PDIPS Scholar Framework

Each Scholar receives the highest quality experience tailored specifically to support their individual career aspirations and potential. So that’s where we start.

The conversation begins immediately following selection in March. If you were selected, we would work with you to clarify what you would like to get out of the experience, your areas of interest, and your potential. This becomes the primary aim.

We will achieve this aim through the development of a bespoke framework comprising five principal elements: -

Participation and observation

  • Immersion in the full performance programme, main-stage, concerts, education and projects.
  • Taking a place on the touchline of creating an opera – from early discussions and initial designs to casting and costume fitting, from model-showing and sitzprobe to first night and the tour.
  • Shadowing practitioners with a focus on the Archive theme, e.g. singer, composer, instrumentalist, conductor.

Relationships and networks

  • Getting to know the full range of specialists associated with opera production including planning, technical, music, designers, administration and communication.
  • Ongoing conversation with academic mentors and new connections with academic specialists.

Practicing

  • Working directly on small-scale work.

Academic learning

  • Participation in seminars, conferences, lectures and workshops.
  • A personal mentor to test your ideas, link you to specialist academic practitioners and encourage new adventures.

Researching, recording and documenting

  • Gathering an in-tray of material from people and places to interpret through your Living Archive. Perhaps interviewing academics and artists; coordinating debates and discussions; reading and writing papers.
  • Using imagination and creativity to present your findings in a stimulating and accessible way, maybe a website, film-making, photography, blogs, seminars…

Sharing

  • Adding to the Living Archive by researching, recording, interpreting and sharing the production process from the chosen perspective.
  • Working with academics at the two universities to inspire and challenge students.