Dr Daniel Bickerton

MMus PhD (Wales) PGD (London) AFHEA LMusTCL AMusTCL FTCL LTCL ATCL

Director of Undergraduate Studies

: bickertondi@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 (0)29 2087 0405
Fax:: +44 (0)29 2087 4379
: 0.18, 37 Corbett Rd., 33-37 Corbett Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EB

: Media commentator

I am the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the School of Music. I am a composer with interests including intertextuality, jazz and hybridity; I have research interests in creative leadership and collaboration in Music at Higher Education. My music has been described as 'soulful', and 'full of skittish cascades' and 'invoking a sense of period and character – and just a little (harmless) madness' in The Times. About my music, conductor and musicologist Paul McClure has written 'the fingerprint of this composer's style is effective and driving ostinati; the flexibility of metre is authoritative and compelling'. My work has been performed in several major venues in the UK (including the Royal Albert Hall, St David's Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, Purcell Room and Birmingham Symphony Hall), the Czech Republic (Reduta Jazz Club, Prague) Italy (La Mortella), Germany (Idstein Jazz Festival), France (Châtel and Palais de Festivités, Evian), Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival), Belgium (Ghent Music Festival and St. George's Memorial Church, Ypres) the USA (Koret Auditorium, San Francisco and Paul Creative Arts Theatre, New Hampshire), and broadcast on BBC Radio Wales and ITV Wales. I studied composition with Arlene Sierra, Stephen Montague, Judith Weir and Anthony Powers at Cardiff University School of Music and Trinity Laban.

Recent commissions have included projects with Catherine Milledge (piano), Isca Linea, Music for Youth PROMS (massed ensemble, multimedia performance), Cor Aduniad, the Fidelio Trio (Cheltenham Music Festival premiere, July 2014), BBC Big Band (dir. Jay Craig), The Cardon Ensemble, London New Wind Ensemble (November 2013), Alexander Davis (saxophone), Cardiff University Big Band, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Consortium5, Lontano, RMA and Nathan Jorgensen's 'Four o'clock Band'.

Education and qualifications

2018: FTCL Composition (Trinity College London)
2014: LMusTCL in Theory and Analysis (Trinity College London)
2012: PhD (Composition) Cardiff University, UK
2012: AFHEA (Higher Education Academy)
2011: AMusTCL with Distinction (Trinity College London)
2009: LTCL: Teaching with Distinction (Trinity College London)
2008: PGD with Distinction (Composition) Trinity Laban Conservatoire, UK
2007: MMus with Distinction (Composition) Cardiff University, UK
2006: BMus (Hons) with First Class Honours, Cardiff University, UK
2004: ATCL: Recital with Distinction (Trinity College London)

Honours and awards

CUROP (July 2019)
School of the Year (November 2017)
Cardiff University Outstanding Contribution Award (October 2017)
Ede & Ravenscroft (July 2017)
CUROP (July 2016)
First Campus for Outreach and Engagement (2014-16)
CUSU for Benjamin Britten Centenary: Celebration for Composers (2013)
Cardiff University Research Studentship (2008-2012)
Joan Greenfield Fellowship (2007-08)
Welsh Livery Guild (2007)
AHRC (2006-07)
Celia Thomas Bequest (2006)

Professional memberships

Chair, Expressive Arts Committee - Widening Participation Network | Step Up Programme Development
Member, Public Engagement Professionals Network (PEP) | National Co-ordination Centre for Public Engagement
Member, National Education Strategy Forum
Composer in Residence, National Orchestras for All | Modulo (2018-present)
Fellow, Music Composition | Trinity College London
Member, First Campus Engagement and Outreach Network
Senior Examiner | AMusTCL Music Theory and Composition, Trinity College London (2015-present)
Associate Fellow | Higher Education Academy (2012-present) for professional recognition of Teaching and Scholarship

Academic positions

2020 - present:
2016 - 2020: Director of Undergraduate Studies | Cardiff University School of Music
2014 - 2016: Deputy Undergraduate Admissions Tutor | Cardiff University School of Music
2013 - 2014: Lecturer in Music and Ideology | Leeds College of Music
2009 - 2014: Associate Lecturer | Cardiff University School of Music

Speaking engagements

Leeds College of Music (2014)
Trinity Laban (2013)
Cardiff University (2013)
RMA Kings College London (2010)
Trinity Laban (2009)
Keele University (2008)

Committees and reviewing

Member, School Management Board | MUSIC (2019 - present)
Member, Programme and Partner Standing Panel | ASQC (2019 - present)
Member, AHSS College Academic Education Network | CAEN (2019 - present)
Chair, Expressive Arts | Education and Outreach Network (2019 - 2020)
Lead Mentor | MUSIC - Guizhou Exchange Programme (2018 - present)
Member, Workload Modelling Review | AHSS (2018 - 2019)
Chair, Undergraduate Board of Studies | MUSIC (2016 - 2020)
Chair, Examination and Year Boards | MUSIC (2016 - 2020)
Senior Examiner | Trinity College London (2015 - present)
Member, Learning and Teaching Committee | MUSIC (2015 - 2020)
Assessment and Feedback Lead | MUSIC (2015 - 2019)
Examinations Convenor | MUSIC (2015 - 2018)
Personal Tutor (2014 - present)
Member, Staff Student Panel | MUSIC (2014 - present)
Member, Postgraduate Taught Board of Studies | MUSIC (2014 - present)
Member, Postgraduate Taught Examination and Year Boards | MUSIC (2014 - present)
Widening Participation Lead (formerly Widening Access Lead) | MUSIC (2013 - present)
Member of IT Committee (2013 - 2014)

2020

Bickerton, D. 2020. Wires Crossed.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Yearning.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Wild Water.
Bickerton, D. 2020. As Alive As Ever.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Breaker of Stones.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Ensemble music-making: responding to the challenges of COVID-19 for performers and composers. Presented at: MusicHE 2020, Online, 3 July 2020.

2019

Bickerton, D. 2019. By Gosh, By Golly. Daniel Bickerton.
Bickerton, D. 2019. nighTrain.
Bickerton, D. 2019. Smile.

2018

Bickerton, D. 2018. The opportunities of Panopto within the School of Music. Cardiff: Cardiff University Centre for Education Innovation. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnw6gdTKlIk
Bickerton, D. 2018. Assessment and feedback challenges in music. Presented at: Assessment Challenges and Challenging Assessment, Cardiff, UK, 24 September 2018.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Learn Plus: Advantages in formative assessments. Presented at: Cardiff University Education Innovation Week, Cardiff, UK, 23 January 2018.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Simmer down.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Flypast.
Bickerton, D. and Gornall, L. 2018. Playing together: What can academics in higher education learn from musicians about creative leadership and collaboration?. In: Gornall, L., Thomas, B. and Sweetman, L. eds. Exploring Consensual Leadership in Higher Education. London: Bloomsbury, pp. 243-262.

2017

Bickerton, D. and Allen, P. 2017. Cardiff - Capital city of Wales. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqicqIMGGpI
Bickerton, D. 2017. Sea of Stone [Tyne Cot Sketches: II]. Bickerton.
Bickerton, D. 2017. The pitch within.
Bickerton, D. 2017. Mad About ThaT.

2016

Bickerton, D. 2016. Even though it's breaking, imagine!.
Bickerton, D. 2016. #CONNECT.

2015

Bickerton, D. 2015. Textbook.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Weather By Funk.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Eclipse.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Two mourning angels [Tyne Cot Sketches: I].
Bickerton, D. 2015. Invictus.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Ballad.

2014

Bickerton, D. 2014. Let's Do It Again.
Bickerton, D. 2014. The Cause.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Inward Thinking.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Evening Dew.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Redux Shone Through Time.

2013

Bickerton, D. 2013. Stand Up.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Unintentional Art of Glass.
Bickerton, D. 2013. The Panther of Lugash.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Firmly Grounded.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Caution.

2012

Bickerton, D. 2012. Garuda.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Three Children's pieces.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Save Our Chariots.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Blaenwern.

2011

Bickerton, D. 2011. Ecclesiastical musings.
Bickerton, D. 2011. This Masquerade.
Bickerton, D. 2011. Delivered.
Bickerton, D. 2011. Equation.

2010

Bickerton, D. 2010. Whimsical.
Bickerton, D. 2010. When The Stakes Are High.
Bickerton, D. 2010. The meaning of Alex.

2009

Bickerton, D. 2009. Lunarscape.
Bickerton, D. 2009. Epiphany.
Bickerton, D. 2009. Nocturne.

2008

Bickerton, D. 2008. The Court Jester.
Bickerton, D. 2008. A Suite of Eastern Expression.

2007

Bickerton, D. 2007. On The Edge.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Phoenix.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Medusa, Vallejo.
Bickerton, D. 2007. For a Moment.
Bickerton, D. 2007. States of Mind.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Prayer.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Apokaluptein.
Bickerton, D. 2007. An Oracle of Earthly and Divine Authority.

2006

Bickerton, D. 2006. Ocean Sketch.
Bickerton, D. 2006. Fanfare for Gwent.
Bickerton, D. 2006. Etifeddiaeth.

2005

Bickerton, D. 2005. Woodpeckers.
Bickerton, D. 2005. Genesis.

2004

Bickerton, D. 2004. Through Their Eyes.
Bickerton, D. 2004. Foreboding.

2003

Bickerton, D. 2003. Dreaming.

Undergraduate Teaching:

Composition (including supervisor for Final Year major project modules)
Challenging Tradition: Counterpoint from Bartók to Bärtsch
Orchestration
Studio Techniques (Electro-Acoustic Composition)
I also co-ordinate practical musicianship modules at the School of Music (including Ensemble).

Postgraduate Teaching:

Music Leadership and Public Engagement
Ensemble
Studio Techniques (Electro-Acoustic Composition)
I contribute to specialist classes in the Research Skills & Teaching Music modules
I also supervise MA Composition students

Postgraduate Research:

I act as an assessor for PGR annual reviews
I am currently secondary supervisor for two PhD candidates - Composition | Music Education

Composer in Focus:

I directed the 'composer in focus' series of workshops and concerts from 2013-16. Previous projects included:
- 2013: Britten Centenary Celebration (feat. The Cardon Ensemble)
- 2014: The Triumph of Time? Responses to Birtwistle at 80
- 2015: La Monte Young at 80
- 2016: Reich at 80

Overview and recent projects:

Recent performances and recordings for solo piano have been given by Catherine Milledge (Equation) and Rebekah Weatherby (Tyne Cot Sketches: Sea of Stone). I was commissioned by the Cardiff University Big Band to write a new piece for their tour to Prague and the Bohemia Jazz Festival this summer (Flypast). A significant commission in 2016-17 came from Music for Youth, in collaboration with music services from South Wales, to compose a new work for the MFY PROMS concert series at the Royal Albert Hall. Entitled #CONNECT, this piece for massed ensemble received significant funding including a very generous donation from CUROP in order to give an undergraduate student (Timothy Johnston BMus) the opportunity to work in close collaboration with me on several aspects of this production.

You can read more about the project here: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/475344-connect (Information about the CUROP scheme can be found at: learning.cf.ac.uk/curop) The Welsh premiere of #CONNECT took place at St. David's Hall in June 2017. You can read more about this and other recent projects here: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/855450-welsh-premiere-of-connect

Forthcoming projects:

I am currently writing for the Chameleon Quintet, a new string piece for Isca Linea and a set of piano miniatures. I will be writing a new Big Band piece in Spring 2018 and a chapter that I have co-written with Dr Lynne Gornall (http://uk.linkedin.com/in/drlynnegornall) will be published in 'Exploring Consensual Leadership in Higher Education' (Bloomsbury, 2018).