
Researcher biography
I am a musicologist whose research covers the history of compositional techniques from the late Middle Ages to the present day. I have a particular interest in how composers at different times managed the artful blending of two or more distinct melodic lines – a topic known as counterpoint. In my work, I aim to uncover the deep underling principles governing composers’ use of counterpoint across time and place. I am especially interested in the reception of medieval and early modern music in contemporary Australia. I have published on an early source for keyboard accompaniment in the Louise Hanson Dyer collection, and I was co-editor of J.S. Bach in Australia: Studies in Reception and Performance (2018), the first major study of how Bach’s music has enriched Australian cultural life. I have workshopped repertoire from my research with the UQ Chamber Singers, which has resulted in several Australian and world premiere performances drawing from the rich legacy of canonic counterpoint.