Name: Una MacGlone
PhD Title: An investigation into utilising free improvisation in music workshops with young children.
Department: Music
Supervisors: Prof. Raymond MacDonald & Dr. Graeme Wilson
E-mail: s1271701@sms.ed.ac.uk
Biography
Una’s career has multiple strands. As a double-bassist in a variety of musical areas, she has collaborated with pop and jazz musicians such as David Byrne, Rab Noakes and Keith Tippett among others. She is also regular addition to the bass sections of Scottish Opera, BBC SSO and RSNO. As an improvising musician, she is a founder member of Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra (GIO) and works on various projects with international improvisers such as Renee Baker (Chicago, AACM) and Maggie Nicols (London F.I.G).
Una is also a member of the inclusive contemporary music group Sonic Bothy, who recently won the Paritor Education award for New Music – which was part of the 2015 National Music Council Education awards.
She has taught double bass in the junior department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and coached double bass sections in a number of regional and national youth orchestras. In recent years she has become more interested in teaching music through improvisation and the ways in which this can enable peoples’ creativity, agency and socio-musical communication.
Una’s research in the area of music, improvisation and education resulted in an MPhil from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2013.
Publications
MacGlone, U. and R. A. R. MacDonald (2015). Learning to improvise, improvising to learn: a qualitative study of learning processes in improvising musicians. Creativity, Improvisation and Collaboration: Perspectives on the Performance of Contemporary Music. E. C. a. M. Doffman. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Invited Lectures & Conference Presentations
Una presented her PhD project at a conference titled ‘The Art and Science of Improvisation in Education’ in Stord, Norway in June 2015
Funding Awarded
2014 Thomas Laing Reilly Scholarships in Music, Reid School of Music
Teaching
Part-time Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the following modules:
Free Improvisation * also designed by U.M.
Music in Society 2
Effective Practice Techniques
Various freelance settings creating bespoke improvisation workshops for professional groups such as musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Dartington International Summer School