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The Orpheus Instituut seeks to appoint a new Doctoral artistic researcher-violinist

Call November 3, 2014

The successful candidate will be expected to perform and research historical performance practices of key post-WWII (virtuoso) solo violin music. As a doctoral researcher the candidate will be engaged in a larger artistic research project (led by dr. Luk Vaes) on documenting historical experimental performance practices, within the wider Orpheus Research Centre in Music biotope.

Enquiries may be addressed to Heike Vermeire, email: info@orpheusinstituut.be or tel: +32 9 330 40 81. 

The closing date for applications is November 30th 2014 (23.59 CET).

Full details

  • Position: Full-time Doctoral researcher in Artistic Research in Music (performer: violinist)
  • Duration: 3 years
  • Remuneration range: Gross annual salary € 30.000,00 — € 35.000,00/year, commensurate with experience

Position objective:

This open call is intended for a young violinist (f/m) with an outstanding artistic record, strong research skills, and the ability to perform and research historical performance practices of key post-WWII (virtuoso) solo violin compositions.

The Doctoral researcher will be integrated in the larger Orpheus Institute research project ‘Experimental Legacy’ (P.I.: Dr. Luk Vaes) on documenting the historical performance practice of experimental music in the 20th century, and will be part of a well-developed, dynamic and highly visible artistic research biotope, and of the doctoral curriculum docARTES (www.docartes.be).

The Doctoral researcher is required to live in Ghent during full term. S/he will follow and participate in the diverse activities that the ‘Experimental Legacy’ project generates, as well as in the docARTES doctoral curriculum.

  • Closing date: November 30, 2014, 23:59h CET
  • Starting date: September 2015

You are a violinist with an outstanding artistic track record, AND a young researcher with a skilled interest in historical performance practice of post-WWII solo violin repertoire:

  • fluent in English (written and spoken);
  • with a Master degree, or equivalent experience;
  • dealing with research questions which are answerable through artistic enquiry;
  • acknowledged in your field with a proven track record of artistic output (CD’s, DVD’s, concerts, competitions, diplomas, etc.);
  • able to develop and conduct a specific research project in the framework and related to the broader project ‘Experimental Legacy’;
  • interested in working closely with established historical performers;
  • comfortable to (net)work with other researchers and/or institutes.

The Orpheus Institute offers you:

  • a 3 year Doctoral research position;
  • a gross annual salary ranging from € 30.000 to € 35.000, commensurate with experience;
  • participation in an international frontier research group and project;
  • full Doctoral supervision;
  • the opportunity of disseminating your findings through a variety of channels;
  • the opportunity of being part of Orpheus Institute’s research community (Orpheus Research Centre in Music [ORCiM]);
  • fully equipped office space, access to the Orpheus Institute’s library and other resources (recording facilities, piano, harpsichord, electronic studio, etc.).

The Orpheus Institute expects from you:

  • The realization of an artistic-research project as part of the overarching artistic-research goals, methodologies and principles of the Experimental Legacy project, including:
    • Performing key (virtuoso) composed repertoire for the solo violin, e.g. Xenakis, Ferneyhough, Cage, Berio;
    • Close research relations with composers and historical (first) performers of the relevant repertoire to be performed/researched;
    • Full AV documentation of working sessions, rehearsals and performances;
    • Critical assessment of (past) performance practices, and of composer-score-performer relations;
  • (Re)location at the city of Ghent, Belgium for the full period of the doctoral trajectory.
  • Application to the doctoral programme docARTES (deadline: January 15, 2015); participation in the docARTES programme (September 2015-August 2018). The application to docARTES follows the initial selection procedure attached to this call.

Application process:

  • Application materials must be submitted to Heike Vermeire, Office at the Orpheus Institute (heike.vermeire@orpheusinstituut.be, Korte Meer 12, 9000 Gent, Belgium), no later than closing date November 30, 2014, 23:59h CET. Incomplete applications and applications received after the application deadline will not be accepted or reviewed.
  • All applications will be evaluated by an international selection panel of experts, artist-researchers and scholars.
  • Shortlisted applicants will be required to be available for an interview in the period of December 15-23, 2014. Please keep these dates available.
  • For a successful candidate, the Orpheus Institute expects the PhD Research position to start in September 2015.

Required application materials:

The application materials should include:

  1. a current curriculum vitae (details of applicant);
  2. a personal statement which should frame your motivation for applying for this position (max. 400 words);
  3. an overview of your post-WWII repertoire;
  4. a publication or a piece of your work (e.g. a paper, chapter, conference paper or presentation — not an entire book or master dissertation) – preferably in English;
  5. a recent CD- or DVD-recording.

Please note that application materials will not be returned regardless of the application result.

Evaluation criteria:

  • Master programme grades or equivalent degree(s);
  • artistic activities and outputs;
  • research activities and publications;
  • quality of writing and of articulation of thought and ideas;
  • quality of performance skills and interpretative flexibility;

The above mentioned criteria will not be weighted; candidates should score as high as possible on all criteria.

More information & questions:

If you have further questions about this open call, please contact Heike Vermeire (heike.vermeire@orpheusinstituut.be).