Auckland Uni plans to axe top musicians
Simon Collins
The University of Auckland proposes to axe five eminent music academics in a bid to transform its music school from a “conservatory” into a researchintensive academic department.
The five staff include one of the school’s two professors, Professor Uwe Grodd, who has played the flute and conducted orchestras internationally for more than 30 years.
Instead, a proposed restructuring would see two new professors in music education and musicology — research-based study of music — in a drive to boost research funding and make the music school more relevant to the career that most of its students go into, teaching.
The proposal also says the music school “must embrace and include the musical heritage of the school’s entire student population” and recommends “giving priority to appointments with strong engagement with Maori and/or Pasifika communities”.
“Performance teaching is no longer solely based on interpretation of preexisting music, but a creative and collaborative process involving all departments [in the music school].
“Successful music schools in contemporary universities reflect this innovative, collaborative and flexible approach to teaching.”
An associate professor in the school whose job is not affected, Dr Eve de Castro-Robinson, said the proposal followed similar staff cuts at Waikato and Otago Universities. “This was our turn,” she said. “Music departments around the country are small . . . But latterly in this neoliberal business model it’s become about scapegoats.”
The proposal would increase the number of students per staff member in music from 11.6 to 14.
Student numbers in the school have declined from 453 fulltimeequivalents in 2011 to 411 last year.
Also targeted is a fulltime senior lecturer role in cello performance, currently held by Edith Salzmann.
The other three jobs being axed are in musicology, including that of senior lecturer Dr Davinia Caddy, author of How to Hear Classical Music, who is described by a former student Alex Taylor as “one of, if not the, best lecturers they have ever hired”.
The restructuring proposal is open for consultation until April 16. The university was asked for comment but did not respond by deadline.