Megan Rowlands

Thesis Title: Releasing Messiaen’s birds from their musical cages: Using Deleuzian theory to unlock new performance frameworks.

Email: hsmrowla@liverpool.ac.uk

Biography: Megan has been a part of the University of Liverpool music department since 2015, graduating with her undergraduate degree in 2018 and an MMUS with distinction in 2019. Having performed and analysed works by Olivier Messiaen in earlier studies, Megan is now coming to the end of a PhD considering how analytical and philosophical applications of Messiaen’s birdsong writings can impact modern performance conventions. Alongside 11 years of instrumental teaching and more recent GTA work, Megan hopes to combine her passions into an academic career in a university setting.

Teaching and Learning: Megan has been a woodwind and piano teacher since 2012. Since beginning her PhD studies, Megan has taught on modules such as Exploring Music’s Construction and Foundations in Tonal Harmony at undergraduate level, and Research in practice at MMUS level.

Conference Papers:

Rowlands, M. (2023) [Accepted paper]. ‘Olivier Messiaen’s synaesthetic vision and Trevor Wye’s tone colours: Using visual colours to enhance instrumental teaching’. 13th International Conference for Research in Music Education. 11-14th April 2023. Online.

Rowlands, M. (2022). ‘Olivier Messiaen’s synaesthetic vision: A model for communication amongst performers and listeners’. Society for Music Analysis Annual Conference. 11-13th July 2022. Newcastle University.

Rowlands, M. (2022). ‘Olivier Messiaen’s synaesthetic vision: A model for communication amongst performers and listeners’. The Society for Musicology in Ireland Annual Plenary Conference. 24-26th June 2022. Online.

Rowlands, M. (2022). ‘Olivier Messiaen’s Technique of my Musical Language and its impact on performance perception’. BFE/RMA Research Students’ Conference 2022. 6-8th January 2022. University of Plymouth.

Rowlands, M. (2021). ‘Le Merle Noir: Olivier Messiaen’s compositional choices and their impact on our perception of the blackbird’s song’. Society for Music Analysis Annual Conference. 29-31st July 2021. Online.

Rowlands, M. (2021). ‘The musical space-time paradox, Deleuzian deterritorialization and their impact on performance practice’. The Society for Musicology in Ireland Annual Plenary Conference. 27-30th May 2021. Online.

Interests: My research interests are centred around 20th century classical music, particularly looking at the incorporation of natural phenomena into musical works. As a flautist primarily, I have also taken interest in the composers involved in the Paris Conservatoire Concours de Flute, looking at how flute repertoire has been developed through the institution.

Supervisors: Prof Kenneth Forkert Smith and Dr Lee Tsang