University of Surrey hub for industry recording workshops
Two Senior Surrey Fellows, Dr Barbara Gentili and Dr Inja Stanović, have been busy this summer organising a host of international workshops and conferences exploring different aspects of music industry recording.
These events demonstrate that the University of Surrey is a leader of early recordings and voice research. Dr Gentili and Dr Stanović are immensely grateful to Surrey Future Fellows scheme for giving them the time and resources to build research excellence and leadership. The Surrey Future Fellows was a scheme designed to give early and mid-career researchers the opportunity to push forward the frontiers of knowledge and make a real impact from their research.
The theatrical voice
The Mechanical Recording Workshop was the latest on a growing list of academic events organised by the Early Recordings Association (ERA) and the nascent Voice Research Centre at the University of Surrey. Back in May, The Theatrical Voice conference attracted 40 delegates from the USA, Canada, UAE, continental Europe and the UK. It included four major opera companies – the Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera and Music Theatre Wales.
Focussing on the voice of stage artists and the power of the theatrical voice in shaping ideas of gender, race, class, citizenship and cultural identities, the conference was organised in collaboration with the Guildford School of Acting and helped to define the thematic areas of the soon to be launched Voice Centre. The centre will open in October 2024 and will work as a hub of interconnections for academics, practitioners, and cultural organisations.
Exploring traditional music on wax cylinders: historical technologies and performance styles
With the help and support of the University of Surrey’s Institute of Advanced Studies, a second ERA event took place in June, entitled: ‘Exploring Traditional Music on Wax Cylinders: Historical technologies and performance styles’.
ERA’s mechanical recording workshop and international conference gathered researchers and practitioners from universities of Glasgow, Sarajevo, Leeds, Aberdeen, the British Library, National Museum of Prague, the BBC, the Highland Institute from Kohima, Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, Sibelius Academy, and independent researchers.
Mechanical recording workshop: a study of the operatic voice
In July, Surrey University’s Performing Arts Technology Studios (PATS), part of Music and Media, played host to the Mechanical Recording Workshop: a Study of the Operatic Voice’
Organised by Dr Gentili and Dr Stanović in PATS Studio 1,the workshop explored interactions between singing and various mechanical technologies, producing two-minute wax cylinders and 10-inch discs. The event also included the presentation of nine individual papers from early career researchers, PhD students and senior academics, and two keynote speeches.
Recorded sound
Since ERA’s official launch in May 2024, Dr Stanović has also organised a conference on recorded sound in collaboration with Viennese Die Gesellschaft für Historische Tonträger (GHT). This international conference attracted researchers, collectors, and practitioners from around the world, strengthened connections between ERA and GHT, and opened dialogues between German, Austrian, and British collectors and researchers.
