Fiona M Palmer

Fiona M. Palmer (Professor of Music) is a musicologist and a performer whose research expertise lies in the cultural history of music and musicians in the marketplace (1780s–1940s). Her work explores the culture and commerce of the British music profession by engaging with issues such as professionalization, networking, reception, and performance practice. Fiona's publications include studies of soloists, conductors, performance and professional institutions, and music publishers. Currently on research sabbatical leave (until September 2022), Fiona served as Professor and Head of Maynooth University's Department of Music (2007–14) and as its Director of Research (2017–21).

A double bassist, mezzo-soprano, and flautist, Fiona is a first-class honours graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire and undertook her PhD in Musicology (British Academy Scholar) at the University of Birmingham. Aside from academic posts, her varied career has included work as a professional orchestral player, as the Manager of the Examinations Department at the ABRSM (London), and as a peripatetic instrumental/vocal teacher and conductor. In October 2007 Fiona moved from a Senior Lectureship at Queen’s University, Belfast, to take up the position of Professor of Music and Head of Department at Maynooth University. During her Headship (2007–2014) the Department of Music expanded its personnel and physical resources; undertook a systematic review, revision, and development of its research activities, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes; and expanded its conference hosting, ensemble portfolio, and concert-giving activities. 

Published in Music and Letters (September 2021) her peer-reviewed article, 'The Musical Conductors' Association: Collective Podium Power in Wartime Britain', provides new insights in respect of individual and collective agency, networks, collective bargaining, and authority among British conductors who sought to identify themselves as a separate and powerful branch of the music profession during the First World War. Fiona's most recent monograph is Conductors in Britain,1870–1914: Wielding the Baton at the Height of Empire (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2017). This book presents a new interpretation of the evolution of conducting as a profession in late-Victorian Britain. The varied fortunes of eight conductors (Julius Benedict, William Cusins, Arthur Sullivan, Joseph Barnby, Alexander C. Mackenzie, Frederic H. Cowen, Dan Godfrey Jr and Landon Ronald) provide a lens through which institutional and professional opportunities during this dynamic period are analyzed in a fresh and richly-contextualized way. Drawing on detailed research into British concert-life it sheds new light on the histories of organizations including the Philharmonic Society of London, Liverpool Philharmonic Society, Manchester's Hallé Orchestra, the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, the Royal Choral Society, Birmingham Promenade Concerts and music festivals nationwide.    

Music Publishing, Musicians' Careers and Networks: Novello and Dragonetti
Fiona’s previous books include: Vincent Novello (1781–1861): Music for the Masses (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006) — the first large-scale contextualized reappraisal of the career of the pioneering London-based editor and publisher. This monograph complements her earlier book which repositioned one of nineteenth-century London's most influential, well-connected and successful virtuosi: Dragonetti in England (1794–1846): the Career of a Double Bass Virtuoso (Oxford University Press, 1997).  

Recent international conference papers and invited lectures have been given in Switzerland, Finland, the USA, Italy, Croatia, and in the UK (Oxford, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff and Cambridge).  

Fiona has contributed to radio documentaries and discussions on Bayerische Rundfunk Klassik; BBC Radio Ulster; RTÉ Radio 1; and RTÉ lyric fm; she also served as an adjudicator and chair for the televised UTV Choir of the Year Competition and for ISB research competitions.

Formerly a Councillor of the Royal Musical Association (2002–05), Fiona was an elected Councillor of the Society for Musicology in Ireland for three consecutive terms (2006-15); she also served on the Development Committee of the North American British Music Studies Association (2016–18). Fiona has chaired for HETAC and participated in inter-institutional curricular discussions; she also chaired the finals of the Catherine Judge Memorial Award (2014; 2015) and acted as a juror for the ISB Research Competition (2018; 2020). She previously served as an external examiner for degree programmes at Liverpool Hope University, the Royal College of Music and at Dundalk Institute of Technology, and for doctoral and MPhil dissertations at the Universities of Melbourne, Birmingham, Leeds, Canterbury Christchurch College, Edinburgh, and Queen’s Belfast; and at the Royal College of Music (London) and Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester).

Memberships
International Musicological Society; North American British Music Studies Association; Royal Musical Association; Society for Musicology in Ireland

Fiona was very lucky to be trained via the Northamptonshire Music Service from a young age and participated in multiple ensembles, recitals, international tours and residential courses.  As a first-class graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire, with double bass as her first study, she freelanced with many ensembles, especially the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1989–1997).  During these years the CBSO enjoyed the stewardship of Sir Simon Rattle and Fiona was involved with recordings under the direction of such maestri as Walter Weller and Paarvo Jaervi; she was also a member of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (New Zealand).  

Fiona undertook her doctoral research at Birmingham University (1990–93) where she was fortunate to enjoy the mentorship of Professor Cyril Ehrlich alongside supervision from Professors Basil Deane and Colin Timms. She was Manager of the Examinations Department at the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London (1997–99). During this time she project-managed the ground-breaking Diploma 2000 Syllabus and liaised with educational agencies (such as the QCA) over benchmarking agreements. In July 1999 she moved to Northern Ireland to work at Queen's University in Belfast where she was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2002. During her eight years at QUB she transformed the Performance Programme, convened the BMus degree, taught modules across the curriculum (UG and PG) and served on committees at School, University and national levels. She also regularly played the double bass on a freelance basis with the Ulster Orchestra, travelling with them to New York and to perform at the BBC's Promenade Concerts in London.