Queensland Conservatorium

Our position in the heart of a leading Conservatoire and connection to a University with a strong social agenda, makes us highly distinctive both in Australia and internationally. This unique positioning allows us to combine cutting edge creativity and artistry with innovative approaches to social engagement, social justice and social change. Since our beginnings in 2003, we have remained committed to exploring the complex and multi-faceted role that music plays in contemporary society, and continued to champion music research that is imaginative in content and design, interdisciplinary in nature, and dedicated to addressing the pressing needs of our time.

Our research is underpinned by a firm belief that music has a significant role to play in addressing some of the most challenging issues facing our generation, whether it be climate change, health equity, social justice, desistance from crime, poverty alleviation, community wellbeing or cultural sustainability, to mention a few. Our researchers do this by working in collaborative and interdisciplinary teams alongside communities and industry, and by harnessing new technologies and inviting the public to play a role in our events, installations and performances.

Over the past 15 years, QCRC members have produced a significant body of work that has made a major contribution to the field of music research. This has included books, chapters, journal articles, reports and industry pieces aimed at a broader readership through high-profile publishers, and our creative work has been featured in leading festivals, recordings, on the concert stage, and in digital media. We have remained committed to being key players in our national and international communities of music practice, and in 2018 QCRC researchers will continue to travel the world presenting keynotes at leading disciplinary conferences, performing at celebrated national and international festivals and events, and disseminating our creative and text-based work online and through extensive networks.

The Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre undertakes cutting-edge research that tackles the complex and multifaceted role that music plays in contemporary society. Through our diverse programs, community engagement initiatives and remarkable partnerships, our research is continuing to drive global impact.

We collaborate with national and international partners and stakeholders to cultivate projects that are imaginative in content and design, interdisciplinary in nature, and dedicated to addressing the pressing needs of our time.

At QCRC we are practising musicians. We seek to understand, enhance and share the creative processes within our music making and beyond. We aim to explore performance practices across a range of cultural and historical contexts, compositional approaches and their interpretation, technological innovations including audio recording, multimedia performance and instrument building.

At QCRC we are active community members. We seek to work hand-in-hand with communities to explore music’s role in promoting cultural and environmental sustainability, health equity and social justice. Within this area, we provide an activist space for researchers and community members to work on projects that harness music’s potential for addressing the most pressing issues of our time.

We seek to explore holistic ways of supporting emerging musicians, and those seeking to sustain themselves as musicians over time. We aim to explore lifelong learning processes, professional development practices, and pedagogical and curriculum approaches to fostering livelihoods, wellbeing, and artistic citizenship within a portfolio career reality.