Dr Desmond Wilkinson
Lecturer in Folk & Traditional Music

vCardDr Desmond Wilkinson

My interests include most of the musical genres currently understood to be 'Celtic' but particularly Irish and Breton Music, Old timey and Quebecois traditions also fascinate me. I also have a general interest in the Francophone diaspora including north Africa. My acaemic training is for the most part within the disciplines of history and ethnomusicology. As a traditional musician and singer I have toured widely both as a soloist, in duo with significant musicians from the Irish tradition such as Mairtin O'Connor and the group CRAN. I have participated in many world music projects as performer and on occassion coordinator.

Research Interests

  • Traditional music performance (flute, whistle, vocals)
  • Principally the Musical traditions of Ireland, Brittany and North America
  • World musics performance
  • 'Celtic' identity, music and identity - The Francophone diaspora

Other Expertise

  • Experienced Performance project coordinator.
  • Experienced teacher and Educator both 2nd and 3rd level.

Current Work

Recording projects:
*Cran
*Old Timey and Irish Music - exploration of connections (supported by Arts Council of Ireland
* Solo album

Performance and touring

Ongoing research on music and identity - 'Celtitude' and 'Bretonitude'

Future Research

  • Traditional Music and identity in Québec and its Irish ingredient.
  • Berber/Amazight culture and its role/importance in the Algerian state.
  • Breton music - local music making and its place in global sub-cultural sounds
  • Performance practise as research into diverse musical genres.

Postgraduate Supervision

Involved together with Dr Vic Gammon in the supervision of an MA candidate. Have acted as internal examiner for 3 Phd theses and 2 MA's to date. Have acted as external supervisor (Phd)on one occasion to date during my time at Newcastle.

Esteem Indicators

  • In receipt of award from the Irish Arts council for a performance project celebrating the links between Old Timey and Irish music/song.
  • Member of the 'commitée scientifique' of the UBS (Université de Bretagne Sud
  • recorded work (representing traditional music fron NI)to be presented on the Smithsonian intitutes current 'folkways'series.
  • Performance projects
    • Recent work includes 2 major cultural visits involving Irish Musicians and Artists, a) Carnaval d'hiver Québec (2004) b)festival de danse traditionnel, François,Martinique (2005)(Fr)
  • Member of Irish Traditional Music Archive, Merrion Square Dublin

Funding

  • Over the last 5 years I have received a total of 55,000 euros from the IHRSS (Irish institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences),the Irish Arts council, and the Department of foriegn affairs(culture Ireland)
  • The 3 principal projects involved,
  • a)the publication of aspects of my research,
  • b) Arts projects coordination and performance
  • c)travel awards enabling me to lead two separate groups of performers/sculptors to represent Ireland at international events in Québec and Martinique.
  • d)CETL - I recently received funds £3000 from the CETL project at Newcastle for a performance/pedagogic project involving vocalists from Brittany(France).

Background

I joined the International Centre for Music Studies at the University of Newcastle in September 2005 as Lecturer in Folk and Traditional Music. I had previously worked for the University of Limerick and the University of Concordia in Montreal. I have been professional musician since the late 1980s and have toured extensively throughout the Northern Hemispere. I am a leading exponent of the 'timber flute' (Irish simple system wooden flute), the tin whistle singing and also play (fairly competently) the bagpipes, fiddle, Guitar and clarinet. I have also worked extensively in Irish teacher training and for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland as a Traditional Arts Officer.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Head of Performance, BMus in Folk and Traditional Music
  • Teach Ensemble modules
  • Teach Irish flute, tin whistle and singing
  • Module leader of Music Business module Sept 2005 until May 2009
    • undergraduate programme
  • Module leader of 'Celticisms' and 'Scpe of Irish Music' socio-historical options.
    • Post-graduate supervision.

Qualifications

  • B Ed, Queens University Belfast
  • MA in Ethnomusicology, Queens University Belfast
  • PhD in Ethnomusicology, University of Limerick

Previous Positions

  • Trad Arts officer (Artist in the community) with Northern Ireland Arts council.
  • Professional touring musician and recording artist
  • Part time Lecturer, Mary Immaculate college, University of Limerick
  • Visiting lecturer at Concordia University Montreal, Canada

Memberships

  • IMRO - Irish Music Rights Organisation
  • DEIS Committee Irish Arts Council
  • Committee Scientific de l'Universite Bretagne Sud

Languages

I speak French and have some knowledge of Irish

Informal Interests

Walking, gardening, travelling....some cycling ....some table tennis. Listening to and playing music.

Undergraduate Teaching

I currently lead 2 Academic modules each year (Socio- historical options on Celticism and music or'Irish Traditional music') and Music Business (Cetl project with Northumbria University). In addition, together with Stewart Hardy and Catriona Macdonald I teach Ensemble performance skills to years 1 and 2 of the BMus Folk and traditional music cohort. I am also co-ordinator of performance events assocciated directly (or indirectly) with the B.Mus in FTM. I currently have 7 students as 1:1 tutees on flute and Tin whistle.

Postgraduate Teaching

Currently involved together with Dr Vic Gammon in the supervision of an MA candidate. Have acted as internal examiner for 3 Phd theses and 2 MA's to date. Have been invited to act as external supervisor (Phd)on one occasion to date during my time at Newcastle.