Sound on Screen

We are devastated to share this news with you all. Please read (and share as wide as possible) the statement below from our Music team at Oxford Brookes @musicatbrookes

Special thanks to all of our Speakers, those who attended in-person or online, Conference Assistants and our Conference Committee: Dr Jan Butler, Dr James Cateridge, Dr Matt Lawson & Dr Lindsay Steenberg. Video and Music Edited by Katherine Lai

Looking back on SOUND ON SCREEN II 2023, a hybrid conference hosted by the Music and Film departments at @oxfordbrookes – 3 days. 91 scholars from around the world. Exploring the relationship between music and/or sound and the screen 🎧🎬 #SoundOnScreen2023

The branch has just published its analysis of the financial situation of the university oxfordbrookes.web.ucu.org.uk/oxford-brookes… We follow this by our strategy in response to ongoing cuts, redundancies and closures HUMAN BEINGS BEFORE VANITY BUILDINGS! oxfordbrookes.web.ucu.org.uk/human-beings-b…

.@oxford_brookes confirms music and maths closures despite protests: university blames external factors for cutbacks as accounts show improving financial position. @TWilliamsTHE reports bit.ly/3SpI6XC

"It is also vital that we do not lose the rich and transformative research coming out of university music departments. Music research helps us to understand our history and the development of language, culture and identity. It explores how music can change and improve lives".

"The urban myth that studying music does not lead to positive economic and career outcomes is not sustained by the hard data. A recent 20-year longitudinal survey ... by the University of Oxford demonstrated that music students go on to a very broad range of careers..."

A low-value degree is not a degree in English or Art, argues @amwilson_opera. It is a degree not rooted in research thecritic.co.uk/what-is-academ…

Prof Daniel Grimley: "Closing university music departments does not chime with common sense" timeshighereducation.com/blog/closing-u… via @timeshighered

Some of Dr Lawson's research into film music is #openaccess in RADAR! Musical catharsis and identity in Holocaust cinema: Der letzte Zug (2006) radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/90… Soundtracks of the Holocaust in East and West German Cinema radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/24…

Despite the difficult situation, the music team continues its outreach work. Dr Matt Lawson was invited by Brookes alumna and music teacher Anya Blayney to give a film music guest lecture to 60 students at secondary school. #musicteacher #filmmusic #musiceducation

Spring has arrived on campus! Will there be another spring for music at Brookes?

Redundancies for Music staff “will now progress”. Maths staff will be redeployed to teach maths in other departments. A voluntary severance scheme is to be expanded in an attempt to reduce compulsory redundancies in the humanities subjects.

Oxford Brookes has confirmed the closure of its Music and Mathematics courses, and job losses in other departments. It says alternative suggestions from staff could not “achieve the level of savings required by the University in the necessary timeframe”. brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/…

Our statement in response to @ignatius_sancho - once the university’s decisions re the end of the consultation period are communicated to all staff by Monday 29 Jan, we will be able to provide more detail. #stoptheSHAMcuts

Thank you @ianpacemain

Fingers crossed for the music team and our colleagues in English, History, Anthropology, Film and Architecture!

Thank you to everybody who signed in support of Music at Brookes! The petition has now passed the 6,000 signatures milestone, but if you want to sign, it is still open. change.org/p/save-music-a…

A group of prominent academics has criticised Oxford Brookes decision to close its music department saying it's a mistake for the jobs and skills of the future. @oxford_brookes @musicatbrookes completemusicupdate.com/oxford-brookes…