the coming two years, in which the Society’s national conferences would be held in conjunction with meetings of other societies. While John expected membership numbers to have increased after the Newcastle conference, he also stressed that it was crucial that conference convenors insist that those who presented papers at Society conferences be financial members of the Society. In closing, John thanked the outgoing Executive, Society editors, conference convenors, National Committee, and Society members for their support and advice.

It was moved that: The Secretary’s Report be accepted.

Moved: Frank Murphy Seconded: Jula Szuster Carried

4.3 Treasurer’s Report

Nicholas and John briefly discussed aspects of the eight-point report prepared by Society Treasurer Natalie Shea (tabled). Nicholas noted that Natalie had been present at the National Committee meeting, where her report had been discussed in detail. John observed that, according to Natalie’s report, the Society’s assets were in a healthy state but would benefit from continuing efforts to encourage members to renew their subscriptions.

It was moved that: The Treasurer’s Report be accepted.

Moved: Michael Ewans Seconded: Anne-Marie Forbes Carried

4.4 Membership Secretary’s Report

Chris Wainwright, Membership Secretary, referred members present to his tabled report. Like John and Natalie, Chris expressed concern at the decline in individual membership numbers during the 2001-2002 financial year. Chris urged members who were not currently financial to renew their memberships promptly. On the other hand, debts owed by several institutional subscribers had been settled. Chris also referred to the Society’s weekly E-News Service, an initiative designed to deliver information about professional opportunities to members, and thanked a number of individuals and organisations for their inspiration and assistance with the E-News project. Chris also thanked Natalie and John in particular for their practical assistance during the year.

It was moved that: The Membership Secretary’s Report be accepted.

Moved: Anne-Marie Forbes Seconded: Steven Knopoff Carried

4.5 Journal Editor’s Report

The Journal Editor’s report submitted by Paul Watt was read by John Phillips. Paul had reported that volume 25 of Musicology Australia was in press. A number of items for volume 26 had been accepted and others were being reviewed. Paul was sorry to end his term as editor and thanked the Executive, National Committee, and membership for their support. He closed his report with a call to members to continue to submit articles to the journal.

It was moved that: The Journal Editor’s Report be accepted.

Moved: Gavin Carfoot Seconded: :Linda Barwick Carried

4.6 Newsletter Editor’s Report

Newsletter Editor John Phillips noted that 432 copies of the Newsletter were produced in both March and October 2002. Thanks to Chris Wainwright’s weekly E-News bulletin, it had been decided that, aside from Conference, Chapter, and Society Reports, the Newsletter should only carry announcements directly related to Society conferences and events, unless copy has been especially requested for inclusion. Printing costs continued to be very reasonable, thanks to the competitive rates offered by KwikKopy Unley and, in John’s view, the publication of hardcopy versions of the Newsletter continues to represent a tangible benefit to members.

It was moved that: The Newsletter Editor’s Report be accepted.

Moved: Liz Mackinlay Seconded: Paul McIntyre Carried

4.7 Website Coordinator’s Report

The report of Website Coordinator, Brett Chapman, had not been received by the AGM. Brett had sent his apologies.

4.8 International Musicological Society (IMS) Report

Discussion of the 2004 IMS Conference (SIMS 2004) was deferred to item 5.4. The issue of IMS liaison member was deferred to item 6.3.

4.9 International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) Report

The report submitted by Stephen Wild, Vice-President of the ICTM, was read by John Phillips. Stephen noted that a number of scholars who were members of both the ICTM and MSA had indicated that they intended to participate in the 37th World Conference of the ICTM in Fuzhou and Quanzhou, China, in July 2003. Stephen would continue to chair the ICTM Oceania Study Group and Society member Linda Barwick had been appointed to Chair the ICTM National Committee in Australia. Stephen was pleased to report that the ICTM Executive Board had also agreed to co-host SIMS 2004 in Melbourne.

It was moved that: The ICTM Report be accepted.

Moved: Roland Bannister Seconded: Allan Marett Carried

4.10 Indigenous Forum Report

Linda Barwick announced that, as a result of a meeting of the Indigenous Forum during the Newcastle conference, the Forum had recommended that the Executive consider appropriate mechanisms to establish an Indigenous Presenter Scholarship. The Scholarship would cover registration for the conference and all conference items (including satchel and abstract booklet) as well as membership in the Society for one year. The Forum has agreed that this would go some way towards practical recognition and linking of traditional knowledge systems and the Society’s knowledge and membership bases. Nicholas Routley agreed and suggested that means for establishing the Scholarship be discussed and implemented by the incoming Executive. The Forum was also keen to encourage future conference convenors to consider scheduling presentations, like that made at the current conference by Joe Neparrng Gumbala, as plenary rather than parallel sessions where appropriate.

Linda also reported that the Forum had agreed that it was important to have a voice within the federal government’s National Research Priorities setting exercise in 2003. It had been agreed that a more effective, appropriate and consistent proposal could be developed if discussions were channelled through the Society, rather than through individual institutions. There was some discussion of these points and general agreement with this position by members present. The Forum therefore proposed the following motion for consideration by members at the AGM:

That the National Executive be empowered to participate on behalf of the Musicological Society of Australia in the Commonwealth Government’s National Research Priorities setting exercise in 2003, and that a timely call for members’ nominations of research priorities be advertised in the Society’s Newsletter. It is noted that it may be appropriate in this regard for the Society to collaborate with other scholarly societies.

Moved: Linda Barwick Seconded: Allan Marett Carried unanimously

Nicholas thanked the Forum for its recommendations and proposal.

It was moved: That the report of the Indigenous Forum by accepted.

Moved: Chris Wainwright Seconded: Liz Mackinlay Carried

4.11 Report of the Gender and Sexuality Forum

John Phillips reported that 19 members had participated in the Gender and Sexuality Forum during the Newcastle conference and that discussion had been useful. (For a more detailed report on this forum see below, p. 23—Ed.)

4.12 Report of the Music and Technology Forum

Gavin Carfoot suggested that the under-representation of music technology at the Newcastle conference and in the MSA as a whole should be addressed. There was general agreement with this point, although John Phillips pointed out that, unlike the Gender and Sexuality Forum and the Indigenous Forum, both of which had been set up to continue discussions started at the Melbourne conference in the 2001, the Music and Technology Forum had in fact been an initiative of the current conference.

5. Conference Reports

5.1 Progress Report on the Society’s 25th National Conference, Newcastle 2002 and proposed publication of proceedings by Cambridge Scholars Press

Michael Ewans, conference convenor, reported that there had been a strong response to the call for papers. At this stage the conference organisers expected the conference to make a small profit of just over $100. Michael and Ros Halton were grateful to those delegates who attended and to the University of Newcastle and the School of Music and Drama for sponsoring the accommodation costs of the three plenary speakers.

Michael also noted that the conference committee and the MSA Executive have accepted an offer from Cambridge Scholars Press (CSP) to publish refereed proceedings of the conference. Submissions are to be peer reviewed and the editors would attempt to ensure that items accepted represent a wide variety of MSA research interests. Completed proceedings would be sent to CSP for publication in June 2003.

Nicholas Routley congratulated Michael, Rosalind, and their conference team for a very successful conference.

5.2 Progress Report on the Brisbane Study Weekend, 2003

Liz Mackinlay reported that the Queensland Chapter had accepted the Society’s invitation to host the Society’s Study Weekend in Brisbane in 2003. The Study Weekend would probably be held in the September mid-semester break at the University of Queensland. Liz hoped that both the Department of Anthropology and the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland would accept the Chapter’s invitations to be involved in the Study Weekend.

5.3 26th National Conference of the MSA, Wellington, New Zealand, 2003

Nicholas noted that, as he had mentioned in his President’s Report, the 26th National Conference of the MSA would be held jointly with the National Conference of the New Zealand Musicological Society in Wellington at the end of November 2003. The conference was being organised by the New Zealand Musicological Society and the call for papers had appeared in the October 2002 Newsletter of the MSA.

5.4 27th National Conference of the MSA, Melbourne, 2004: joint conference with the IMS, ICTM, and IASPM , 12–17 July 2004 (SIMS 2004)

Craig De Wilde, secretary of the 2004 SIMS Inc. Organising Committee, referred those present to the report on SIMS 2004 by Margaret Kartomi, president of the Organising Committee (tabled). The opening functions and reception will be at the Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University: all other sessions will be held at the Victorian College of the Arts. Three major themes had been chosen and the call for papers (with a closing date of 1 May 2003) had already been posted on several websites and had appeared on the Society’s E-News bulletin. Submissions could be made as individual papers or as sessions of 3 to 4 papers.

Craig also noted that the MSA was well-represented on the SIMS 2004 Organising Committee, which currently included 11 longstanding MSA members as well as several former Society Presidents.

6. Current Issues

6.1 MSA Marketing and IT Strategies

Paul McIntyre, incoming Secretary, referred those present to his tabled report. Paul noted that both stages of his proposal have been drawn up in line with the Society’s draft business strategy. Paul recommended that the Society’s website be redesigned using an online content management system that would allow MSA National Committee members to access and alter data. Future developments of the site might include creation of member accounts, online member services and conference registration and an online bookshop.

Paul noted that it was essential that additional funds be obtained in order for the entire upgrade to be completed. Paul had investigated a number of possible funding sources, which were listed in his report. With respect to the possibility of attracting sponsors through tax-deductible donations, Paul would also investigate the practicality of having the Society listed for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) tax status.

Paul had also listed two marketing strategies in his report. The first of these was an offer of a trial 3-month free membership, which would include the weekly E-News bulletin and other benefits as agreed. The second, a market research survey that addressed ways in which membership services could be improved, was currently being prepared by Chris Wainwright.

Nicholas thanked Paul for his initiatives and suggested that members who had comments and suggestions contact Paul directly.

6.2 Society name change revisited

Nicholas reported that Michael Ewans had addressed the National Committee on the issue of a name change for the Society. The issue had been debated at length at the committee meeting. Although the Society had voted against a name change in 1999, it was agreed at the meeting that the issue should be raised again, but that there should be no changes to the Society’s official name until after the joint conference with the IMS in 2004. Arguments in favour of the name change were that the term ‘musicological’ had never been widely understood in Australia and that ‘society’ may be an outmoded term. Although not all National Committee members had agreed with these arguments it had been proposed that the Society adopt a trading name of ‘Music Research Australia’. The use of the trading name would not affect the legal status of the Society’s official name. On the other hand it could be used as a platform to develop the image the Society wishes to propagate. Nicholas invited discussion of the use of ‘Music Research Australia’ as a trading name.

Allan Marett supported the use of ‘Music Research Australia’ as a trading name for the Society but opposed the idea of replacing the official name of Musicological Society of Australia. Disagreeing with the first point raised in support of an alternative name, Allan argued that music researchers in Australia have in fact staked out a meaning for the term ‘musicology’ that covers a broad range of scholarly fields and that, in Australian academic communities, musicology is understood as the study of all musics. Michael agreed that this might hold true for large portions of the academic community, but he argued that ‘musicology’ has a narrow meaning for undergraduates and that the Society also needs to consider future music researchers or risk a continuing decline in membership. In response to a query from Frank Murphy, John Phillips pointed out that the Society membership needs to be aware of practical and financial effects of an official name change, which would require changes to the Society’s incorporation documents. Frank also warned against change for change’s sake, which was a strategy particularly rife in the university sector. Paul McIntyre agreed but pointed out that a potential benefit of a trading name which could operate alongside an official name was that, like ‘branding’, it might attract members to the Society from fields outside traditional music research, such as cultural studies and anthropology.

Allan took issue with the picture of continuing decline in the Society’s membership and noted that there has been a general trend since 1998 of increasing memberships, which was significantly enhanced by national conferences in two major centres in 2000 (Sydney) and 2001 (Melbourne). The Sydney conference in particular had attracted a number of scholars outside the traditional music research fields. Margaret Sharpe agreed and noted that there appeared to be other factors that had contributed to the decline in financial memberships in the current year. Steven Knopoff observed that, while he felt relatively dispassionate about a name change, it was a passionate issue for some and their views, even on the issue of a trading name, needed to be respected: as in 1999, the only course would be to hold a referendum on the issue of an official name change. Nicholas agreed that the change of official name could only be achieved by constitutional means, but that the adoption of a trading name could be passed by a majority of the AGM. Jennie Shaw pointed out that in the National Committee meeting it had been agreed that Society Chapters were free to name themselves by the most marketable label appropriate for their membership and region. A final point in support of a name change was made by Linda Barwick, who argued that the Society needed to be more conscious of its relationships with other organisations and individuals and that this would probably be assisted by the use of a name such as ‘Music Research Australia’.

In summary, Nicholas suggested that the membership seemed to be in favour of retaining the term ‘musicological’ as an expression, to those to whom the term has meaning, of the widest and most profound understanding of music study and, in addition, in attracting new members, especially those to whom the term ‘musicological’ has few or negative connotations, through the use of a trading name.

It was moved that: For a period of eighteen months the trading name ‘Music Research Australia’ be used in conjunction with the Society’s official name, Musicological Society of Australia.

Moved: Michael Ewans Seconded: Paul McIntyre Carried by 22 for, 1 against

6.3 Co-option of an ongoing IMS liaison.

Nicholas Routley noted that, although Margaret Kartomi was no longer a member of the IMS Directorium, she had agreed to continue on the Society’s National Committee, in a co-opted capacity, as IMS liaison member. Margaret was also to be congratulated for winning the bid for the 2004 Symposium on behalf of the IMS and the MSA.

6.4 Appointment of new MA editor

Nicholas noted that the appointment of Jennie Shaw as editor of Musicology Australia was endorsed by the meeting.

6.5 Role of the National Executive and appointment of a MSA archivist

Nicholas suggested that, as already mentioned in the Secretary’s report, the incoming Executive should consider making better use of the National Committee’s skills. In addition, a Society member had suggested that an MSA archivist should be appointed to monitor the collection of Society documents. This issue had been discussed by the National Committee and the Committee had decided to consult Robyn Holmes at the National Library about the appointment of an archivist with the appropriate expertise.

Allan Marett also suggested that the merits of an ARC Linkage grant with the National Library be investigated. Linda Barwick explained that there were already ‘digitalisation on demand’ systems in place at several archives. Nicholas suggested that Linda Barwick and Paul McIntyre coordinate efforts to investigate the benefits of digitalising the Society’s records and that others interested should contact Linda or Paul.

7. Election of National Executive and Committee

The following members were nominated for the 2002-2003 year: no election by ballot was required as no opposing nominations were received for these positions.

Executive: Steven Knopoff (President)

Paul McIntyre (Secretary)

Liz Mackinlay (Treasurer)

Gavin Carfoot (Membership Secretary)

Ex-officio positions: Nicholas Routley (Past President)

Stephen Wild (ICTM representative)

Margaret Kartomi (IMS liaison)

National Committee: Joel Crotty, Craig De Wilde, Margaret Sharpe, Jennie Shaw, David Symons, Jula Szuster, Chris Wainwright

Incoming Society President Steven Knopoff thanked the outgoing National Executive and Committee for their exemplary service to the Society.

8. Motions of Appreciation

The following motions of appreciation were proposed by Nicholas Routley and seconded by John Phillips: thanks to Jula Szuster for convening the Adelaide Study Weekend; thanks to Michael Ewans and Ros Halton for convening the Newcastle Conference; thanks to the editors of the Newsletter, E-News bulletin, Musicology Australia, and the Society’s website; thanks to Society members; and thanks to the National Committee. It was moved by Linda Barwick and seconded by Margaret Sharpe that the Society express its appreciation to the outgoing National Executive and give its best wishes to the incoming Executive and National Committee.

9. AOB

There was no other business arising.

Nicholas thanked members for attending and closed the meeting at 1.00 pm.

Jennie Shaw

President’s Message

The past two years have seen in general a broadening of the purview of the Society, to bring gay and Lesbian musicology in from the margins of our concerns, and to re-imagine the place of traditional Western musicology among recent exciting emerging disciplines. Especially, they have seen the Society’s commitment to the fostering of indigenous music in Australia enshrined in our constitution. Many initiatives have helped to turn this commitment into effective action, and I would single out one crucial event among these, the Symposium organised by Allan Marett attached to the recent Garma Festival.

Arrangements for the conferences for the next two years are now under weigh. The 2003 conference will be held jointly with the NZMS, in Wellington, at the end of November. After much negotiation we have agreed on this date, in the belief that those academics in the Society who have examination commitments in November will be finished by then, and if any are in doubt about this they are encouraged to pressure their own institutions to allow them to be. In 2004 our conference will be held jointly with the International Musicological Society, which will hold its Intercongressional Symposium in Melbourne in July. Margaret Kartomi is to be congratulated on winning the bid for Monash to host this, and we anticipate the continuing of our close liaison in this joint venture.

As outgoing president, I must voice my heartfelt thanks to my team on the executive. Natalie Shea has been the treasurer from heaven—meticulous, observant, conscientious, and tactful. John Phillips, taking up the secretarial reins from an overworked Chris Wainwright following Kathy Marsh’s departure, despite having already served a term, and despite concurrently completing his PhD thesis, has as always had his finger on the pulse, and been an invaluable support. And the Membership Secretary, Chris Wainwright, has transformed the information distribution mechanism of the society in a way that has made our collective jaws drop. The weekly bulletins from him far surpass anything the society has previously known in the area of internal communication. I wish the team which will take over from us every success, and in particular I wish the future president as careful and responsible support as I have had. I also wish to thank one of our unsung heroes, our magnificent website coordinator, Brett Chapman, for his prompt and faithful maintenance of our website, one of the society’s greatest assets in terms of its ability to communicate both to its members and to outside community.

My thanks also to the members of the National Committee, especially to Jennie Shaw for her exemplary minute-taking, and to all those who have helped with the tedious but essential task of MSA mailouts. In particular I would like to thank the tireless Anne-Marie Forbes, who is not up for election for the next two year period. It was with great relief that I hear from her that her time away from the National Committee was to be thought of more as a sabbatical than a retirement. However, it could be said that the MSA is not making full use of the rich and varied composition of its National Committee, and I think discussion of more structured ways in which its members may be involved would not come amiss.

It seems to me that the Society needs an archivist, and I hope that the incoming Committee will approach the National Library for some advice in this connection.

Paul Watt has served the Society for three years as editor of Musicology Australia, and it is with great regret that we accept his resignation from this post. He has maintained the professional standing of the journal over this period, and been unflagging in his attempts to improve its image. It is always a difficult task controlling the coherence of individual journals comprising articles from such a wide band of specialisms, but his editorials have been models of how to do it. He has agreed to continue as Assistant Editor, and we thank Jennie Shaw, the present Assistant Editor, for agreeing to take over as Editor.

Nicholas Routley

National President (outgoing)

Secretary’s Report

In a kind of inverted counterpoint to the standard incipit of most society reports, I am beginning this one by saying that this year has not been a busy one for the secretary. I saw my role in accepting the position of secretary in September last year for a second time really only as stepping into a statutory breach left by the departure of Kathy Marsh from what was already a smoothly functioning team; not only were there no elaborate initiatives afoot requiring great secretarial direction and discretion, but also my immensely capable colleagues Natalie and Chris essentially had the game of society administration sown up. Chris had taken over secretarial duties in 2000 pro tem. on Kathy’s resignation and had already embarked on a number of initiatives which only he could see through. 2001/2 was also something of an ordeal for me personally, with the question of my partner Paul Attinello’s future in Australia on the line, and the completion of my long overdue PhD thesis demanding more than its pound of flesh. So in all respects I must bow to the skill, managerial grace and sheer unflappability of our membership secretary for having taken on more than his fair share of tasks.

The past year also saw the effective cessation of my function as business manager in charge of MSA’s institutional memberships (the subscribers to our journal effectively), a role I accepted in 2000 in deference to Kathy’s and Chris’s workload, with that particular baton also passed back into the capable hands of, you guessed it, Chris Wainwright. Chris had meanwhile instituted the master-stroke of regular email bulletins to the membership, a very worthwhile expansion to my earlier idea of communicating essential society news to the national committee. I continued to stay in touch and advise where needed, field lots of emails, assist Chris wherever I could, continue to bring out the Newsletters and most latterly do lots of cajoling and arm-twisting in the attempt—which always seem to fall to the lot of incumbent secretary—of putting together an executive team to take over the reigns come AGM. He or she must do this, and do so successfully, or wind up continuing ad infinitum as secretary, like Bill Murray in Ground Hog Day…

The society, and its new administration, will face a tricky period. Not only have we not had a conference, our main source of new and renewing memberships, in the first half of the calendar year, but we also face the prospect of 2003 and 2004, both with external conferences, also being lean years in terms of membership renewals. As an indication of the extent to which the conference factor accounts for our yearly membership intake and renewal, I understand from Chris that our current financial membership is fully 60 members down on what it was as of September last year, i.e. we are currently down by some 20% of our membership. Perhaps the lateness of getting renewal notices out this year, caused by attempts to accommodate Australia Post and streamline and economise our mailing services may have played a role. But the real reason is that, for the first year in three, we did not have a conference in April/May. I hope most of the shortfall for this year at least will have been made up by paper-givers at this conference having done the right thing. Against ensuing shortfalls I can only trust Paul McIntyre and the new team will come up with some brilliant and canny suggestions as to how better to market the society, and to expand and enhance its outreach. This does, however, bring home the fact that it remains essential that, as one of our prime sources of membership conference convenors assist the national body in helping ensure paper-givers be financial MSA members when they give their papers. This is simply an economic fact of life for the MSA. We are simply not a big enough society to be able to hand out free podia.

But far be it for me to end on such a bleak, and even admonitory note. The MSA remains a promising and vital enterprise, which must continue to reflect the radical changes in thinking that have gone on in our discipline over the last decade, and it is with the hope that the society move forward in the direction the interests and views of its members determine and that it remain committed and responsive to its members needs that I wish to leave the national committee and the executive, not without regret, after four years of close involvement. I will continue to edit the Newsletter, and of course, will be there with whatever assistance or advice Stephen, Paul, Liz and Gavin may require. My very best wishes to them as they take on these roles, and to the society as a whole. In closing my sincerest thanks, first and foremost, to our esteemed Nicholas and my dear colleagues Natalie and Chris, secondly to the society’s several editors, convenors and coordinators for their assistance in so many ways, and finally to the national committee and many members of the society for their support, help and advice over the preceding years. Dixit.

John Phillips

National Secretary (outgoing)

Treasurer’s Report

For the year ending 30 June 2002

1. The Musicological Society of Australia finished the 2001/02 financial year with net assets of $27,110, representing a deficit of $1,500 (cf. the previous year’s deficit of $1,874). The Society’s total turnover was around 55% that of the previous year: returning to the production of a single issue of Musicology Australia significantly reduced the expenditure, but at the same time income was reduced by two factors: the lack of a National Conference in the 2001/02 financial year and a slightly later distribution of membership renewal forms, which shifted almost all the annual influx of membership subscriptions into the 2002/03 financial year.

2. Income generated over the twelve month period included $12,354 in subscriptions, representing $4,114 in institutional memberships and $8,240 in individual subscriptions. This is a decrease of $10,698 (approx. 46%) from the previous year; there were in that year, however, two influxes of membership renewals. Compared with the previous year, income from subscriptions has been roughly comparable, increasing by $980 (approx 7%).

3.       The cost of producing a print run of 425 copies (130 pp.) of Vol 24 of Musicology Australia was as follows:
                              Printing                             $2,555.33
                              Typesetting                       $2,740.00
                              Total cost                           $5,295.33              (= $12.45 per copy)
This compares with a cost of $16.68 per copy for the (much larger) Vol 23.
Taking these costs into consideration, I believe the current membership subscription fees ($55.00 / $27.50 plus $11.00 for overseas members) to be reasonable and recommend that the 2002/2003 subscription charges be held at the current rates. Given the fluctuating interest rates and the fall in journal sales, however, I recommend that the National Committee consider raising the membership fees in the following year (2003/04).

4. The November 2000 Newcastle study weekend returned a profit of $200.83. The Executive gave this money to the newly-formed Hunter Chapter as a contribution towards start-up funding. The April 2001 Melbourne Conference returned a small loss of $120.74, which was covered by the University of Melbourne. The September 2001 Adelaide study weekend returned a profit of $145. This will be distributed among the chapters in the usual manner.

5. The Society’s two investment accounts have produced $691 in interest between them in the 2001/02 financial year. This is a marked decrease from the previous financial year, as interest rates fell markedly during that period: from around 4.8% to around 3.5% in the V2 account, and from around 5.5% to around 2.9% on the investment account. It is encouraging to note, however, that the interest rate on the Society’s investment account has returned to 5.4% for the current term.

6. The Society’s application for endorsement as an Income Tax Exempt Charity was approved and $193 which had been deducted from the Society’s V2 account as withholding tax has been returned to the account.

7. On 1 July 2002 I was advised by David Hepper that he would no longer be available to audit the Society’s accounts. With the approval of the Executive I arranged for the 2001/02 accounts to be audited by Chris O’Dea of Mentis & Co.

8. I would like to thank the members of the National MSA Committee for their support, and in particular my colleagues on the Executive over the past year, John Phillips, Nicholas Routley and most especially Chris Wainwright, who as Membership Secretary has made enormous efforts to encourage members not to fall behind in their membership subscriptions. I wish the incoming Treasurer and indeed all the incoming Committee and Executive every success for a productive term of office.

Natalie Shea

National Treasurer (outgoing)

Profit and loss statement, balance sheet and auditor’s report for 2001/2 are reproduced on the following pages.

Membership Secretary’s Report

Individual Memberships

For many of us the last financial year has been difficult academically, culturally and financially, so it is not surprising that there has been a slight fall in membership from 329 to 320. In part it can be attributed to members joining for the Sydney 2000 Conference who did not renew their membership in 2001.

The break down of membership by chapter, including the recently formed Hunter Chapter, is given on Tables 1 and 2 (see following pages). They demonstrate the current membership breakdown as at 20 September 2002 and the MSA’s membership trends over the last seven years.

However, the decline in the number of financial members between this and last year is of serious concern. In September 2001, 73% of our members were financial; the proportion currently stands at only 59%. In terms of chasing and issuing membership forms, apart from a slight delay in posting the renewal form, there has been no change in the way in which members have been served. Because of this, over the next months the new membership secretary, with my support and assistance, is going to have to send numerous reminder notices. If you are not currently financial, we urge you to promptly renew your membership.

MSA E-News Service

Earlier this year, the MSA’s E-News service was established to improve the regularity of membership service. We are a member-based organisation; therefore, I believe professional membership service is integral to the Society’s health. This is the first in what we trust will be a number of other membership incentives we will be able to offer in the future, through new community and corporate partnerships that are being developed.

Speaking of partnerships, I would like to acknowledge the organisations and individuals who have helped made this service possible: Dick Letts AM (the source of inspiration for the E-News) of the Music Council of Australia, the Australian Music Centre, the American Musicological Society, the Society for Ethnomusicology and Geoffrey Chew who administers a number of email list services for European musicologists. Lastly, thank you to all MSA members who have provided information, feedback and support.

Institutional Membership

In April 2002, the responsibilities of institutional membership were passed on to me. Since taking on the position, long term debtors and lapsed subscribers have become financial, data problems with subscription houses have begun to be resolved, and a new invoicing system was introduced, to make it easier for debtors to be identified.

At present, one major problem that exists is the missing parcel of 20 copies of Musicology Australia which was sent using standard mailing procedures to Blackwell Music Services in Oxford, UK. Australia Post and the British Mail are currently investigating the matter.

In closing, I would like to warmly thank Natalie Shea and John Phillips for all of the assistance they have provided in record keeping, financial management and mail outs during another busy year.

Christopher Wainwright

Membership Secretary (outgoing)

Table 1

Individual Membership as at September 2002

Chapter / Category	Ordinary	Student	Emeritus	Spouse	Life	Total on books	Paid up as of 20-9-02
ACT	19	6	1			26	12
HUNTER*	5	7	0			12	5
NNSW	7	4	0			11	5
QLD	24	7	2	1	1	35	26
SA	21	7	2		1	31	22
SYD	40	15	3	3	2	63	40
VIC	56	32	3	3	2	97	50
WA	15	6	0		1	22	15
OSEAS	16	3	1		2	22	14
TOTAL	203	87	12	7	9	319	189

Table 2

Seven-Year Summary of Individual Membership by Chapter

(Figures for 1994–2001 taken from 2001 report by Chris Wainwright)

Chapter / Year	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	Sept. 2002 (total / paid)
ACT	19	23	20	18	18	19	18	26 / 12
HUNTER*								12 / 5
NNSW	6	3	4	6	8	6	9	11 / 5
QLD	51	51	49	44	16	40	34	35 / 20
SA	15	19	25	27	29	36	37	31 / 22
SYD	67	69	63	56	61	77	81	63 / 40
VIC	73	81	86	68	85	88	103	97 / 50
WA	23	17	14	16	30	30	22	22 / 15
OSEAS	22	24	24	20	25	28	23	22 / 14
TOTAL	276	287	285	255	302	324	329	319/189

* The Hunter Chapter was founded in September 2001 following the MSA’s 2001 Annual General Meeting.

— XXV National Conference of the MSA —

Newcastle, 3–6 October 2002

“Music Research: New Directions for a New Century”

Convenor’s Report

The XXV National Conference of the MSA was held in Newcastle from 3-6 October, 2002. The theme of the Conference was ‘Music Research: New Directions for a New Century’. Plenary speakers were Suzanne Cusick (New York University), speaking on “Performance as Research: Thoughts on ‘performance studies’, ‘new musicology’ and North American Musicology’s Performances of Social Power”; Roy Howat (Royal College of Music) on “Research as Performance and Performance as Research”, and Rolf Gehlhaar (London) on “Reality Music/Virtual Music/Music as Sound Art”.

Sessions of the Conference were devoted to a wide variety of themes, including Composers and Spirituality, Theories of Creativity, Music and Contemporary Tastes, Music and Dance, Current Issues in Japanese Music Research, French Music, Singing, Feminist Readings, Analysis, and many others. There was a total of 112 papers and approximately 130 delegates. Newcastle Conservatorium presented a concert showcasing the Conservatorium Wind Orchestra, and an opera production in which a recently rediscovered Prologo and Intermezzo by Alessandro Scarlatti were presented alongside the world premiere of the one-act opera Daphne by Honours composition student Katrina Pring. Delegates also enjoyed a conference dinner at the renowned Hunter Valley Gardens.

Michael Ewans

Convenor, MSA XXV

Gender & Sexuality Forum — Report

A gender and sexuality group within the MSA was founded in 2001 by MSA member Paul Attinello at a meeting at which it was decided to extend Paul’s initial proposal of founding a gay and lesbian studies group within the MSA to encompass wider issues of gender and sexuality, and at which it was agreed by the AGM that time would be set aside at each national conference for fora on this, as well as on indigenous issues in music.

The Newcastle conference thus marked the second meeting of what could be described as ‘interested members’, since at this stage there is still no such formally convened group within the MSA. The lively interest created by the question of gender and sexuality within music was nonetheless visible in the numbers present, with 19 members attending. I agreed to chair the meeting due to Paul’s departure from Australia for UK in June, where he had accepted a position as lecturer at the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. As I pointed out in opening the meeting, the problems Paul experienced with his intended immigration to this country were a salient reminder of real-life issues that continue here and in many other parts of the world, and a indication that the struggle for equality and human rights here is far from over. From Newcastle NSW to Newcastle UK: the meeting joined in wishing Paul well.

Like our study weekend sessions, the forum was an opportunity for members to raise questions or themes as they wished. Topics thus ranged over a variety of themes related to our research work in this field, beginning with a discussion of personal experiences and ideas. Basing my comments on my own reading, I pointed out the important role which queer theory now fulfils in cultural debate in relation to not only issues of gender and sexuality, but also the manner in which race and national identity are expressed and defined, and urged members to engage more with debate which has been going on in cultural studies for the last two decades, but which has not had nearly the impact it could have within the often all-too hermetic sphere of music scholarship. We also need to examine the manner in which our own sexuality interacts with our engagement with music, playing a major, but currently little understood or discussed role in helping determine our personal musical preferences and interests, and thus our activities as music researchers. And many more music researchers within Australia, it was felt, need to be willing to ask hard questions of their discipline, forge new connections between music and cultural theory, and break out of what has often been seen by our detractors as a kind of ‘musicological cocoon’.

Thus, an important discussion topic centred upon the question of how we relate to and rank issues such as gender, sexuality, racial and national identity—as well as musicality—within our own personalities and belief systems, as well as how we see those issues affecting our activities in research and/or performance, and our understanding of how music reflects them. Everyone attending the meeting then had the opportunity to speak personally about the way such concerns influenced his or her work, the wide range of responses mirroring the greater or lesser degree to which various fields within music research are engaging with these topics. One important matter raised centred upon the fact that, particularly for members working in other countries, the possibility of ‘outing’ oneself by introducing issues of sexuality into one’s writing was simply not an option. There is no question that the broader issue of gay rights continues to impact on the engagement of scholars with these issues.

In all, this was a valuable and far-reaching discussion. A gender and sexuality forum focusing on queer theory is planned for the National Workshop to be held in Brisbane in October 2004.

John Phillips

For reports on the indigenous and music and technology fora held in Newcastle, see the minutes of the AGM, points 4.10 and 4.12, pp. 6f.

— Chapter Reports —

Northern New South Wales

The Northern NSW Chapter has cemented its revival with a busy program of chapter meetings and events. The breadth of learning and interests of the membership has provided the chapter with the opportunity to enrich its membership’s musical knowledge and understanding across a broad range of disciplines – a trend which it will undoubtedly continue into the future.

The first chapter meeting of the re-constituted chapter was held on 17 October, 2002. Ross Maclennan gave a talk on his role as project officer establishing a course in Contemporary Music at Armidale TAFE. Ross detailed various paradigms used for attracting additional external funding from the music industry for the course’s infrastructure. He also spoke about obtaining necessary community support for the course, and the required changes in core values within TAFE Armidale’s philosophy in relation to music and the performing arts. Margaret Sharpe gave an informative paper entitled Researching Aboriginal Song and Dance: Using dance to help analyse the musical structure. In approaching issues of musical structure in Aboriginal song, Margaret demonstrated through video recordings of song and dance the need to consider dance patterns in conjunction with musical elements in structural analysis. The meeting was concluded by a brief talk and spirited performance by local professional guitarists Stephen Tafra and Stephen Thorneycroft of Philip Houghton’s Three Pieces (1998) and Gareth Glyn’s Triban (1994) for guitar duet.

On 14 November 2002, Jason Stoessel gave a talk on aspects of the newly acquired and luxurious facsimile edition of Codex Squarcialupi into the Gordon Athol Anderson Music Collection at Dixson Library, University of New England. After describing the facsimile edition and the origin of the original, Jason focussed on aspects of the manuscript’s illumination, particularly the costume of composers in historiated initials (and some problems inherent therein) and the marginal representations of the text of various works.

The first chapter meeting of this year was held on 15 February. As a guest of the chapter, Dr Dorottya Fabian (UNSW) led a discussion on aesthetic responses to performances of Early Music. Focussing on preliminary empirical research dealing with listeners’ responses to recordings of J.S. Bach’s works for solo violin, Dr Fabian illustrated various statistical trends in her subjects’ responses. Already evident in some of the responses from a limited yet diverse pool of subjects was obvious preconceptions of what constituted a “Baroque” performance and a “Romantic” performance. The use of technologies to synthesis recording qualities and their effect on respondents was also demonstrated. The ensuing discussion explored a variety of related issues ranging from methods for the quantification of tone qualities in recordings to the role of Dr Fabian’s research in developing an understanding of today’s aesthetical judgements in relation to performances of early music.

On the following day, Dr Fabian also delivered the Inaugural New England Bach Festival Lecture, an event which was funded and organised by the Northern NSW Chapter. In her lecture, Dr Fabian discussed performance trends witnessed in recordings of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin made over the last century. The audience, through the liberal and much appreciated use of recorded examples, was lead to a greater appreciation of differences between “modern” and “historically informed” styles of performances. The lecture also demonstrated how technology could assist in further defining the inherent differences between style through the use of spectral and waveform analysis in relation to vibrato and rhythmic nuances.

Jason Stoessel

Secretary/Treasurer, NNSW Chapter

Queensland

Following on from a highly successful student and member symposium in August 2002, the first MSAQ Annual Lecture was held in the School of Music at the University of Queensland on Thursday 26 September. Highly distinguished musicologist and founding member of MSAQ Dr Gordon D. Spearritt was invited to present this lecture entitled “Ramblings of an Ethnomusicologist”. Through a combination of anecdotes, visual and audio examples, Gordon took his audience on a musicological journey from his days as a Master of Arts student at Harvard University, to fieldwork for his doctoral research in ethnomusicology on the instrumental music of the Iatmul people, Middle Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. These were punctuated by his reflections of the state of play in music education and musicology through his involvement as National Vice-President of the Australian Society for Music Education, National President of MSA, and his experience as an academic at the University of Queensland. His outstanding achievements as scholar, musician and teacher were highlighted and provided much food for thought for all in attendance about what it means to be truly musicological.

Another one of the highlights of the second half of the year for many MSAQ members was the National MSA Conference in Newcastle. Ten QLD members presented papers, representing current research being undertaken by staff and postgraduate students in a variety of musicological areas including: Aboriginalist ethnomusicology, feminist musicology, representation and text, canonic theory, popular music, liturgical music in France and the Philippines, performance pedagogy and German music theatre. Congratulations to all who attended and also the conference convenors, Rosalind Halton and Michael Ewans for an outstanding event. The strong presence of MSAQ members at the National Conference points to the growing strength of musicological research in our state.

In early December MSAQ members joined long standing MSA member Gordon Spearritt and his wife at their picturesque home in the Sunshine coast hinterland for our annual Christmas party. Although attendance was low, members enjoined a lavish BBQ complete with festive mince tarts and a spirited game of boule.

2003 promises to be a busy year for MSAQ as we prepare to host the National Workshop (nee Study Weekend) in early October together with the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland. Our 2003 AGM will take place on Sunday March 16 and we look forward to ushering in the new committee and the challenges ahead.

Liz Mackinlay

Chair, Queensland Chapter

South Australia

At its AGM on 27 August 2002, the MSA Executive Committee was re-elected for another year: Jula Szuster (President), John Phillips (Secretary), Helen Rusak (Treasurer), Kimi Coaldrake and Christopher Wainwright (Committee members). Following the meeting, Jula Szuster presented a paper entitled “Colonel Light’s Impaired Vision: Musical Life in Colonial Adelaide and its Legacy”. The talk generated considerable discussion on the impact of German music training at the Elder Conservatorium in the 1930s.

At the 24 September 2002 chapter meeting Steven Knopoff gave a talk entitled “Sound Recordings and the Musicological Subject Part Two” and Marika Leininger-Ogawa delivered a paper entitled “Waon Orchestra: Japanese Traditional Music and the Live Club Scene in Tokyo”.

Visiting scholars Roy Howat (Royal College of Music, London) and Michael Burden (New College, Oxford) presented stimulating lectures to the chapter members at seminars in the later part of 2002. Roy Howat delivered a lecture/demonstration on Schubert’s B-flat Major Sonata D960 on 22 October and Michael Burden spoke on the exotic in Purcells’ Fairy Queen on 10 December.

The SA Chapter has planned a program of seminars for 2003 with presentations by Charles Bodman Rae, John Phillips, Kimi Coaldrake and Helen Rusak, among others. The Naomi Cumming Postgraduate Prize seminar will be held on 6 December 2003.

Jula Szuster

President, SA Chapter

Victoria

The following activities are planned by the Victorian Chapter for 2003:

· Night of trial presentations for those giving papers at European Conferences. Date: June TBA

· Choral Music in Melbourne. Date: 21 June.

· MSA Chapter Conference. Date: 14–15 November

Ian Burk

Secretary, Victorian Chapter

From the National Secretary

Last November saw the hand-over to the new National Executive completed. Apart from problems gaining access to the society's website that took some months to resolve, everything has gone smoothly to ensure the running of the society's affairs. I am pleased to advise that the new executive is very proactive and is undertaking many new initiatives. We are in regular, frequent contact by email and we also held a teleconference last December - a practice we expect to continue in the future.

One exciting initiative that has been proposed is the establishment of Special Interest Groups that may act as forums or provide advocacy to other organistions on behalf of the society. One area that has already be suggested is sound recording search of indigenous music. These groups will be ideally headed by a national committee member and interested members will be actively encouraged to participate in their running. The society is also looking to foster and encourage relationships with other organisations for which there is mutual benefit to our members. Chris Wainright has been instrumental in starting this initiative and has already established strong ties with World Orchestras. Negotiations with other organisations are also currently in place and we shall update you with any new member benefits that become available as they arise.

I recently attended two two-day seminars on behalf of the society presented by the Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) and the Arts Management Advisory Group (AMAG). At the AbaF seminar I was required to prepare a business case for corporate sponsorship. This now means that the society now has access to AbaF's large corporate partner database as well as its functions and seminars for case presentation. The AMAG seminar provided valuable information on influencing policy and funding in the arts sector. Both of these seminars provided access to services and information that should see an increase in various sources of funding available to the society.

While members have the opportunity to anonymously reply to the survey that has been included with this newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further concerns or suggestions that you would like to make about the society. All enquiries will be acknowledged promptly and treated confidentially if requested. Feedback from our members is essential to ensure the ongoing success of the society.

Paul McIntyre

National Secretary

Musicology Australia Update and Call for Submissions

Those of us who have worked on Musicology Australia with Paul Watt were saddened to see him leave his position as journal Editor at the end of 2002 but delighted not only that he has taken up a position with Cambridge University Press in the UK but also that he has agreed to continue his long association with the journal, again in the role of Assistant Editor. MSA members should have received volume 25 of the journal: my thanks go to Paul for his dedicated work on that volume as well as to our typesetter Rowan Kidd, Aristoc Offset for printing, Paul McIntyre and other members of the National Executive and National Committee for mailing hundreds of copies of the volume and, of course, to the contributors of articles and reviews. I would also like to thank the Editorial Advisory Committee members, Allan Marett, Sandra McColl, Michael Noone, Alison Tokita, Richard Toop and Stephen Wild as well as MSA presidents past and present, Craig De Wilde, Nicholas Routley and Steven Knopoff, who have given generously of their advice and suggestions.

Four refereed articles have already been accepted for volume 26 of Musicology Australia, which will be appearing later this year. In addition, a number of invited reviews on topics as diverse as Adorno, music and postmodernism, and the wangga tradition will appear in volumes 26 and 27—thanks, too, to those members who have kindly sent us review copies of your publications and recordings for review.

We are now calling for submissions for volume 27, which will appear in 2004. Scholarly articles on all aspects of music research are welcome. I would encourage contributors to read the submission guidelines in the latest volume of Musicology Australia and to contact me if you have any additional questions about acceptable submission and referencing formats. In particular, the referencing style for volumes 26 and 27 will differ from that used in volume 25: I hope to have more detailed instructions for preparation and submission of typescripts linked to the Society’s website by early April. Members will also receive notice of the new submission information through the Society’s weekly e-newsletter.

Submissions and items for review should be sent either to the Society’s PO Box address or directly to me at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music C41, The University of Sydney NSW 2006, Australia.

Jennie Shaw

Editor, Musicology Australia

— Forthcoming conferences —

Blacking Symposium

The University of Western Australia, 12–14 July 2003

Planning is well under way for the Blacking Symposium, which will be held from July 12 to 14 at the Callaway Centre, School of Music, The University of Western Australia.

The Symposium celebrates the work and legacy of the British ethnomusicologist/anthropologist, Professor John Blacking. The Callaway Centre is the custodian of the John Blacking Papers, which comprise John Blacking's original research data on African music—the diaries, field notes, audio recordings, photographic negatives and 8 mm films. There are also box files of unpublished papers written for many of the conferences he attended.

The Symposium promises to be a stimulating and exciting event. The Call for Papers has evoked a strong international response, with over sixty abstracts submitted. Every continent will be represented and a rich variety of papers will be presented, engaging with the work of Blacking from various perspectives including Music Education, Ethnomusicology, and the Blacking-Grainger link.

The four keynote speakers hail from four different continents and will bring a truly international flavour to the Symposium. The speakers are Professor Patricia Shehan Campbell (University of Washington), Dr John Baily (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Professor Meki Nzewi (University of Pretoria) and Dr Fiona Magowan (University of Adelaide).

Registrations for the Symposium are now invited. Full details of the Symposium including the programme, accommodation, and online registration are available at the Callaway Centre website,

http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/circme/

For further information contact the Manager of the Callaway Centre, Dr Victoria Rogers, at circme@cyllene.uwa.edu.au.

Victoria Rogers, Convenor

MSA National Workshop 2003

(previously National Study Weekend)

“Performance, aesthetics and experience”

Friday 3 October – Sunday 5 October 2003

School of Music, University of Queensland

Hosted by MSAQ and the School of Social Science, UQ

Planning for the 2003 MSA National Workshop (previously National Study Weekend) is well underway by the MSAQ committee, and Dr Franca Tamisari and Dr John Bradley from the School of Social Science.

Features of the National Workshop will include:

· Key note speaker Steven Feld

· Formal papers, workshops, panel discussions

· Performance and demonstrations

· Publication of proceedings by School of Social Science, MSAQ and University of Queensland Press

250 word proposals for formal papers, panel discussions and workshop sessions are due by July 31 and can be sent to:

Dr Sam Owens

s.owens@mailbox.uq.edu.au.

School of Music

University of Queensland

Brisbane Q 4072

Further details regarding registration costs, accommodation and conference programming will be posted on the MSA National website and published in the next Newsletter.

Liz Mackinlay, Convenor

MSA/NZMS CONFERENCE 2003

Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, 27–30 November 2003

The combined conference of the Australian and New Zealand Musicology Societies will take place in Wellington, New Zealand, 27–30 November 2003. The combined conference can be expected to bring some special features of perspective and topic which may not be available to either of us in isolation. Already we have had a number of enquiries from America and Europe, as well as those from Australia and New Zealand, attracted by the theme and the quality and energy that this conference can display. Several potential guest speakers have come forward and we hope for others in playing out this theme, Music and Locality.

Locality is particularly obvious in the field of indigenous music and in the acoustic ecology/nature area, but we hope that the interaction of global and local phenomenon in all branches of music can be tapped - in the classical field, in popular music and jazz and elsewhere.

A conference concert is being built around the unique New Zealand instrument the putorino, which has been the subject of considerable research in the past decades, but which remains an enigmatic instrument with its roots in Maori tradition.

The MSA website has several sections on the conference: Themes, Call for Papers, Guests and Events, and Registration form - these will be updated and the website completed later this month with further material on Accommodation, Travel and Arrival, and the Location of the Victoria University of Wellington School of Music.

The important dates and contacts for the conference are:

· Abstracts for papers: 28 March, to richard.hardie@vuw.ac.nz

· Registration to gain early bird discount by 31 August,

· Further information on the MSA website www.msa.org.au

We hope that all MSA members will feel the urge to cross the ditch for this event. They will be assured of a warm welcome and, as far as we can manage, a cracker of a conference!

Allan Thomas, Convenor

allan.thomas@vuw.ac.nz

SIMS 2004

The time for the Symposium of the International Musicological Society is rapidly approaching, so be sure to mark you calendars now for July 11–16, 2004 in Melbourne. Paper and session proposals can be submitted at any time, with the deadline for submission 1 May 2003. Notification of acceptance of papers will be sent out by 31 July 2003.

Complete conference information can be found on the website

http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/music/sims2004/index.html

or feel free to contact the SIMS 2004 Convenor, Margaret Kartomi, at:

SIMS2004@arts.monash.edu.au

Craig De Wilde, Committee

SIMS Sponsorships

The SIMS organisers are currently seeking support from businesses to sponsor travel for delegates from impecunious countries. If you have any business contacts with interests in certain countries from which scholars may wish to come, or to bring Indigenous Australians to take part, please contact Margaret Kartomi (mkartomi@smtp.monash.edu.au) to receive copy of a purpose-specific letter which can be amended to suit particular interests of businesses or countries.

There are also SIMS postcards available for use with sponsorship appeals.

Steven Knopoff, President

MSA Study Weekend 2004

Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 November 2004

Elder School of Music, University of Adelaide

An MSA Study Weekend on the subject of Music Criticism will be held in Adelaide, on 20–21 November 2004. It will coincide with the State Opera of South Australia’s production of The Ring, from 16 November to 12 December 2004. A bevy of interstate and overseas critics is expected to descend on Adelaide for this production, as happened in 1998, and an open forum involving a number of leading critics will be held as part of the Study Weekend. Themes will include music criticism in the public arena and intersections between musicology and criticism. As usual, discussion sessions will take place in an informal, fly-as-we-go atmosphere.

Please pencil this event into your forward-planner. For inquiries contact the convenor, Graham Strahle, on 08 8267 5573 or 0407 319 545. Those wishing to book for The Ring can do so by contacting the State Opera of SA on 08 8226 4790, info@saopera.sa.gov.au or visiting www.saopera.sa.gov.au.

Graham Strahle, Convenor

— Conference Reports —

The British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies,
32nd Annual Conference

3-5 January 2002, St. Hugh’s College, Oxford

Report

One of the worst problems facing a researcher in eighteenth-century music is that of context. It is all too easy to get mired down in treatises and lose sight of the larger cultural backdrop. This is why a conference such as this is so thrilling to attend. I was able to listen to papers on politics, literature, philosophy and art directly related to my research period, as well as some excellent presentations on music.

Of the latter, I was part of the ‘Popular Music in the Age of Johnson’ panel, where, along with Stefka Richie (‘Samuel Johnson on the Universal Language of Music’), Alan Barnes (‘Johnson’s Circle, Popular Music and the London Pleasure Gardens’) and Phillip Weller (‘A Question of Taste? Situating Music Between the Sociable and the Sublime), I was able to take part in a lively and intertextual discussion on English musical ideas. My own paper (‘The Dual Aesthetic in English Music and Art of the Eighteenth Century’) explored devices of rationalization that connected the visual and aural with reference to a painting and a sonata of the period, and piqued enough interest to keep people accosting me and asking about rhetorical figures or humoural metaphors for the rest of my time there!

I was also fortunate to attend the ‘Music and the Enlightenment’ panel, which had some superb papers. Emily Dolan (‘Taming Sonority with Reason: Kant and Rousseau and Musical Aesthetics in the late 18th Century’) discoursed charmingly on the wonders of the glass harmonica, while Abigail Chantler (‘The Musical Sturm und Drang Revisited’) challenged traditional views of the period with intelligent reference to Haydn and the modern work of Mark Evan Bonds. Stephen Baysted (‘Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Reform of Opera: The Pygmalion Mechanism’) had much that was interesting to say about constructional devices, and Catherine Jones (‘Robert Fergusson and eighteenth-century musical rhetoric’) gave a witty and insightful paper that married music and poetry in the Scottish tradition. Alas, I did not attend the session on Mozart, as I was seduced away by a panel on ‘Prescriptiveness’, which covered radical grammaticians and their influence. There was an excellent and rather thorough Annual Lecture by Peter Jupp on government in Hanoverian Britain, and I also managed to get to very good sessions on Architecture and Periodization, which were similarly useful contextually.

Another event worthy of mention was the concert by Kate Semmens (soprano) and Dale Wills (piano). Entitled ‘Shakespearian Music: Then and Now’, the programme covered realizations of the songs by Arne, Tippet and others. The pianist was astonishingly good, and the soprano pleasant, although her voice was occasionally stretched in directions where it was clearly uncomfortable.

Overall, it has to be said that I didn’t hear a single paper that was either badly done or irrelevant to my understanding of the period. By and large, the conference seemed to be run by and for academics working in the field, and the whole atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. I should also mention that the food was delicious and the accommodation comfortable. I would thoroughly recommend the 33^rd Annual Conference to anyone who might happen to be near England at the same time next year. Oxford is a lovely town, and seems to be ideal for this sort of thing. The only real problem is leaving…

Barnaby Ralph

Third International Festival of Spanish Keyboard Music ‘Diego Fernández’

If October 12, the Spanish National day, sees autumn turning to winter in Northern Europe, the south beckons not only by virtue of its almost perfect climate, but also for the International Festival of Spanish Keyboard Music ‘Diego Fernández’ that is fast becoming a regular fixture for performers, scholars, instruments makers, and music publishers. The fall of the ancient Moorish town of Mojácar to the Catholic Monarchs in 1488 signalled the beginning of a decline that was only halted last century when a colourful army of artists, flower-children, expatriates and tax-exiles found an idyllic climate, superb views of the Mediterranean, plentiful seafood, inexpensive wine, and a relaxed lifestyle irresistible. A few miles inland lies the town of Vera, birthplace of the 18th-century harpsichord builder, Diego Fernández, after whom the festival is named and whose Church of the Incarnation provided a superb venue for a concert of Spanish polyphony given by Barcelona’s Musica Reservata and conducted by Bruno Turner. The modern luxurious Parador Nacional, built a stone’s throw from the beach, provided the venue for John Griffith’s opening vihuela recital, some splendid meals, and all of the symposium’s paper sessions.

In this, its third successive year, the festival embraced the long weekend from October 11 to 14, hosting an array of guests from as far afield as Australia, Japan and the Americas. Opting for a generously broad definition of its theme ‘the origins of Spanish keyboard music’, the program—skillfully conceived and curated by harpsichordist Luisa Morales—offered concerts, courses, a two-day symposium, and exhibitions of instruments and published music.

In planning the symposium, organizers Luisa Morales, Bruno Turner, and Louis Jambou devoted sessions to the relationships between chant, polyphony, and keyboard music in the 16th and 17th centuries and others to questions of performance practice and repertory. The participation of specialists in the usually discrete areas of chant, polyphony, and instrumental music provided a refreshing and perhaps even unique opportunity for colloquy and exchange that in the event proved especially fruitful. While Bernadette Nelson discussed the fabordón and its development in keyboard music, Tess Knighton and Ángel Manuel Olmos studied the transmission of vocal polyphony in the Polish Pelplin organ tablature on the one hand, and Gonzalo de Baena’s Arte nouamente inuentada pera aprender a tanger (Lisbon, 1540) on the other. Michael Noone revealed a newly-discovered manuscript source of Morales’s Sacris solemniis that was previously known only through Venegas’s keyboard transcription, and Bruno Turner directed Music Reservata in a world première performance of the piece.

In sessions concerned with keyboard music, Louis Jambou explored the relationship between theoretical models and instrumental practices while Colleen Baade presented the results of one of the first investigations into organs and organists in 16th-century Spanish convents. Susana Sarfson examined the literary and musical sources of Cabezón’s Duvienselá and Juan Luis García presented a fascinating survey of the iconographic representations of angel musicians playing keyboard instruments in Baroque churches in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

Instruments themselves provided the focus for a number of fascinating presentations. Mia Awouters of Brussels’ Musée des Instruments de Musique scrutinized the Geigenwerk ‘invented’ by Truchado in 1625, Rafael Marijuán who led us through his experimental reconstruction of a hypothetical Renaissance clavichord, and Bernard Brauchli presented a lecture on the 17th-century Portuguese clavichord illustrated by a recital on a recently-restored anonymous instrument. Such practical matters as the keyboard accompaniment of songs in the 16th century and the art of improvisation, with special reference to paired imitation and Santa María’s Arte de tañer fantasia, occupied the attentions respectively of Miguel Ángel Picó and Robert Utterback.

As for theoretical issues, Paloma Otaola probed Bermudo’s contribution of to the understanding of the newly emerging semichromatic system and John Griffiths reflected on the terms ‘para tecla, harpa y vihuela’ declared in the keyboard anthologies published by Venegas (1557) and Cabezón (1578). Finally, Luisa Morales focussed on the contemporary performer’s urgent need for reliable critical editions of the tablature anthologies of both Venegas de Henestrosa and Gonzalo de Baena.

Exciting plans are already being laid for the 2003 Festival whose theme, ‘England and Spain’, promises an expansion of this year’s international flavour. Without doubt this is a Festival that deserves to flourish.

Michael Noone

— Miscellaneous Notices —

Music Printing And Publishing In Australia

Papers from the History of the Book in Australia Seminar,
Monash University, November 2000

A special issue of the

Bibliographical Society of Australia and New Zealand,

Volume 25, Numbers 3-4, 2001

Articles in this ground- breaking issue include (# denotes MSA member):

#Georgina Binns — Music Publishing and Selling in Australia

Bruce Steele — “Numerous little songs in my drawer”: Editing and publishing the music of Henry Handel Richardson

Ross Harvey — “Musical Gems that will Capture the Public Imagination!”: The production and distribution of Around the Boree Log

#Diane Gome — The Church and Music Publishing in Australia

#Prue Neidorf — The composing and publishing ventures of the Marsh brothers

Faye Patton — Music printing and publishing in Australia between the wars: The Kynoch Stock Book 1921-1939.

Wallace Kirsop — The Walches as sellers of music and their customers in 1840s

Keith Maslen — Music publishing and book selling in nineteenth-century New Zealand

#Georgina Binns — Exhibition catalogue: Music Printing and Publishing in Australia

Single issues are available for purchase at a cost of $A35.00.

Send orders to:

Ian Morrison

Editor, BSANZ Bulletin

Archives & Special Collections

Baillieu Library

University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010

Chris Wainwright, as Registrar of Postgraduate Music Dissertations, maintains the Society’s database, which is no longer published in Musicology Australia and is currently being transferred to the Society’s website.

We need your assistance in helping to keep our records up to date; they provide a valuable source of information to other scholars. Please send the following forms to: Chris Wainwright, MSA Registrar of Postgraduate Music Dissertations, fax (08) 8297 2040, e-mail <cmwain@ozemail.com.au>, or post to Chris Wainwright, MSA, GPO Box 2404, Canberra ACT 2601.

Also, if your thesis is currently listed as ‘in progress’ but you have subsequently been awarded your degree, please notify us. If you are aware of theses currently in progress but not listed in Musicology Australia, please give a copy of the form to the relevant person. This is especially important for theses being completed in non-music departments such as anthropology, sociology, history, or cultural studies.

Chris Wainwright

National Committee 2002–2003

Membership Secretary

Committee Members

Website Coordinators

CONTENTS

monday, 25 August 2003

Held at the Conservatorium (School of Music and Drama),
The University of Newcastle

Sunday, 6 October 2002 at 11.30 am

For the year ending 30 June 2002

TOTAL

TOTAL

National Committee 2002–2003

Membership Secretary

Committee Members

Website Coordinators

CONTENTS

monday, 25 August 2003

Held at the Conservatorium (School of Music and Drama), The University of Newcastle

Sunday, 6 October 2002 at 11.30 am

For the year ending 30 June 2002

TOTAL

TOTAL

Held at the Conservatorium (School of Music and Drama),
The University of Newcastle