The goal of the professorship is to further embed new music (from the twentieth century to the present day) in the wider academic discourse, foster the study and discussion of new music at universities and music schools, and promote research-based teaching in the field. The professor will be appointed for the 2023/2024 winter semester, just in time for the new master’s degree program “Music, Sound, Performance.”

“The guest professor will work in close cooperation with the relevant ensembles and composers on the new and experimental music scene in order to bridge the gap between musicological research and practice,” said Professor Camilla Bork, a researcher in musicology, who garnered the attention of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation jury with her proposal. How performance traditions manifest in new music, how performers and ensembles incorporate their knowledge into these traditions, and how music and sound respond to current societal challenges will be among the many questions addressed by the new professor, who will convey their findings to the academic community and wider public through different event formats. The professor will develop teaching and research projects on seminal works of new music, establish a collaborative and interactive platform on the performance traditions of new music, and facilitate and curate artist residencies at the Division of Musicology.

The proposal submitted by Freie Universität Berlin that was chosen by the jury interweaves theory and practice while also focusing on cultures of knowledge. “Academic appraisals and reflections on contemporary music have been coming up against formidable challenges in recent years,” said Professor Ulrich Mosch, a member of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation’s board of trustees. By taking this approach, Freie Universität Berlin wants to establish itself as the nerve center for a fresh and innovating discourse on the subject.

“For the recently reestablished Division of Musicology, this professorship offers us the chance to further distinguish ourselves in the area of new music and current trends in sound art and musical performance alongside our existing research specialties in the fields of musical theater and music and media,” said Professor Bork.