Strings - Research and Creative Activity

The staff of the string unit maintains very active performance profiles in the areas of solo, orchestral and chamber music performance including the performance on period instruments. Many staff members of the string unit are leading members of ensembles with an international touring profile, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony and the Australia Ensemble/ Goldner Quartet. In addition, string unit members perform regularly as soloists and in recital in Australia and internationally and record for commercial CD labels and broadcast. Members of the unit are also frequently invited to join judging panels at national and international competitions and present summer courses and master-classes nationally and internationally.

Over the past years the string unit has embarked on a program of identifying appropriate methodological and didactic approaches in the training of strings players from an early age. Through its involvement with the teaching of primary and secondary age students in the Conservatorium High School and Access Centre, the string unit has developed a range of progressive teaching materials and curricula for all string instruments which the unit is progressively documenting as models of instrumental learning and teaching.

The extensive research focus of the unit covers a wide range of areas and includes the performance and analysis of contemporary Australian music, performance practice of 17th and 18th century music, the concept of style in string playing, the importance of Alexander technique to string playing, injury prevention in musicians, 19th and 20th century pedagogical methods and teaching repertoire, the historical development of string teaching, teaching method and instrumental repertoire.
For more specific information on performance and research interests please consult individual staff entries.

Assoc Prof Goetz Richter
Research and Creative Work Profile
Frequent performances with Sydney Symphony Orchestra including as leader and Soloist. Worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, David Zinman, Edo de Waart, Marriss Janssons, Charles Dutoit. Ongoing performances as chamber musician (Trio Novalis, Sydney Schubert Ensemble) and recitalist Duo Richter/Carrigan, Artistic Director Camden Haven Music Festival 1994-2003. Ongoing research into all aspects of violin pedagogy, particularly didactic repertoire and study material Various publication on philosophy (Plato, Nietzsche) and philosophy of music. Recently published a translation of Eugen Fink, Nietzsche (Continuum Publishers 2002).