Associate Professor James Humberstone
James Humberstone's output is influenced by his research background in experimental music, his interest in composing for children and community ensembles, and his experience in the music technology profession. His research is published as creative NTRO (non-traditional research outputs - compositions) and as traditional research in the fields of musicology, music education, and technology.
- Composition
- Music education
- Experimental music
- Technology
- Music for (musically-untrained) children
- Music educators' worldviews & social justice
- Pluralism in music education
- Music analysis
Author and lecturer: The University of Sydney's first MOOC, The Place of Music in 21st Century Education (over 5,000 active learners to date)
Lecturer:
- MUED1010 Key Ideas in Music Education*
- MUED3603 Composition in Music Education^
- MUED3605 Junior Secondary Music Education*
- MUED4002 Technology in Music Education^
- MUED4006 Popular Music Studies*
- MUED4602 Senior Secondary Music Education*
- OLET1803 Digital Skills: Sound^
^ Current Unit of Study author and coordinator
* Past Unit of Study author and coordinator
Unit of Study coordinator:
- MUED3604 Ensemble Pedagogy
Current and past research students
| Project | Degree | Research student |
|---|---|---|
| Composition portfolio; Thesis: Benjamin Britten's polytechnical works. | PhD | Jim Coyle |
| Composition portfolio; Thesis: Compositional techniques of Jason Robert Brown. | MMus (Composition) | Adrian Kingwell |
| Digital Game Based Learning in Music: Does Rocksmith teach guitar? | MMus (Music Education) | Rebecca Ly |
| Modulating poly-temporal music for computer and musicians | MMus (Composition) | Kurt Mikolajczyk |
| Beyond the Blended Learning Buzz: A study on the impact of Blended Learning in a Secondary Music Classroom. | PhD | Brad Fuller |
| Transforming Year 7 - 8 Music with creative music technology | MMus (Music Education) | Rebecca Grubb |
The Weight of Light, a new song cycle with libretto by Nigel Featherstone. Commissioned by the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium, production by Caroline Stacey and The Street theatre, Canberra.
Changing the world(view): stimulating international music educator change through provocation. Ongoing research project, first chapter currently in review. Click through to read the draft abstract.
Odysseus: Live, Homer'sThe Odyssey reimagined in spoken word poetry, hip-hop and film with full orchestra and choir.
Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
Associate Member, Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning, Department of Educational Research, University of Lancaster. Collaborating with members of the centre including co-director Kyungmee Lee to investigate what data arising from my MOOC "The place of music in 21st century education" might tell us about online learning, social media, worldview, and identity.
Member:
- International Society for Music Education
- Australian Society for Music Education
- Musicology Australia
2020
Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) Supervisor of the Year Award. Winner, Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
2018
The Vice Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Teaching.
The Street Theatre & Goulburn Regional Conservatorium awarded Canberra Critics' Circle Award for the premiere production of my song cycle The Weight of Light, libretto by Nigel Featherstone.
Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) Supervisor of the Year Award. Winner, Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
2016
The IMAGinE award for the Australian National Maritime Museum’s exhibition project Action Stations, for which I composed the electro-acoustic music installed on the destroyer HMAS Vampire, and the submarine HMAS Onslow.
2014
University of Sydney Co-operative Bookshop Award for Excellence in Teaching.
2013
Australian Music Centre and APRA Art Music Awards. Finalist, Award for Excellence in Music Education.
United Kingdom | (University of Lancaster) Associate Member, Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning, Department of Educational Research |
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| The Use of TikTok in Music Education: A Multiple Case Study | Yuhan ZHANG |
Selected publications
(Avid Technology Inc, 2013)
Publications
Books
- Humberstone, J. (2013). Sibelius 7 Music Notation Essentials. Boston, USA: Avid Technology Inc.
- Humberstone, J., Ricketson, D. (2008). Stepping stones: teacher resource kit. Sydney, Australia: Australian Music Centre.
Book Chapters
- Humberstone, J., Sandiford, C. (2023). Activist Pluralism as Intercultural Creativity in Conservatory Education. Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. New York: Routledge. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J. (2023). Battle Dances and 808s: Teaching music creation in Australia. In Kirsty Devenay, Martin Fautley, Joanna Grow, & Annette Ziegenmeyer (Eds.), International perspectives on teaching music composition in schools, (pp. 9-25). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
- Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2023). The Pendulum Swings Tired: Dewey's 'Passive and Inert Recipiency' versus 'Active Work' in a Progressive Secondary Music Classroom. Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Journals
- Cheng, L., Moir, Z., Bell, A., Humberstone, J., Hein, E. (2024). Digital musicianship in post-pandemic popular music education. International Journal of Music Education, , 1-12. [More Information]
- Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2024). Educative evidence-based practice in music education. Media Journal in Music Education, 1. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J., Fuller, A., Chen, A., Kim, A., Hwang, C., Oh, G., Singh, I., Solo, J., Zhang, J., Brereton, J., Webb, L., Kim, L., Marcellino, R., Yu, S. (2024). What pre-service music teachers know about neuromyths and think about their preparation to deal with them as professionals. Australian Journal of Music Education, 56(2), 21-35. [More Information]
Conferences
- Humberstone, J. (2015). Defining creativity for a more pluralist approach to music education. ASME XXth National Conference - Music: Educating for life, Parkville, Victoria: Australian Society for Music Education.
- Humberstone, J., Taylor, J. (2015). Making Music Learning Fun - Designing an Interactive iBook for Informal Learning. ACMC2015 - MAKE!, Sydney, Australia: The Australasian Computer Music Association.
- Humberstone, J. (2013). Computer-aided analysis of Malcolm Williamson's approach to composing his cassations for musically-untrained children. XIX National Australian Society for Music Education Conference (ASME 2013), Parkville, Australia: Australian Society for Music Education.
Musical Compositions
- Humberstone, J. (2023). Mesostics. self-published.
- Humberstone, J. (2022). Αγάπη (Agapi) and other kinds of love. Self Published.
- Humberstone, J., Lesson, L., Stavrou, M. (2021). Stereo Type. Mullumbimby, Australia: Institute of Non-Violence.
Recorded / Rendered Performance
- Humberstone, J. (2016). Track 1-3 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 1 (3:00) Version 2 (2:12) Version 3 (1:14) Track 9 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 4 (3:26) Tracks 11-12 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 5 (4:09) Version 6 (2:54) Track 14 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 7 (4:24). On CYCLES + CIRCLES, CD, Sydney, Australia: Ensemble Offspring.
2024
- Cheng, L., Moir, Z., Bell, A., Humberstone, J., Hein, E. (2024). Digital musicianship in post-pandemic popular music education. International Journal of Music Education, , 1-12. [More Information]
- Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2024). Educative evidence-based practice in music education. Media Journal in Music Education, 1. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J., Fuller, A., Chen, A., Kim, A., Hwang, C., Oh, G., Singh, I., Solo, J., Zhang, J., Brereton, J., Webb, L., Kim, L., Marcellino, R., Yu, S. (2024). What pre-service music teachers know about neuromyths and think about their preparation to deal with them as professionals. Australian Journal of Music Education, 56(2), 21-35. [More Information]
2023
- Humberstone, J., Sandiford, C. (2023). Activist Pluralism as Intercultural Creativity in Conservatory Education. Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. New York: Routledge. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J. (2023). Battle Dances and 808s: Teaching music creation in Australia. In Kirsty Devenay, Martin Fautley, Joanna Grow, & Annette Ziegenmeyer (Eds.), International perspectives on teaching music composition in schools, (pp. 9-25). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J. (2023). Mesostics. self-published.
2022
- Humberstone, J. (2022). Αγάπη (Agapi) and other kinds of love. Self Published.
- Humberstone, J., Fuller, B. (2022). Project-based learning for digital sound communication. Media Journal in Music Education, 1.
- Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2022). The Pendulum Swings Tired: Dewey's Passivity, Activity and Creativity in a Progressive Secondary Music Classroom. In C. Randles & P. Burnard (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education, (pp. 263-277). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
2021
- Humberstone, J. (2021). Seeking Innovation as Exploration of Aesthetic. In Anna Reid, Neal Peres Da Costa, Jeanell Carrigan (Eds.), Creative Research in Music: Informed Practice, Innovation and Transcendence, (pp. 151-162). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J., Lesson, L., Stavrou, M. (2021). Stereo Type. Mullumbimby, Australia: Institute of Non-Violence.
2020
- Humberstone, J., Lesson, L., Stavrou, M. (2020). A letter to my daughter. Mullumbimby, Australia: Institute of Non-Violence.
- Humberstone, J. (2020). Drum Programming Minus One (Beginner). In Adam Patrick Bell (Eds.), The Music Technology Cookbook, (pp. 17-20). New York, United States: Oxford University Press.
- Humberstone, J. (2020). Empathy in a time of division. Tubingen, Germany: Self Published.
2018
- Humberstone, J., Featherstone, N. (2018). The Weight of Light 1. The Call, 2. On the Highway, 3. Distrust, 4. In Kandahar, 4a lacuna 1, 5. Headlong, 6. Brother Oh Brother, 7. At the Gate, 7a lacuna 2, 8. The Girl, 8a lacuna 3, 9. Black Shadows, 10. Rain on the Iron, 11. Weightless, 11a lacuna 4, 12. Two Apples, 13. Stay and Yes, 14. From Here. Canberra, Australia: Wirripang.
2017
- Humberstone, J. (2017). A Pluralist Approach to Music Education. In S. Alex Ruthmann & Roger Mantie (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Technology and Music Education, (pp. 421-430). New York: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
2016
- Mitchell, J., Humberstone, J. (2016). ODYSSEUS : LIVE 1: ANCIENT GREEK: PROLOGUE (spoken word) 2: ODYSSEUS: ON THE RAFT (spoken word) 3: THE POMPOUS POET (spoken word) 4: ODYSSEUS RESPONSE TO POET (spoken word) 5: TROJAN HORSE (track) 6: THE CYCLOPS (spoken word) 7: CYCLOPS (track) 8: ATHENA DANCES (instrumental) 9: UNDERWORLD (track) 10: CHARYBDIS AND SKILLA (track) 11: SIRENS (spoken word) 12. SIRENS (track) 13: HELIOS (spoken word) 14: THE STORM HITS (spoken word) 15: PERFECT STORM (track) 16: CALYPSO (spoken word) 17: CALYPSO (track) 18: INNER LANDSCAPES (spoken word) 19: ATHENA DANCES (instrumental) 20: SUITORS (spoken word) 21: SUITORS (track) 22: ANCIENT GREEK 2 (spoken word). Sydney, Australia: Self Published.
- Philpott, C., Humberstone, J. (2016). The Glitter Gang (1973-74): A Microcosm of Malcolm Williamson's Views on Social Inclusivity and His Australian Identity. Musicology Australia, 38(1), 1-28. [More Information]
- Humberstone, J. (2016). Track 1-3 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 1 (3:00) Version 2 (2:12) Version 3 (1:14) Track 9 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 4 (3:26) Tracks 11-12 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 5 (4:09) Version 6 (2:54) Track 14 CYCLES AND CIRCLES Version 7 (4:24). On CYCLES + CIRCLES, CD, Sydney, Australia: Ensemble Offspring.
2015
- Humberstone, J. (2015). Defining creativity for a more pluralist approach to music education. ASME XXth National Conference - Music: Educating for life, Parkville, Victoria: Australian Society for Music Education.
- Humberstone, J., Taylor, J. (2015). Making Music Learning Fun - Designing an Interactive iBook for Informal Learning. ACMC2015 - MAKE!, Sydney, Australia: The Australasian Computer Music Association.
- Humberstone, J. (2015). Noise Husbandry 1. crossing the line i 2. crossing the line ii 3. crossing the line iii 4. crossing the line iv 5. codes 6. mate-ship 7. hmas voyager : in memoriam 8. gun bay 9. family 10. second secrets 11. seventh secrets 12.chamber surgery 13. nerve centre 14.waves 15.palindromes. Sydney, Australia: Self Published.
2014
- Humberstone, J. (2014). The Very Music of the Name. Sydney, Australia: Self Published.
2013
- Humberstone, J. (2013). Before Day. Sydney, Australia: Hummingsong Music Publications Pty Ltd.
- Humberstone, J. (2013). Campanella. Sydney, Australia: Hummingsong Music Publications Pty Ltd.
- Humberstone, J. (2013). Computer-aided analysis of Malcolm Williamson's approach to composing his cassations for musically-untrained children. XIX National Australian Society for Music Education Conference (ASME 2013), Parkville, Australia: Australian Society for Music Education.
2010
- Johnston, A., Humberstone, J. (2010). Elective Music Students Experiences with Jam2Jam. The 7th Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment, Wellington, New Zealand: Interactive Entertainment.
- Humberstone, J. (2010). Not just an experience: The children's opera "kiravanu' as a medium for learning. Music in Action, 7(5), 15-17.
2009
- Humberstone, J. (2009). The Creative Teacher: How to use technology to produce learning materials. Music in Action, 7(1), 8-11.
2008
- Humberstone, J. (2008). Following the least-trodden paths. Resonate, (2).
- Humberstone, J., Ricketson, D. (2008). Stepping stones: teacher resource kit. Sydney, Australia: Australian Music Centre.
In the media
Reviews of The Weight of Light premiere performances in Canberra and Goulburn (James Humberstone's new song cycle with libretto by Nigel Featherstone).
The Science of Dubstep. James Humberstone's incredibly popular TEDxOxford talk with over a million views worldwide.
SBS World News: "Hip-Hop Odysseus". A preview before the first development performance of Odysseus : Liveat SCM. Features interviews with MC Luka Lesson, James Humberstone, and students of the Sydney Conservatorium.
The Place of Music in 21st Century Music Education: Trailer. The trailer for James Humberstone's MOOC, published on Coursera.
