Music in Twentieth-Century Oxford: New Directions

In April, co-editors Professor Susan Wollenberg (Emeritus Fellow, Lady Margaret Hall) and Dr. Robin Darwall-Smith, Archivist of Jesus and University Colleges and College historian of All Souls, are set to publish the first book-length study of musical education and culture in twentieth-century Oxford. While Music in Twentieth-Centry Oxford, focuses extensively on college and university life, including the major choral foundations, and the development of the Music Faculty, ‘town and gown’ topics feature in chapters on the Oxford Bach Choir, music in the city churches and music in the town. The Faculty's former Heather Professor Eric Clarke emeritus Professor John Caldwell, alumnus Timothy Day, former Bodleian and Music Faculty Librarian Peter Ward Jones, and current Professor of Opera Studies Michael Burden have contributed to the publication. 

Susan Wollenburg has served as Honorary Vice-President of the Royal Musical Association. She currently serves on the advisory board of the journal Nineteenth-Century Music Review, and is on the advisory boards for the websites ‘Donne, Women in Music’, and WIGM (Women in Global Music). Together with Susan Youens, she was recently elected an honorary Vice-President of the Schubert Institute UK. Her research interests include 18th- and 19th-century music, keyboard music, social history of music in England, c. 1700–2000, and the study of women composers.

Robin Darwall-Smith has published extensively on the history of the University of Oxford and its Colleges. He has written a history of University College (2008), and was a major contributor to one of Magdalen College (2008). He is currently writing the second of a three-volume history of All Souls College. He is also General Editor of the Oxford Historical Society and Editor of History of Universities.

Find out more about Music in Twentieth-Century Oxford on the Boydell and Brewer website.