![Professor Christopher Collins Professor Christopher Collins](/img/200x200/staffpages/uploads/s01cc0/Chris_Collins_tight_crop.jpg)
BA (Hons), MPhil, PhD, FHEA, MISM
Head of School, Chair in Music
- About
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- Email Address
- chris.collins@abdn.ac.uk
- Office Address
- School/Department
- School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture
Biography
Chris Collins is Head of the School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture. The multidisciplinary nature of the School is reflected in his own areas of interest, encompassing music, literature, performance art, theatre, European studies and modern languages.
Chris is an authority on the life and work of the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla (1876-1946). His research encompasses a wide range of methodologies, including documentary research, formal analysis, inter-art relations, reception history, and cultural studies. He also works on early 20th-century music more broadly, and has a sideline in popular music research, focusing especially on the period from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s.
Chris has taught and given public lectures on all periods of music history, and has delivered specialised courses on topics ranging from musicological methodology to conducting, and from Wagner to Kate Bush and Björk. He is a highly experienced orchestral, choral and operatic conductor, and over the past 20+ years has directed performances of repertoire ranging from Monteverdi (b. 1567) to Mared Emlyn (b. 1988). He currently directs the University of Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra.
Chris was formerly Head of the School of Music and Media at Bangor University where he oversaw programmes in music, film, journalism, drama, media studies and production, delivered in both English and Welsh (Chris is a fluent Welsh-speaker). He is active as a campaigner for music education at all levels, and is a vociferous advocate for the UK music industry. He was President of the Independent Society of Musicians in 2020-21. He is a Board member of Aberdeen Performing Arts, a member of the Culture Aberdeen Executive Committee, and is a member of the Strategic Group for the Big Noise programme in Torry, Aberdeen. He is currently Chair of the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement review group for Music.
Chris’s spare time is spent walking, cycling, reading, playing the piano and listening to music.
Qualifications
- PhD Music2002 - Bangor University
Thesis title: 'Manuel de Falla and his European contemporaries: Encounters, relationships and influences'
- MPhil Music1998 - Bangor UniversityThesis title: 'Manuel de Falla and L'Acoustique nouvelle'
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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- Head of School, School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture
- Ex-officio member of Senate
- Member of Workload Planning Review Group
- Member of Race Equality Strategy Group
- Member of Space Management Group
- Member of Risk Management Committee
- Member of Marischal College Task and Finish Group
- Member of Student Recruitment Committee
- Member of PGR Task and Finish Group
- Chair of Aberdeen 2040 Delivery of Education Task and Finish Group (2022)
- External Memberships
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- President, Independent Society of Musicians (2020-21)
- Chair, Subject Benchmark Statement Review Panel for Music, QAA (2024-25)
- Scottish representative, MusicHE (2023-24)
- Ordinary Member of Council, Royal Musical Association (2017-20)
- Expressive Arts Advisor, Curriculum Reform, Welsh Government (2016-18)
- Contributing author of Music Benchmark Statement, QAA (2016 and 2019)
- Member of Editorial Board, Quodlibet (2015- )
- Trustee, Codi'r To – Sistema Cymru (2016-22)
- Strategic Group member, Big Noise Torry (2020- )
- External Examiner for Music and Drama programmes, Bath Spa University programmes at ESART Barcelona (2016-20)
- Research network member, 'Inter-art Connections: Music and Literature in the Spanish Silver Age' (based at Universidad Complutense de Madrid) (2020- )
- Member of Royal Musical Association EDI Working Group (2020-22)
- Executive Committee member, Culture Aberdeen (2022-24)
- Member of Editorial Board, Musicología, Universidad de Granada (2022- )
- Member of Advisory Board, Epistolario Manuel de Falla, Universidad de Granada (2019- )
- Research
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Research Overview
- Manuel de Falla
- Music in Spain and France, c. 1880-1939
- Music in the Nordic countries, c. 1890-1930
- Popular music and culture in Britain, c. 1960 onwards
- Sketch studies
- Word-music relations
- Music pedagogy
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Music.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Spanish and Latin American Studies
Research Specialisms
- Musicology
- History of Music
- Spanish Studies
- Popular Music
- Ballet
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Current Research
Chris is currently writing a monograph on international aspects of Manuel de Falla's life and work, and is preparing a new edition of Falla's published writings in collaboration with Elena Torres Clemente (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). He is also a contributor to the ongoing critical edition of the correspondence of Manuel de Falla. He is pleased to supervise research students in areas relating to his own specialist interests.
Knowledge Exchange
Chris has spoken widely about his work, including broadcast interviews on BBC Radio Wales and at international conferences and festivals, ranging from Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion, North Wales, to the China-Shanghai International Arts Festival.
Supervision
My current supervision areas are: Music.
Current PhD supervisees:
- Claudia Falcone (Domestic music-making by women in early 19th-century Britain)
- Yichun Feng (The development of modern Chinese opera under the influence of Western opera) *
- Hengyu Lu (The application of Chinese musical traditions in the performance of Western piano music) *
- Yi Wang (The development of commercial popular music festivals in China)
Previous PhD and MPhil supervisees have included:
- Michael Foy (Albert Lister Peace: organist and composer) *
- Alexander Jarrett (Pierre Villette: his life and works) *
- Sa Do Kim (Combining Korean traditional music with Western classical music) *
- Amanda Mackey (Girls' choirs in British cathedrals)
- Emma Peake (Aetiology of upper string players' pain and its prevention) *
- Matthias Wurz (Musical Interpretation and Imagery in Pierrot Lunaire) *
* projects involving a practice-based element
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
Chris has taught on a wide range of topics in European music history from Hildegard of Bingen to Kate Bush, via Wagner, Debussy, the Ballets Russes, and the Beatles. He also teaches musicological methodology, word-music relations, music analysis and conducting, and is experienced in coaching music performance. He contributes to cross-School teaching, including workshops on undertaking research and writing dissertations.
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Chris is director of the University of Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra, with a student membership extended across all Schools of the University.
- Publications
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Addressing Inequalities in the Music Industry before, during, and after COVID- 19: The Campaigning Work of the UK's Independent Society of Musicians
Voices for Change in the Classical Music Profession: New Ideas for Tackling Inequalities and Exclusions. Bull, A., Scharf, C., Nooshin, L. (eds.). Oxford University Press, pp. 276–285, 10 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersFalla [y Matheu], Manuel [María de los Dolores] de
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316493205.007
Ocampo, [Ramona] Victoria [Epifanía Rufina]
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316493205.016
Spies [Heilbronn], Claudio
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and DictionariesArgentina
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316493205.002
Mexico
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and DictionariesChávez [Ramírez], Carlos [Antonio de Padua]
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316493205
Los rusos, los ingleses y lo español: El sombrero de tres picos en el Londres de 1919
Repensar El sombrero de tres picos cien años después. Murga Castro, I., Martín Moreno, A., Torres Clemente, E. (eds.). Editorial Universidad de GranadaChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersCompuesta a toda velocidad: El amor brujo como debut del compositor profesional
El amor brujo, metáfora de la modernidad: Estudios en torno a Manuel de Falla y la música española del siglo XX. Torres Clemente, E., Giménez Rodríguez, F. J., Aguilar Hernández, C., González Mesa, D. (eds.). Centro de Documentación de Música y Danza-INAEM, pp. 55-71, 17 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersEvans, David (1943-2013)
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and DictionariesMr Kite des Beatles: souvenir psychédélique de la tradition britannique du cirque forain
Contributions to Conferences: PapersPrincipios rotacionales y forma teleológica en el Concerto de Falla
Quodlibet, no. 53, pp. 24-42Contributions to Journals: ArticlesGautier’s Spain and Falla’s France: Voice and Modes of Performance in ‘Séguidille’
Dix-Neuf, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 9-23Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/1478731812z.00000000022
Modelos europeos para un ópera español: estilo, estructura y tejido temático
Contributions to Conferences: PapersPrincipios rotacionales y forma teleológica en el Concierto de Falla
Quodlibet, vol. 53, no. 10Contributions to Journals: ArticlesStyle, structure and motivic fabric in Falla's La vida breve
Contributions to Conferences: PapersVisiones del Quijote en la música del siglo XX [review]
Fontes Artis Musicae, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 77-79Contributions to Journals: Literature ReviewsWorking at the Words/Music Interface: Models of Collaboration
Contemporary Music Review, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 159-169Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07494467.2010.534924
Les relations amicales et artistiques entre Koechlin et Manuel de Falla
Charles Koechlin: Compositeur et Humaniste. Benoit-Otis, M. (ed.). Librairie Philosophique Vrin, pp. 527-543, 17 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersMusic and Poetry in fin-de-siècle Paris: a study day
Contributions to Conferences: Other ContributionsSpanning a frontier: Manuel de Falla’s Trois Mélodies and multinational identity
Contributions to Conferences: PapersLuz en la oscuridad: observaciones sobre la composición de las Noches de Falla
Manuel de Falla: Noches en los jardines de España: edición facsímil de los manuscritos fundamentales del Archivo Manuel de Falla y del Archivo de Valentín Ruiz Aznar. Nommick, Y. (ed.). Publicaciones del Archivo Manuel de Falla and Junta de Andalucía, pp. xvii-lxxiii, 57 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersDon’s delights, review of Carol A. Hess, Sacred Passions: the life and music of Manuel de Falla (New York, 2005)
The Musical Times, vol. 146, no. 1892Contributions to Journals: Literature ReviewsNorthern light, review of Daniel M. Grimley (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius (Cambridge, 2004)
The Musical Times, vol. 146, no. 1890, pp. 103-106Contributions to Journals: Literature ReviewsFalla in Europe: Relations with his contemporaries.
Manuel de Falla: His Life and Music. Harper, N. (ed.). Scarecrow Press, pp. 247-284, 38 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersMemoires intimes, review of Samuel Hsu, Sidney Grolnic and Mark Peters (eds.), Claude Debussy As I Knew Him and other writings (Rochester, NY, 2003)
The Musical Times, vol. 145, no. 1889, pp. 101-103Contributions to Journals: Literature ReviewsImages of Spain, review of Matthew Brown, Debussy’s Ibéria (Cambridge: CUP, 2003)
The Musical Times, vol. 145, no. 1887, pp. 118-119Contributions to Journals: Literature ReviewsThe Passion of Youth
Eight Little Greats [Opera North programme]. Leeds: Opera North pp. 27-29, 3 pages.Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Other ContributionsManuel de Falla, L'acoustique nouvelle and Natural Resonance: A Myth Exposed.
Journal of the Royal Musical Association, vol. 128, no. 1, pp. 71-97Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jrma/128.1.71
Falla in Britain
The Musical Times, vol. 144, no. 1883, pp. 33-48Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3650680