Charles Wiffen

Personal statement

I am the Head of Academic Portfolio Development. I joined Bath Spa University as a lecturer in Music, and subsequently became Head of the Department of Music as well as Associate and Acting Dean for Music and Performing Arts and later Assistant Dean (Learning, Teaching, Quality) in the College of Liberal Arts. I've also been Visiting Professor of Music at Shanghai University and an external examiner for Trinity Laban, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Kingston University. Prior to joining Bath Spa, I lectured at the Royal College of Music where I was Grove Research Fellow from 1998 until 2005. I also taught at Trinity Laban in London. From 2008 and until 2015 I served on the Committee for NAMHE (National Association for Music in Higher Education).

I have performed extensively as a pianist in the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, North America, Israel, Japan, China, Taiwan and Southern Africa. I’ve broadcast for BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM and have recorded CDs for the ROSL, Sheldon and Toccata labels. I’m a member of the London Archduke Trio and Contemporary Consort. I regularly perform and teach at summer schools such as the Dartington International Summer School and at Curso Internacional de Musica Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain.

My research work has focused on musical transformation. I give regular pre-concert talks for a number of venues and organisations including the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Wigmore Hall.

Academic qualifications

• BMus University of the Witwatersrand
• MMus RCM
• PG Diploma RCM
• DMus RCM.

Professional memberships

• Royal Musical Association
• Committee member: National Association for Music in Higher Education (NAMHE).

Other external roles

• Pianist for Contemporary Consort
• Pianist of London Archduke Trio.

Teaching specialism

• Nineteenth and twentieth century performance practice
• Asthetics of performance and reception
• Transcription, arrangement and appropriation
• Music of the early twentieth century
• Film music.

External examiners

• External examiner for BMus course at Birmingham Conservatoire 
• External examiner for PG courses at Trinity Laban, London 
• External examiner for BMus course at Kingston University 
• PhD examining for University of London
• PhD examining of Royal College of Music 
• PhD examining for University of Australia.

Current scholarship

• Transcription, arrangement and appropriation
• Gesture in performance.