At the Royal Conservatoire, we place great emphasis on practice-based research. The lectorates are an integral part of this effort, with the lectors working closely with students, teachers, and external partners to develop research projects. These projects consistently focus on the relevance to professional practice and the continuous improvement of the quality of musical training programs within and outside the conservatoire.
On 25th January, the lectorate 'Music, Education and Society' presented the results of the research projects of 2022 and introduced the research group of 2023. The event marked the festive conclusion of the lectorate year and included various research projects presented through presentations and artistic interventions. In addition, the programme featured a glimpse into the upcoming research projects of the 2023 researchers.
One of the research projects presented at the event was conducted by Felix Schlarmann, who explored the topic of cross-genre activities in music education. The research aimed to investigate the formats of inter-departmental cross-genre activities and their impact on conservatoire students' motivation, creativity, and artistry. Felix conducted a series of case studies and collected survey data to gain insights into the opportunities offered and students' motivations.
When asked about his motivation for choosing this topic, he said, "My own experiences of creative projects with musicians from other genres made me think about how exciting and enriching spaces for free creative interdepartmental settings could be for a music student in the context of a conservatoire. I wanted to know if there is a perceived need for interdepartmental music-making activities among all conservatoire students and if artistic common ground exists among them."
Regarding the significant findings of his research, Felix stated, "One thing is for certain: Open spaces for creative exchange are stimulating our students’ creativity, knowledge, autonomy, and motivation. For all participants, the experience of the situation has been very special and enriching, artistically but especially socially. The creative, free and non-judgmental setting of the projects, and the togetherness that students experience, are very important when developing unknown skills and potential. In addition, my method of using concise, creative pressure-cooker sessions in small groups or duos has fruitfully stimulated all students’ creative output.”
Felix also discussed the real-life examples he studied as part of his research project, saying, During my research project, I designed and tested a series of tools for interdepartmental activities. Based on my findings from several projects I initiated over the last year, these tools have been developed and tested again. This included projects both inside and outside of the conservatoire, as well as activities in which I personally participated. An overview of these activities can be found here.
Felix found the whole experience joyous. "This last year has been hectic but, above all, joyful. Seeing so many creative and motivated young musicians with skills, interests, and ideas was just pure joy. I did not expect it to be that inspiring for myself either."
Finally, when asked about his plans for continuing, Felix said, "I will definitely stay involved in promoting interdepartmental activities and more free creative spaces for our students. In addition, I will continue researching in this direction, focusing on this year's complex results and looking closer into aspects of creativity, social connectedness, and artistic processes."
The lectorate event showed how diverse our students and teaching staff are. Every presentation during the event was so different, which was beautiful and interesting. Colleagues such as Susan Williams, Heloisa Amaral, and Richard Barrett worked on interesting topics which touched on my work. In addition, the lectorate initiated collaborations and connections with teachers of several departments, working towards similar goals." Felix also mentioned that Aart Strootman's investigations on the Diamond Marimba were particularly inspiring, as he found a beautiful way of combining his interest in building instruments, investigating new artistic possibilities, and including students in that process.
To find out more, please visit the Lectorates page.
