Maynooth University is hosting the inaugural ‘Performance, Practise & Interactivity’ symposium to celebrate the act of performance in all its many guises. The event features a diverse programme of presentations on topics that include: introducing opera to mainstream audiences, the gender significance of the influx of female performers into death metal music, and understanding place and identity in performance.
Research at Maynooth is structured into six thematic priority areas, and ‘Performance, Practise & Interactivity’ is one of three interdisciplinary research clusters which explores Human Cultures, Experience and Creativity.
According to Maynooth University Music Lecturer Dr Alison Hood, “We are seeking to chart the history of performance studies, address its many ambiguities, challenge people’s assumptions and attempt to develop a new method of analysis that can broaden our understanding of the field.”
“We are extremely excited to welcome such a heavyweight field of international and indigenous performance scholars and practitioners to the ‘Performance, Practise & Interactivity’ event. Performance studies is still a very new academic discipline and therefore one that is still being defined and developed. The act of performance is such a complex concept and one that is extremely difficult to put boundaries on. It can range from the traditional and explicit to more interpretive social rituals, behaviours and interactions.”
Attendees will explore the evolution of ‘performance studies,’ a relatively new field of academic study, and observe the diverse forms of performance ranging from the traditional to the abstract.
Maynooth University Professor of Music, Prof Christopher Morris, will explore ‘High-Rise Opera House,’ a discussion in how to introduce opera to the masses; and University of Cambridge Professor of Musical Performance, Prof John Rink, will present, ‘The Futility of Performance Analysis.’
Head of Media Studies at Maynooth, Prof Maria Pramaggiore, will deliver ‘Vocal Projections: The Voice in Documentary,’ where she discusses the complex ways in which the human voice contributes to the audio-visual experience of a documentary, and how the voice can validate or contradict the narrative.
The symposium also will include the official launch of Maynooth Lecturer Dr Alison Hood’s new book, ‘Interpreting Chopin: Analysis and Performances,’ and Dr Pamela Karantonis’ new publication, ‘Cathy Berberian: Pioneer of Contemporary Vocality.’
The ‘Performance, Practice & Interactivity’ symposium will take place Friday, 14th November from 9am to 5.30pm in the Bewerunge Room, Logic House on the Maynooth University South Campus.
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