International Guitar Research Centre (IGRC)
Description
In March 2014, Surrey University established the International Guitar Research Centre (IGRC), designed to function as a global nexus for research focused on various music styles involving the guitar.
The IGRC has forged strategic alliances with numerous global entities including the International Guitar Foundation, The Guitar Foundation of America, The International Guitar Research Archive (CSUN, CA), The Altamira Foundation (China), and 21st Century Guitar (Canada). These partnerships have facilitated the co-hosting of conferences and festivals in the USA, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Portugal, Germany, the UK, and Australia.
The Centre boasts 17 postgraduate researchers. In 2016, the IGRC introduced the Maurice J Summerfield Collection, now part of the University Archives and Special Collections.
The IGRC, with its international partners across six continents, has developed into a global nucleus for guitar research, fostering a vibrant network for scholars and practitioners. The centre’s work — encompassing scores, recordings, performances, broadcasts, academic writing and pedagogical materials — reaches a wide audience, influencing public and cultural engagement with the instrument.
The centre provides numerous PhD opportunities, boasting 11 doctoral graduates and 17 current researchers. Despite global economic downturn, the popularity of the guitar is at an all-time high, with a guitar purchased every few seconds.
However, the diversity of guitar styles often leads to isolated silos of activity, preventing valuable cultural exchange. The IGRC aims to bridge these cultural gaps, promoting exchange of technical, pedagogical, analytical, and compositional ideas to enhance the repertoire, knowledge, and appreciation of international guitar activity.
Offers funding
No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.
Founding year
2014
Contact details
Stag Hill Reception
Guildford
GU2 7XH
United Kingdom
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Categorisation
Type
Project Tags
University affiliation(s)
University of Surrey
Guildford
Last modified:
2023-09-20 15:00:28