George Speck

Overview

An early-career researcher and musician, George's primary research interests revolve around the phenomenology of music performances. His research at City applies this framework to the study of Networked Music Performances (NMPs), in which performers in separate locations are connected via the internet to make music in real-time. Rather than focus upon the technology that powers NMPs, he studies them primarily as performances from the perspective of participants in order to ascertain the unique challenges and/or differences musicians face when playing online rather than in-person. In the process his work intersects with: social organisation studies, theories of liveness, groove & entrainment and the ethics of technologically-assisted music performance.

George's interests were developed through his Higher Education experience, covering both the practical and theoretical sides of music. After spending a year as an Associate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, during which he won the prestigious 2016 Needlemaker's Prize for Solo Woodwind Performance, he moved on to complete his BA at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded his Master's with distinction at KCL, where his study period coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. During this time, he developed a research interest in the mechanics of live music performance over internet networks, leading to his research at City where he is also a Guest Lecturer and Teaching Assistant.

George is also an active contributor to the scholarly community, giving papers at conferences in London, Cardiff and Bergen, Norway. Most notably to date, he took a role in the organization of the 2024 SPARC Research Symposium, 'Improbable Networks', at which he also presented a paper on the experience of jazz musicians in high-latency networked performances. Away from research, he conducts a broad range of teaching, the highlight of which is his work for charity The Brilliant Club; lecturing and leading seminars in schools in underprivileged areas to encourage teenagers to consider applying to university.

Qualifications

• MMus, King's College London, United Kingdom, 2019 - September 2020
• BA, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, October 2016 - June 2019

Employment

• Guest Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, October 2024 - present
• SPARC Assistant, City, University of London, United Kingdom, February - May 2024
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2023 - present

Title of thesis: An Investigation into Live Networked Jazz Performances

2022 - September 2026

Summary of research

Mixed-methods enquiry into live Networked Jazz Performances in order to answer key research questions:

1. What unique challenges do jazz musicians face within an NMP?
2. What social dynamics are at play between participants during a jazz NMP?
3. How does the introduction of NMP technology alter the experience of musicians and audiences during jazz performances?