Prof Alison Hood

Music, Deans' Office, Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Professor
Dean of Arts and Humanities

Callan Building
116
(01) 708 6457

Biography

My academic qualifications from Trinity College Dublin include a PhD in Music Analysis and Performance (2003) and a first-class honours Bachelor of Arts in Music degree (1996). During my time at Trinity I was awarded the Taylor Entrance Exhibition (1992), the Home Hewson Scholarship (1996), the Trinity College Postgraduate Award (1999), and the Government of Ireland Scholarship (1999). I was elected Scholar of Trinity in 1994. I lectured part-time in Trinity from 1997 to 2003 and was appointed visiting lecturer at the University of Oregon for the autumn term of 2001. I began lecturing in Maynooth University in 2003, completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education in 2009, and was appointed Acting Head of Department in 2012–2013.  

As a professional pianist and cellist, my disciplinary research is focused on music analysis and performance, particularly in relation to piano repertoire from the nineteenth century. In addition, my experience as an educator at Maynooth has allowed me to develop research expertise in large group pedagogies, student engagement, and the assessment process. My current research is interdisciplinary in nature, focusing on performance and analysis and the opportunities that can emerge when Music as a discipline interacts with other parts of the Academy (most recently with Business, and Computer Science).

I was appointed Dean of Teaching and Learning at Maynooth University in February 2016. In my current role as Dean of Teaching and Learning I provide leadership for the University in the key areas of the development of teaching and learning across the University and academic supports for students, coordinating the work of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the Career Development Centre, the Work Placement Office, the Experiential Learning Office, the Programme Advisory Office, the Student Engagement Office, and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, also managing the implementation of the enhanced curriculum across the University, including the first-year critical skills programme and the elective streams.

Research Interests

Music analysis and performance, nineteenth-century piano music, Chopin, education (particularly student engagement and assessment).

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
Legacy in the left hand: a bilateral comparative study of the left-hand piano concertos by Ravel, Prokofiev and Britten, as commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein. PI 01/10/2014 30/09/2017 71650

Book

Year Publication
2014 Hood A. (2014) Interpreting Chopin: Analysis and performance.

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2017 Hood, Alison (2017) 'Structural Coupling in the Coda of Chopin's Barcarolle' In: Chopin 1810–2010: Ideas—Interpretations—Influence. Warsaw : Narodowy Instytut Fryderyka Chopina.
2010 Hood, Alison (2010) 'Intraopus Connections in Chopin's Nocturnes Opus 27' In: Artur Szklener(Eds.). The Sources of Chopin's Creative Style: Inspirations and Contexts. Warsaw http://eprints.nuim.ie/2367/ [Full-Text]
2007 Hood, Alison (2007) 'Tonal and Rhythmic Hidden Repetition in Chopin’s Prelude Opus 28 No.14' In: Artur Szklener(Eds.). Chopin in Paris: The 1830’s. Warsaw [Full-Text]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2021 Annette Clancy, John G. Cullen, Alison Hood, Claire McGuinness (2021) 'Student Engagement With Experiential Learning in Large Classes'. Journal of Management Education, . https://doi.org/10.1177/10525629211008636 [Full-Text]
2021 Annette Clancy, John G. Cullen, Alison Hood, Claire McGuinness (2021) 'Teaching Perspectives on Experiential Learning in Large Classes'. Journal of Management Education, 45 (5):685-689. [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
2021 Donovan, P;Hood, A (2021) 'Experiential Learning in the Large Classroom Using Performative Pedagogy'. Management Education, 45 (3):344-359. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2019 Cullen, J.G.; Clancy; A; Hood, A; McGuinness, C. (2019) 'Special Issue: “Experiential Learning in Large Classes”'. Journal of Management Education, Vol. 43 (No. 4):471-476. [Full-Text]
2017 Hood, A. (2017) '‘Chopin Online’'. Nineteenth-Century Music Review, 14 (1):159-174. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Hood, Alison (2014) 'Shared Compositional Strategies in Chopin's Nocturnes Opus 48'. Irish Musical Studies, 11 .
2012 Hood, A (2012) 'Whose responsibility is it? Encouraging student engagement in the learning process'. Music Education Research, 14 :457-478. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2012 Hood, Alison (2012) 'Ambiguity of Tonal Meaning in Chopin's Prelude Opus 28, No. 22MUSIC THEORY ONLINE'. Music Theory Online, 18.3 . [Full-Text]
2010 Hood, Alison (2010) 'Objectifs et réalisations compositionnels dans la Barcarolle de Chopin : une forte cohérence structurale et un défi pour I'interpretationANALYSE MUSICALE'. Analyse Musicale, 62 (34) :34-41. [Full-Text]

Other Journal

Year Publication
2011 Hood, Alison (2011) 'Engaging Students in the Assessment Process in Large Groups' Large Group Teaching: The Local Context, NA . [Full-Text]

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2018 McNamara, P., Nolan, P., Hood, A., Ritter, B. and Coughlan, J. (2018) International Management and Organisational Behaviour Teaching Society conference Teaching Whilst Leading: Why Do University and Business School Leaders Teach (or not)? Maynooth University, .
2018 Paul Donovan & Alison Hood (2018) International Management and Organisational Behaviour Teaching Society conference ‘The Student Subskills Required for Effective Interdisciplinary Learning’ Maynooth University, .
2015 Alison Hood (2015) Dvořák the Pianist: A Re-Evaluation of Dvořák’s Solo Piano Works’ The European Salon: Nineteenth-Century Salonmusik Maynooth University, .
2015 Alison Hood and Ronan Reilly (2015) Musical Architecture: Analysis of Movement and Structure in Musical Composition and Performance Society for Musicology in Ireland University College Cork, .
2013 (2013) ‘Whose responsibility is it? Encouraging Student Engagement in the Learning Process’ Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland National University of Ireland Maynooth, .
2013 Alison Hood (2013) The Content and Pedagogy of Music in Higher Education Institutions in Ireland Panel Presentation with Gwen Moore, John O’Flynn & Miranda Cournane, 3rd Annual Conference of the Society for Music Education in Ireland: ‘The Music Education Gathering Legacies, Conversations, Aspirations’ St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, .
2012 (2012) Ambiguity of Tonal Meaning in Chopin’s Prelude Opus 28, No. 22’ West Coast Conference of Music Theory and Analysis University of Oregon, .
2010 (2010) Structural Coupling in the Coda of Chopin’s Barcarolle 3rd International Chopin Congress Warsaw, .
2010 (2010) Structural Coupling in the Coda of Chopin’s Barcarolle’ Research Seminar Series NUI Maynooth, .
2009 (2009) Whose Responsibility is it? Encouraging Student Engagement in the Learning Process 3rd Annual Conference NAIRTL Trinity College Dublin, .
2009 (2009) Structural Coupling in the Coda of Chopin’s Barcarolle Joint Annual Conference of the Society for Musicology in Ireland and the Royal Musical Association Royal Irish Academy of Music, .
2008 (2008) Shared Compositional Strategies in Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 48 Society for Musicology in Ireland, Annual Conference WIT, .
2008 (2008) Shared Compositional Strategies in Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 48 Performing Romantic Music: Theory and Practice Durham University, .
2008 (2008) Structural Coupling in the Coda of Chopin’s Barcarolle 15th Biennial International Conference on Nineteenth-century Music UCD, .
2007 (2007) Shared Compositional Strategies in Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 48 PERFORMA Aveiro, Portugal, .
2007 (2007) Shared Compositional Strategies in Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 48 Analysis Seminar series UCD, .
2006 (2006) Hidden Repetition in Chopin’s Prelude Opus 28 No. 14 Chopin in Paris:The 1830’s 6th International F. Chopin Conference Dziekanka, Warsaw, Poland, .
2005 (2005) Intraopus Connections in Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 27 5th International F. Chopin Conference Ostrogski Castle, Warsaw, Poland, .
2005 (2005) The Strategic Integration of Pitch and Rhythm in Chopin's Preludes Opus 28 School of Music and Sonic Arts Queen’s University Belfast, .
2004 (2004) Two Sides of the Coin: Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 27 Musicology Seminar NUI Maynooth, .
2003 (2003) An Evening with the Cello: An Introduction to the Instrument and its Music Saggart Arts and Heritage Centre Saggart, Co. Dublin, .
2001 (2001) Two Sides of the Coin: Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 27 Theme University of Oregon, .
1999 (1999) Two Sides of the Coin: Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 27 Trinity College Dublin, .
1999 (1999) Two Sides of the Coin: Chopin’s Nocturnes Opus 27 The Royal Musical Association Waterford Regional Technical College, .
1998 (1998) Towards a Methodology for Interpreting and Performing a Score: Chopin's Nocturne Opus 27 No. 2 Postgraduate Day Trinity College Dublin, .

Media

Year Publication
2018 Paul Donovan and Alison Hood (2018) What could Bowie teach business about changes?. MEDIA

Newspaper Articles

Year Publication
2020 Hood, A. and McKenzie, B (2020) How we can easily come to grips with online learning. NEWSA

Thesis

Year Publication
2003 Hood, A. (2003) Chopin's Strategic Integration of Rhythm and Pitch: a Schenkerian Perspective. Trinity College Dublin: THES

Recording

Year Publication
2004 Hood, Alison (2004) Dreams 3: The Most Beautiful Music in your Dreams. REC
2003 Hood, Alison (2003) Coulter and Company. REC
2002 Hood, Alison (2002) Miracle 4. REC
2002 Hood, Alison (2002) Miracle Gold. REC
2001 Hood, Alison (2001) Miracle Piano 2. REC
1999 Hood, Alison (1999) Recording of Grieg’s Piano Concerto 1st movement for Lyric FM. REC
1999 Hood, Alison (1999) Celtic Visions. New York: REC
1999 Hood, Alison (1999) Romantic Themes and Celtic Dreams. New York: REC
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2023) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2007 Female Musician of the Year (Liveireland.com)
01/04/2020 Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Higher Education Academy (UK)
01/01/2007 Female Musician of the Year (Top TIR Awards, Chicago)
01/01/1999 Government of Ireland Scholarship
01/01/1999 Trinity College Postgraduate Award
01/01/1996 Home Hewson Scholarship
01/01/1994 Elected Scholar of Trinity College Dublin
01/01/1992 Taylor Entrance Exhibition

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
National University of Ireland Maynooth Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education
National University of Ireland Maynooth NUI Certificate in Counselling Skills
Trinity College Dublin PhD
Trinity College Dublin Bachelor of Arts in Music with First Class Honours
Guildhall School of Music & Drama Licentiate — Pianoforte Performance

Recent Students

Graduation date Name Degree
2010 Barbara Dignam PhD
2019 Clare Wilson PhD
2009 Catherine Byrne MLitt
2014 Edward Holden PhD
2013 Emer Nestor PhD
2017 Emma Scanlon PhD