Dee Isaacs

Dee Isaacs

MS.

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

music in the community, ethnomusicology, composition, community arts

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Personal profile

Biography

Dee works throughout Scotland and internationally as a composer,Epdeinrfbourmrgehr, music animateur, and lecturer. She has established strong links with a wide range of professional arts bodies throughout the UK, including Opera North, London Symphony Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, Share Music UK and Creative Scotland. Her work in Scotland has led to a number of long term developmental projects with a diverse range of socially excluded client groups, particularly in the areas of mental and physical disability, elderly care, cross generational awareness and educational support through music for children and parents in socially and economically deprived communities. Dee is passionate about the creation of music and its wider value. . Between 2000 – 2003 she was the UK co-ordinator for War Child in the Caucasus, implementing a creative arts training programme for social workers and psychologists working with children suffering from trauma. She has been nominated for awards for participatory projects by the British Academy of Composers most recently in 2018.

Current Research Interests

My research is practice-based and engages an influential meeting point of a number of diverse concerns including: performing arts outreach, community development, creative arts therapies, and conflict resolution. It is concerned with the understanding and application of current scientific and theoretical frameworks for the investigation of musicality. The creative engagement at the core of this work results in both new art and a transformative experience for the communities involved. We know this through our recent impact reports, which show that a fully immersive ‘arts’ experience for young people is hugely beneficial to them both socially and educationally. My research is concentrated around two areas: connecting communities in the UK through musical engagement; and developing a sustainable creative arts methodology for children living in protracted displacement.

 

• Creative output includes orchestral, chamber, choral composition, as well as music theatre with commissions from major arts organisations. [see list of works]

• Compositional research into the musical and social practices within traditional song in the cultures of West Africa, the Republic of Georgia and other Eastern European traditions.

• Recent collaborations have involved the implementation of multi-disciplinary arts projects within communities, aimed at encouraging cohesion in a diverse society primarily involving children.

• the study of indigenous vocal styles in The Gambia, in particular, female singers from the Bambara, Malinke and Wassoulou people.

investingating  the impact of creative arts interventions for children living in protracted displacement (focusing on Greece) _ windows on the world 2016 - present

Research Interests

       Musical composition, Music in the Community, Ethnomusicology, Community Arts Practice

  • Output includes orchestral, chamber, and choral music, as well as music theatre with commissions from major arts organisations including: Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble, Glasgow Tron Theatre, Perth Concert Hall and Magnetic North Theatre Company.
  • Compositional research into the musical and social practices within traditional song in the cultures of West Africa, the Republic of Georgia and other Eastern European traditions.
  • Recent collaborations have involved the implementation of multi-disciplinary arts projects within communities, aimed at encouraging cohesion in a diverse society.
  • Current work includes: Memories are made of this – inspired by the Alasdair Hopwood exhibition at the Talbot Rice Gallery March 2013 and a score for a new opera, Watching in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University and the Royal Botanic Garden for performance March 2014.
  • The study of indigenous vocal styles and voice production techniques of women from Mali and the Gambia, in particular, female singers from the Bambara, Malinke and Wassoulou tribes.  Currently preparing an annotated collection of traditional songs from these regions.
  • Big Boat – working in The Gambia, West Africa - students from the University, teachers and pupils from Deeper Life School are involved in a 3-year research project using music as tool for enhanced learning of literacy skills.

Administrative Roles

Responsible for project management and fundraising of all Music in the Community productions in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, National Museums of Scotland and other key arts organisations in Edinburgh.

Responsible for setting up and supervision/assessment of student placements with national and local organisations including The City of Edinburgh Council – Education and Social Work departments, local organisations such as Multi Cultural Family Base, Sikh Sanjog, Rowanfield Special School, Oaklands Special School, Howden Hall centre for young offenders, Prospect Bank Special School, Saughton Prison, Royal Hospital for Sick children.

 

• Senior Lecturer- Music UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH 2001 –

• ECA Senior Tutor – 2019 – 2022
• Director of Undergraduate Studies – 2014 -2018
• Head of the Bmus – 2014 – 2018

• Staff student liaison officer 2013 – 2018
• International officer – 2018 – 2019
• Consultant on redraft of Music Benchmark statement 2016
• Board member of Puppet Animation Scotland – specific role Equality and

Diversity 2014 – 2018
• The Gambia Project - 2004 – 2019
• Windows on the world –displaced children in Greece 2016 –

ongoing
• War child in the Caucasus – UK co-ordinator-2000 – 2005

Biography

ECA Senior Tutor 2019 - present

Education/Academic qualification

Bachelor of Music, University of Edinburgh

Award Date: 1 Jan 1993

External positions

Board of Puppet Animation Scotland, Puppet Animation Scot

2014 → …

Keywords

  • M Music
  • Community Music
  • Composition

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