Public Research Seminar: Lois Fitch

Photo © Robbie McFadzean.

Public Research Seminar: Lois Fitch (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
Failure as performance aesthetic

"Working with repertoires for musicians that ‘builds in’ failure (insofar as performers can never truly meet the demands of the score) leads me to reflect on the value of failure as an aesthetic or expressive quality. I consider some issues in New Music performance, but also draw on recent work evaluating historical recorded performance in light of the increasingly ‘sanitised’ recordings of musical works as technologies evolve. The sophistication of AI technologies only adds to the alienation of the listener from the performer’s craft. This presentation considers the opportunities for performers to explore ‘craft’ in their work in an age of enhanced technological production."

Lois Fitch is Deputy Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow. Previously, she was Head of Undergraduate Programmes at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. She has extensive experience of curriculum development and strategic planning in the Conservatoire context across all performing and production art forms. She is Vice-President elect of the Royal Musical Association, and published her monograph Brian Ferneyhough (Intellect and Chicago University Press) in 2014. Lois taught at all levels of study in HE for over 20 years and is now responsible for the academic portfolio, research, IT, student services and widening access at RCS. She is also on the Board of Sistema Scotland and a Senior Fellow of AdvanceHE.

Running time approx. two hours and 30 minutes.

Our Public Research Seminars are held simultaneously at RBC and online via Zoom. A link to view the seminar online will be sent to you once a ticket is booked, should you wish to join the virtual session.