We are very pleased to announce that the University of New England is offering a targeted PhD in Digital Musicology for a project on Ludovico Zacconi’s collection of canons.  This project will run parallel with our ARC Discovery Project “The Art and Science of Canon in the Music of Early 17th-century Rome,” sharing and contributing to its approaches and methods.

PhD Scholarship Opportunity in Digital Musicology
The Art and Science of Ludovico Zacconi’s Collections of Canons

The University of New England seeks a highly motivated PhD candidate in digital musicology to research the two musical collections of canons of 17th-century singer-theorist Ludovico Zacconi (1555–1627). The candidate’s research will complement the Australian Research Council Discovery Project “The Art and Science of Canon in the Music of Early 17th-century Rome” that Chief Investigators Denis Collins and Jason Stoessel will commence in early 2018. This project will inform and inspire the candidate’s own research on Zacconi in Venice. Zacconi demonstrated a remarkable interest in the canonic repertoire of his contemporaries and his resolutions of riddle canons provide ground-base truths for understanding canonic techniques in early 17th-century music.

The canonic repertoire of early 17th-century music has attracted very little scholarly attention until now. Existing studies highlight the large number of canonic works from the period, some of their links to contemporary debates around philosophical and theological issues, and the use of artwork and symbolism in the presentation of the musical notation. Notably absent is any systematic analytical approach. Collins and Stoessel are addressing this shortcoming through innovative computer-assisted methodologies. The candidate will play his/her own distinct role in this endeavour.

Digital musicology is a cross-disciplinary approach that uses computers and information technology to enhance and to extend music research. The applicant should possess research knowledge and skills in either historical musicology (preferably in an area before 1750) and/or computer science. Applicants who have knowledge and skills in one of these domains must demonstrate a readiness to develop knowledge and skills in the other. The successful applicant must be willing to learn modern computer programming languages or demonstrate existing skills in one or more of them. They must also be willing to address research questions using machine-learning or artificial intelligence toolboxes and/or newly written software tools or scripts. Previous experience with using Unix, R, Python and/or high performance computing is desirable, although UNE provides introductory training in these technologies.

The scholarship provides a tax-free free stipend of AU$27,082 (2018 rate) for three years. It is available to domestic (Australian, New Zealand or Australian permanent residency) candidates. Postgraduate training at UNE includes international conference opportunities, and professional development and networking. The candidate will receive training in the use of online music cataloguing software according to international standards. The project will be based at Armidale in Northern NSW and involve collaboration with cross-university researchers in Brisbane, Queensland. Experts from historical musicology and computer science will jointly supervise the candidate’s research.

This project is an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of digital musicology research in Australia. Selection of the successful candidate will be based upon merit.

When to apply

Scholarship applications are due on or before the 19 February 2018. The successful applicant would need to be prepared to start candidature as soon as possible after the closing date.

How To apply

Submit a research proposal of no more than two pages, two referee reports, certified copies of academic transcripts and curriculum vitae to AskUNE. The research proposal should set out under separate headings the aims, background, approach and methodology, and expected outcomes of the applicant’s envisaged project with reference to selected recent scholarly literature.

Applicants must request their referees to submit their written reports directly to the University using the Referee’s Report Form.

Please see the Scholarship Terms and Conditions for more information.

* Further contact details, links to AskUNE, Referee’s Report Form and Scholarship Terms and Conditions can be found by following this link.