MCICM Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music
Classical music institutions are faced with challenges. The quality of the performed repertoire tends to be high, but concert attendance is stagnating, audiences are aging, the musical landscape is increasingly hybrid and government subsidies are decreasing. Because of this, the need for innovating the practices of classical music culture has been generally acknowledged. Maastricht University (UM), philharmonie zuidnederland and Zuyd University for Applied Sciences (Zuyd) aspire to support this innovation through the establishment of the Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM). The centre aims to study the dynamics behind changing classical music practices and their societal contexts and to actively shape classical music futures. To do so, the MCICM combines academic research on innovation of performance practices with artistic research to renew classical music practices and music education in artistically relevant ways.
Fast facts
- Interdisciplinary centre for researching and shaping classical music futures
- Collaboration between Maastricht University, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and philzuid
- Led by Peter Peters
Research
During the 2018-2022 funding cycle, the centre focused on three research lines: orchestrating social relevance, modernizing cultural participation, and adapting sound heritage. Some of the projects include:
- Artful Participation
- Corona Conversations 2020
- Online Symposium 2021 ‘Towards 2040: Creating Classical Music Futures’
- Online Symposium 2022 ‘Borderlands: Classical Music and Society’
- Listen Closely: Innovating Participation in Symphonic Music
- Archives of Change: An Art Conservation Studies Approach to Innovating Classical Music
- Edited collection ‘Classical Music Futures: Practices of Innovation
During the 2022-2026 funding cycle, the centre is focusing on three research lines: digital technologies in classical music, the regional orchestra and innovating higher music education. Some of the projects include:
- Digitality in classical music practices in collaboration with students from Conservatorium Maastricht and musicians from philzuid.
- The fourth version of The People’s Salon based on the Artful Participation experiment with the same name.
- Close work with Conservatorium Maastricht while it reworks its curriculum making it more open and innovative for the future musician.
For more information, please visit Projects.
Research lines 2018-2022:
Research lines 2022-2026:
- Digital technologies in classical music
- The Regional Orchestra
- Innovating higher music education
News
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On 3 and 4 April 2024, Philzuid hosted the concert ‘Philstories” at Opus 9 in the Mariaberg neighborhood. Together with Prof. dr. Peter Peters and dr. Veerle Spronck, musicians and staff of Philzuid contacted residents and neighborhood organizations in Mariaberg. During dinners, meetings and cycling...
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MCICM and the Sheffield Performer & Audience Research Centre have a network that aims to understand how classical music forms part of the arts scene in different cities across the UK and Europe.
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The Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM) has published an edited collection titled ‘Classical Music Futures: Practices of Innovation.’
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On 4 July 2023, Denise Petzold successfully defended her PhD at the Aula in Maastricht.
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How can you reinvent the orchestra? The Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM) and philharmonie zuidnederland worked together to appeal to a new audience.
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On 6 June 2022, Veerle Spronck successfully defended her PhD at the Aula of Maastricht University. Spronck’s research was part of the 2017-2021 NWO/SIA funded project ‘Artful Participation’ which was a collaboration between Maastricht University, the Research Centre for the Arts, Autonomy and the...
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Next week, Veerle Spronck will deliver her PhD conferral on new forms of participation in classical music. Veerle researched experimental concerts by philharmonie zuidnederland and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. She found that fundamental questions are asked in such projects...
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The Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music is currently working on the forthcoming publication ‘Futuring Classical Music’ based on the 2021 symposium theme.
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On 20 October 2021, MCICM held a dissemination event where researchers from the Artful Participation project presented some of their research.
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During an ordinary classical music concert, the tasks are clearly divided. Musicians play under the direction of the conductor on the podium of the concert hall, the audience in the hall listens attentively, preferably without coughing and applauding at the wrong times.
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The first symposium hosted by the Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM) was held in Maastricht on March 29 and 30. Throughout the two-day event, international experts from different fields discussed possibilities for classical music innovation.
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Stefan Rosu, director general and artistic director of philharmonie zuidnederland, recently published an article on Arts Management Network about the orchestra’s journey towards innovation. In the article, Rosu walks us through the changes the orchestra has been undergoing including the need for...
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The Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM) officially began work on September 1st, 2018. On the same date, Peter Peters, professor at Maastricht University, began his position as director of the centre with a team of two postdocs, two PhD students, one artistic researcher...
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Prof. Peter Peters (Prof. on Innovation of Classical Music) was interviewed by Observant (independent university magazine of Maastricht University) on the launch and mission of the Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM).
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On September 1st 2018, Peter Peters will be officially appointed as Professor of Innovation of Classical Music at Maastricht University and will stand at the helm of the newly-founded Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM). Proposed and initiated by the director and...
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Presentation Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music (MCICM) on April 19th 2017.
