Music research at Keele
Music research at Keele has earned the University an international reputation for excellence in practice‑led and socially engaged research.
All researchers share a focus on music production, with mutual interests including aesthetics, composition, music and the moving image, narrative, music and social contexts and technological mediation. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021) 76.9% of the Music staff research outputs were rated 3* or 4*, indicating internationally excellent or world-leading quality, while 100% of the research environment was rated 3* or 4*, where the panel judged the unit’s research strategy, infrastructure, and culture to be both world-leading and internationally excellent
Practice-based expertise
Music researchers at Keele consist of a team of practitioners with worldwide reputations. Researchers with specialisms in music production and composition are active in music technology, sound-based and immersive music making, live and interactive music, as well as electronic, score-based and studio creativity. Music created at Keele is thus diverse, ranging from orchestral composition to acousmatic music, audiovisual works to digital interfaces for musical expression. The group continues to develop new forms of live processing and composition for multi-channel environments.
For more details, see the individual profiles of Manuella Blackburn, Miroslav Spasov and Tim Canfer. This research collective also includes Professor Emeritus, Professor Rajmil Fischman and Dr Sohrab Uduman.
Music and social change research
A further research focus shared across the Music team is music and social change. This work examines how music operates within communities, shapes identities, and responds to social, political, and cultural conditions. Dr Fiorella Montero-Diaz’ work as an ethnomusicologist, popular music scholar and a music ethnographer has been at the forefront of this work, leading international projects on music hybridity, racial imaginaries and links between identity, technology and music. Recent research within this area include the ‘Sounding a Queer Rebellion: LGBTI Musical Resistances in Latin America’ project which assembled an interdisciplinary network in the Global South, focusing on LGBTI – especially transgender – communities who use music and artivism. Dr Manuella Blackburn’s ‘Overcoming Sonic Stalemates: Representing cultural diversity in sample packs’ project has influenced international music‑industry practices by introducing new approaches to audio labelling and artwork standards that more accurately represent cultural diversity in commercial audio products.
For more details, see the individual profiles of Dr Fiorella Montero-Diaz and Dr Manuella Blackburn
Software
Not only are our academic staff active researchers, but also software creators! Check out the free software created by Music lecturers Tim Canfer, Rajmil Fischman and also Miroslav Spasov.
Keele Music Forum
Keele Music Forum (KMF) invites speakers representing the breadth of music and music technology research. This long-standing research fora welcomes a blend of academics and professional guests to speak about research and music industry topics. Guest speakers have included Fabrice Fitch (RNCM), Gary Bromham (producer and industry professional , Miguel Mera (City University), Luis-Manuel Garcia (University of Birmingham), Kirsten Hermes (University of Westminster) and Russ Hepworth-Sawyer (York St John University). Staff and PGR students within the unit are encouraged to share research in this nurturing and supportive environment.
