Lauren McCormick

Higher Degree by Research Candidate


Lauren McCormick is a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, whose research investigates current global best practices in the tertiary teaching of music composition. This thesis, supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship, seeks to consolidate best teaching practices with established signature pedagogies to create quality and effective curricula which can be implemented and adapted within conservatories and schools of music within the field.

As a current Doctor of Philosophy candidate, I am investigating global best practices in the teaching of music composition at the tertiary level, and how signature pedagogies may be implemented to accelerate and consolidate student learning. The goal of this research is to catalogue, analyse and evaluate how institutional training prepares emerging composers for the new standard of professional practice in the modern musical industry, and establish a new standard of international best practice within the field whilst placing the current compositional landscape within a broader social, historical, and philosophical context.

Previous research interests include the integration of theories in developmental psychology to the composition of new music for children, both within a pedagogical and aesthetic context. This research was conducted as part of my Master of Philosophy portfolio and thesis, Classical Music for the Modern Child: A Compositional Endeavour.

Date Position Institution name
2024 - 2024 Course Co-ordinator The University of Adelaide
2023 - 2023 Lecturer University of Adelaide

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2020 Award Dr Ruby Davy Prize for Composition University of Adelaide Australia -
2019 Award Dr Ruby Davy Prize for Composition University of Adelaide Australia -
2019 Award H. Brewster Jones Prize for Composition University of Adelaide Australia -

Date Institution name Country Title
2023 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2021 - 2023 University of Adelaide Australia Master of Philosophy
2020 - 2020 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Music (Honours)
2017 - 2019 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Music

Year Citation
2024 McCormick, L. (2024). Concert Overture (No. Of Pieces: approx. 8 minutes) [Performance]. Vimeo: Adelaide Youth Orchestra.
2023 McCormick, L. (2023). The Ghost of Black Hill (No. Of Pieces: approx. 10 minutes) [audio, chamber orchestra]. SoundCloud.

Year Citation
2023 McCormick, L. (2023). Classical Music for the Modern Child: A Compositional Endeavour. (Master's Thesis, University of Adelaide).

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2024 - ongoing International best practice in the tertiary teaching of music composition ABLE Higher Degree by Research Conference University of Adelaide Australia

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