RCS Traditional Music Research Topics

2017-2018

Minor Projects (III) and Research Projects (IV)

  • The early relationship of Scotland to Cape Breton-style percussive step-dancing resulting in a shift of cultural association
  • Aberdeenshire Ballads in English Song Tradition
  • ‘Tunes on the Road’: Examples of Northumbrian, Scottish and Irish performance styles of common repertoire
  • The Evolution of the Accordion
  • Exploring Individualism in a Wider Tradition: A Comparative Analysis of Conventional v Unconventional Interpretations of Competition Pipe Repertoire
  • A historical summary of the dynastic, hereditary piping families of the west coast of Scotland
  • Exploring Electro-acoustic Harp Composition
  • Historical and internal evidence of the principals of composition in Piobaireachd
  • Questions of Authenticity: Mixing traditional/folk and classical techniques in fiddle playing
  • The Suzuki methods teaching approaches and how they can be used for teaching traditional music to students
  • Sexual Harrassment in the Scottish Folk Music Scene
  • Piobaireachd Composition and its links to Argyll
  • Overcoming Focal Dystonia in Piping: Alternate fingering and embellishments
  • Folklore Composition
  • Innovation and Integrity in the Scottish Harp Practice
  • Finding Grip: A cross-disciplinary testimonial of the violin bow hold from the perspective of a traditional fiddle player
  • Use of ornamentation in contemporary traditional music
  • The Guitar Playing Tradition of County Kerry

ePortfolio Pages

  • Effective arrangement, voicing and orchestrations of string accompaniment to a contemporary tune in a traditional style
  • An Analysis of the Difference in Tempo of Fiddle MSR Sets in the 1950s and Present Day
  • What are the potential benefits of using canntaireachd when teaching ceòl mór?
  • The Experience of the State of Flow in Live Music Performance
  • Techniques for Expanding the Artistry of the Guitar in a Traditional Music Context
  • The Influence of Jazz on Traditional Piano Performance, Accompaniment and Composition
  • Solo Piano in the Traditional Music Community
  • The Fiddle Playing of Dave Swarbrick
  • How my earlier learning of music has affected me as a musician (classical/trad influences): bridging genres and traditions
  • Adapting a Conventional Clarsach Teaching Approach for Additional Support Needs
  • Gordon Duncan: A new page in piping?
  • Overcoming focal hand dystonia: My experience so far
  • The Evolution of Pipe Band Drumming (1980s – present day)
  • Iconic Manx Fiddle Players: reconstructing a musical identity
  • The Music of Tyler Duncan
  • To what extent have pipe band medleys evolved since their introduction?
  • Adventures in DADGAD
  • Approaches to Accordion Technique
  • Jam/Sessions: Comparing Teaching Approaches in Bluegrass and Scottish Trad
  • Australian Folk
  • Experimenting with Electronic Music Composition
  • How Prominent is the Irish Trad Scene in Glasgow?

 

2016-2017

Minor Projects (III) and Research Projects (IV)

  • The Lost Fiddle Music of James Porteous Annandale
  • An Insight into Traditional Idiom Composition
  • Cape Breton Piano Accompaniment Rhythms
  • The Fall and Rise of the Cello in Traditional Music in the UK
  • Decrease of tempo in Grade 1 Pipe Band MSR  Performances 1986-2016
  • Compliments to Glen Etive: voicing place in contemporary traditional music composition
  • Exploring “the Breton Sound”: Creating new music for harp
  • Pipes With 34 Strings: Interpreting pipe repertoire on the clarsach
  • Common injuries and the need for technique and healthy practice in piping
  • Scotland’s Mining Songs with Brass
  • There’s More to Piping than Competition: Exploring notions of musicality in light music performance
  • Effective Percussion Set-ups for Folk Ensembles
  • Contemporary Self-Promotion in Traditional Music
  • Appreciating Breton Piping: Creative and professional possibilities
  • Highland Bagpipe Construction
  • An Exploration of Orcadian and Shetland Dialects in Song

ePortfolio Pages

  • Exploring Authenticity in Scottish Traditional Music
  • Personal Experiences with Alexander Technique and Clarsach Performance
  • In What Ways Does the Feis Movement Benefit Young People in Scotland?
  • “How Can I Do What They Do?”: Exploring accordion systems
  • How Piping Has Changed from the 19th Century to Present Day
  • The Roots of Cape Breton Playing Style and Suppression of Culture
  • Old school methods VS Modern products for bagpipes
  • What Happened to English Fiddle Music? (TBC)
  • Why is Irish traditional music an important part of Glasgow’s folk session scene?
  • Gender Equality in Folk Music
  • The Effect of the Mòd’s Prescribed Song Structure on My Performance from a Young Age OR Highland Song of the Forty-Five (TBC)

2015 – 2016

Minor Projects (III) and Research Projects (IV)

  • ‘Key Aspects to Consider in Setting Music to a Story’ An overview of key aspects with a focus on the use of silence
  • ‘Mackintosh’s Lament Cumha Mhic an Toisich: Arranging music from the pipe repertoire for piano and strings’ Exploring the piobaireachd, incorporating the Gaelic Song, and how this can be creatively transferred from pipes to piano and strings
  • ‘Traveler’s Songs of Love and Loss’
  • ‘Improvisation in Folk and Traditional Music’
  • ‘Developing a concept album and exploring personal creative process’
  • ‘A Teaching Resource Pack on the topic of Scotland’ Developing materials that explore Scottish culture in line with Curriculum for Excellence
  • ‘Growing up with traditional music’ Case studies exploring experiences of traditional music in the family
  • ‘Glasgow Sessions: Exploring a shared experience from outsider and insider perspectives’
  • ‘Snare drum online learning resource’
  • ‘The Role of the Highland Bagpipe in Folk Music’ Pipe-led folk bands from the 1980s to the present day
  • ‘Sexism in Song: A study of misogyny and the position of women in Scots song’
  • ‘Ron Maclean: A musical journey from South Uist to Inverness over 76 years’
  • ‘The Comparison of Ancient and Modern Lever Harp Construction Techniques and Materials’
  • ‘Factors affecting the mindset of a competing piper’
  • ‘An Investigation into Tuning and Temperaments of the Bagpipes in Scottish Traditional Music’
  • ‘‘Locking In’: A study of duo melody playing in Swedish folk music and the potential for application in Scottish music performance’

ePortfolio Pages

  • Where Are Orkney’s Songs?
  • The negative effects of tuning changes (guitar)
  • The Selkie of Suleskerry
  • Social Media: Facebook and Folkies
  • A Look at Tonewoods: guitar design
  • Exploring Cape Breton Fiddle Music and composing in Cape Breton style
  • Glasgow’s Folk Scene History in relation to RCS Trad degree: a series of case studies
  • Exploring the emotional content of music and communicating this to audiences
  • Exploring a Gaelic song as slow air on fiddle
  • ‘Speed of Light’ Music in Competitive Piping
  • Making the Grade: transitioning to a Grade 1 pipe band
  • Playing whistle in a folk band: reflections
  • Matt Molloy: South Sligo Flute Style
  • Reflections: Pipie Band Lab takes on Pipe Suite (innovation arranging for Highland Pipe ensemble)
  • Could RSPBA Do More to Support Musical Development in Pipe Bands?
  • Are Pipe Bands Being Adjudicated in the Best Way?
  • Injury Prevention in relation to traditional musicians, particularly pipers
  • The emerging Bagpipe and its influences from the Harp (fifteenth century onwards)
  • Electronics in Traditional Music
  • The Orkney and Shetland Fiddle Styles
  • Building A Tour
  • Innovation in Traditional Music
  • Reflections on Making a Trad Album
  • Investigating Improvisation in Live Performance
  • Using Drum Kit in Folk Music
  • Drum Score Style Comparison: Alex Duthart and Jim Kilpatrick
  • In-ear Monitors for Percussion and Stage Performance
  • Injuries Occurring in Piping
  • Are Pipe Bands Only Focussing on Results?
  • Piping Heritage in the Army: Historical overview
  • History of the Sheepskin Bag
  • Scottish Bagpiping and Traditional Music in Germany
  • Vocal Health and Traditional Singers
  • Mining Songs and Colliery Bands
  • Change or Loss?: Passing on Tradition
  • Outer Hebridean Vocal Ornaments
  • History of the Clarsach
  • Historic Stylistic Features and Repertoire of Scottish Harp Music
  • Contemporary Irish and Scottish Harp Style and Repertoire
  • North East versus West Coast: comparison of fiddle styles and repertoire
  • Pushing the Boundaries: contemporary harp innovations
  • Solo, Pipe Band, Folk – Piping!
  • Tuning to Bb: drones or tuner?
  • Cape Breton Pipe Style
  • Influence of Ceilidh Dancing in Scotland
  • Perceptions of Innovation in Traditional Music
  • Alternative Fiddle Tunings in Scotland
  • Innovation: Merging Traditional and Classical
  • Tone: Bowing and Individual Styles
  • Gaelic Language in North America
  • Relocating to Scotland as an American Musician
  • Superstitions in Scotland
  • Performance Anxiety Study: Personal Experiments and Reflections
  • Celtic Harp Playing Styles
  • Scots and Scottish Standard English
  • Scottish Lullabies
  • The Working Opportunities of a (traditional) Music Graduate
  • Joys and Stresses of Being Self-Employed: Attitudes for Success and Business Skills required for Musicians
  • The Process of Making a Set of Great Highland Bagpipes
  • The Hearing of a Professional Musician
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Pipers