Introduction

Sounding the Feminists (STF) is an Irish-based, voluntary-led collective of composers, sound artists, performers, musicologists, critics, promoters, industry professionals, organisations, and individuals, committed to promoting and publicising the creative work of female musicians.

The Contemporary Music Centre (CMC) is Ireland’s archive and resource centre for new music, supporting the work of composers throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland. As the archive for composers’ works and related materials from the island of Ireland, CMC’s strategic goal is to ensure that the contemporary music landscape in Ireland is documented and preserved for future generations and that access to our dynamic library of contemporary works is provided.

Project Description

Sounding the Feminists (STF) is undertaking a quantitative analysis to investigate the gender balance of publicly-funded composer opportunities across the island of Ireland during the last thirty years of its performance history. This project will commence in January 2019 and is due to be completed and published by Autumn 2019. STF wishes to hire a Research Associate to develop a methodology, carry out data collection and processing, and to prepare data visualisations for publication. The appointed Research Associate will report to and be advised by an STF Advisory Panel who can offer expertise in the areas of commissioning and performance history, statistical analysis, and Contemporary Music from Ireland.

For this research project, CMC will provide administrative support along with sharing their library and archival expertise. In addition, the Research Associate will be based at the offices of the CMC, in central Dublin and will have access to archival material, desk space, and CMC staff support.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

·      to develop a methodology that addresses the project description

·      the collection of relevant data

·      processing of data for analysis

·      the creation of suitable data visualisations

·      to take direction from the Advisory Board and to report directly to this board

 

The required methodology involves sampling composer opportunities concerning the following activities within the publicly-funded music sectors across the island of Ireland:

-    Performing Groups

-       Festivals

-       Opera

-       Recordings

-       Publicly-funded awards such as Music Bursaries, Music Projects, Music Commissions

 

Having undertaken a gender audit of the above, the objective is to analyse further these activities in terms of the following factors: the status of the musical work with regard to, e.g., duration, scale, platform (main concert or fringe event), repeated performances/touring, commission fees; the status of the musicians, taking into account attributes such as age, qualifications, experience, geographical locations, disability, family and caring responsibilities

 

 

Required Skills and Experience

· experience in music research (ideally demonstrated with M.Litt. / Ph.D. qualification) and/or statistical analysis

·      knowledge of Contemporary Music from Ireland

· ability to interpret basic statistics

·   familiarity with data collection tools, e.g. standardised instruments, surveys, information obtained from database, etc…

·   ability to create databases in Excel, SPSS, etc…

·   basic understanding of statistical data

·   familiarity and facility with basic graphic programs such as PowerPoint, Print Shop, etc…

·   demonstrate a high level of communication skills

·   ability to self-motivate and to foster sustainable relationships with key funding partners

 

Application Details

Salary: this is a paid position, salary to be negotiated. Please note that this position is subject to funding.

 

Closing Date: 5pm, December 10th, 2018

 

Interview: anticipated Skype-interview in early January 2019

 

Start Date: middle-late January, 2019

 

Informal Enquiries: for further information and enquiries, please contact Dr. Ann Cleare, Projects Officer of Sounding the Feminists, at [email protected] with the subject heading ‘Research Associate Enquiry’

 

Application Procedure

Please email the following documents (in PDF format) to [email protected] with the subject heading ‘Research Associate Application’ by 5pm on Dec 10th, 2018:

-     a cover letter outlining interest and motivation in undertaking this role, as well as any previous experience in musical research and statistical analysis (two pages maximum)

-     an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae