The GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows:
1. The General Board have received a proposal from the Faculty Board of Music for the transfer of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Research Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice (CMPCP) from Royal Holloway, University of London, to the Faculty of Music with effect from 1 October 2009. The Centre's research is concerned with the study of live musical performance and creative music-making within a range of idioms, including various global and popular musics. It will include five research projects with associated workshop packages, an international Performance Studies Network intended to bring together researchers and musicians currently working independently, up to fifteen Visiting Fellowships, and two fully funded doctoral studentships. In addition to Cambridge, partner institutions include King's College London, Royal Holloway, University of London, and the University of Oxford. In total the AHRC funding amounts to £1.7m over five years.
2. The Faculty Board considered that the Faculty would provide both outstanding facilities (among them the Concert Hall and Recital Room, as well as those within the Centre for Music and Science, the CMS), and a strong academic environment for the work of the Centre, which would be complemented by the unrivalled musical performing environment offered by the Colleges and the University as a whole. The Faculty of Music would also be able to offer the 'central location with suitable dedicated physical space' required for Phase 2 Centres by the AHRC, allowing many of CMPCP's activities and staff to be based in Cambridge, even though some activity will be dispersed between the other collaborating institutions. The General Board agreed that the proposal was a strategic opportunity for the Faculty to enhance its research grant portfolio and to enrich existing areas of research, as well as contributing to the existing dynamic performance culture.
3. In making the proposal for the transfer of the Centre, the Faculty Board also recommended the establishment of a Professorship for Professor John Rink, Professor of Music, Royal Holloway, University of London, who is the Director of the Centre and Principal Investigator of the AHRC grant. The AHRC grant provides support for Professor Rink's salary for a period of five years. The proposal was strongly supported by the Council of the School of Arts and Humanities who have agreed to meet the balance of the costs of the Professorship for the remainder of Professor Rink's tenure from within the School's allocation. The Board agreed to constitute a committee, along the lines of a Board of Electors, to advise them on the proposed appointment of Professor Rink, consisting of: Professor A. D. Cliff, CHR, (Chair), Professor J. Butt (Glasgow), Professor N. J. Cook, DAR, Dr I. R. M. Cross, W, Dr M. W. Ennis, G, Professor S. C. Franklin, CL, Professor M. S. Longair, CLH, Professor R. Pascall (Nottingham), and Professor S. K. Rankin, EM.
4. At their meeting on 6 May 2009, the Board agreed to approve the recommendation of their Advisory Committee that a Professorship of Musical Performance Studies be established for the tenure of Professor John Rink, should the transfer of the CMPCP be agreed by the AHRC. Professor Rink has indicated his willingness to accept the Professorship if established.
5. The Board have now received agreement from the AHRC to the transfer of the CMPCP from Royal Holloway, University of London, to the Faculty of Music with effect from 1 October 2009.
6. The General Board accordingly recommend:
That a Professorship of Musical Performance Studies be established for Professor John Rink with effect from 1 October 2009, be placed in Schedule B of the Statutes, and assigned to the Faculty of Music.
| 3 June 2009 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | PHILIP FORD | J. RALLISON |
| NICK BAMPOS | S. C. FRANKLIN | JEREMY SANDERS | |
| JOHN BELL | ANDREW GAMBLE | PATRICK SISSONS | |
| TOM BLUNDELL | RACHAEL PADMAN | I. H. WHITE | |
| WILLIAM BROWN |