Newcastle University

Background

Paul completed his PhD in March 2007 under the supervision of Prof. David Clarke. He has since published a monograph titled Ferruccio Busoni: A Phenomenological Approach to his Music and Aesthetics (Lambert Academic Publishing, 2009): ISBN 978-3-8383-2390-9 (Available through Amazon).  Paul is Lecturer in Music and Degree Programme Director for the BMus in Popular and Contemporary Music at Newcastle University, UK where he is also responsible as the Head of Music Skills provision across the department's four degree programmes.  Paul lectures in Harmony and Aural Skills, Vernacular Music Skills, Folk and Traditional Music Skills, Counterpoint and Voice Leading and Practising Music Analysis.  He is also the research supervisor for undergraduate finalists and postgraduate students. His research interests include Ferruccio Busoni, Phenomenology, Aesthetics, Analysis, Progressive Rock Guitar Techniques, Dubstep, and Embodied Learning Strategies for Music Skills.

Roles and Responsibilities

- Lecturer in Music 

- Degree Programme Director BMus in Popular and Contemporary Music

- University Programme Coordinator for the FdA in Music Production and the FdA in Popular Music for Newcastle College

- Research supervisor for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students

Most Recent External Roles and Responsibilities

 - External Academic Representative for the revalidation of BA (HONS) Music Enterprise course at Newcastle College (2011).

- External Academic Representative for the revalidation of Foundation Degree in Popular Music Performance and Production at City College Norwich (2011).

- External Academic Representative for the validation of the BA in Creative Practice at City College Norwich (2011).

- Chair of Board of Examiners for the Foundation Degrees in Music Production and Popular Music at Newcastle College (2011).

Research Interests

• The practice, development and theory of 'Music Skills'
• Embodiment Learning Strategies for the teaching of music theory
• Analysis as a practical tool for the exploration of music
• The music and aesthetics of Ferruccio Busoni
• The fin-de-siècle period and the 'de-tonation' of harmony

Other Expertise

• Schenkerian Analysis
• Post-Tonal Theory
• The music and technique of Steve Vai
• Minimalism, particularly Philip Glass and John Tavener

Future Research

• ‘Revelling in the Bins?: Towards a Postmodern Analysis of the “Other”’ with John Ayers (University of Newcastle): Following a productive collaboration on an undergraduate module concerning Postmodernism, John and I are working on explorative techniques with regard to postmodern popular musics and, in particular, his compositions as part of Guessmen.
• 'The Vanity Project': a group formed between myself and Graham Parker that involves current and past students from across the four degree programmes in writing and recording original popular and contemporary music.

Undergraduate Teaching

Module Leader and Lecturer

MUS_AURAL: Music Skills (Aural Training) 

MUS1020: Music Skills (Common Practice)

MUS1098: Music Skills (Folk and Traditional) 

MUS2047: Issues in Popular and Contemporary Music 

MUS2056: Music Skills (Vernacular)

MUS2059: Contemporary Music Practice 1 (Semester 1 Only)

MUS3087: Contemporary Music Practice 2 (Semester 1 Only)

Lecturer 

MUS1022: Counterpoint and Voice Leading

MUS2020: Techniques of Harmony 

MUS2041: Contemporary Compositional Techniques  

MUS2044: Practising Music Analysis 

MUS3013: Major Specialist Study Dissertation

MUS3015: Major Specialist Study Project

MUS3017: Minor Specialist Study Dissertation 

MUS3019: Minor Specialist Study Project 

Postgraduate Teaching

Supervisor for Dan Dixon on MMus Programme

• Fleet P. Methodological problems in approaching the sound object of popular music.. 2012.
• Fleet P. Metatonality: Towards an understanding of music from the fin-de-siècle. 2011.
• Fleet P. The Provision in “Music Skills” for degree students on Popular Music Programmes across selected North Eastern and National Institutions. CETL, 2008.
• Fleet P. Ferruccio Busoni: A Phenomenological Approach to his Music and Aesthetics. Saarbrücken, Germany: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2009.