Dr Jim Chapman

A jazz guitarist, singer, percussionist and composer originally from Brisbane, via Brasil and New York in the 1980's. He completed a Bachelor of Music at QUT and moved to South Africa in 1994, where he played in big bands including the Eastern Cape Big Band and the Rhodes University Big band, performed at the Grahamstown Festival, the biggest arts festival in the southern hemisphere, and played in experimental groups the “Outer Limits” and with renowned saxophonist Rick Van Heerden and percussionist Geoffrey Tracey in “Blind Impulse”. He also played South African (Safro) Jazz and world music groups and taught music including Southern African ethnomusicology at the Rhodes University Department of Music. He wrote and recorded a six part radio documentary series in 1999 for ABC radio National entitled "When the West Met the South, the music of South African history" and contributed music scores to documentary films.

From 1998 he taught world music, music technology and cross cultural music at QUT and he completed his PhD in African Cross-Cultural composition in 2007. He released a CD of his compositions based on his African experiences entitled "Afro No-Clash" in 2008 which received airplay on Radio National.

He founded and directed the world music group “Kabombo Kombo” in Brisbane in 2003 who performed at the Valley Music Festival, The Brisbane Powerhouse and the Judith Wright Centre for Performing Arts in their 4 year life. This ensemble played traditional and contemporary African music as well as original compositions by Jim. He also sang in the Acapella group “The OK Chorale” for several years and was cofounder and co-director of “The Espanados” another Acapella group who performed at festivals and at the 2006 Multicultural Music Festival at Brisbane City Hall. He played percussion in the four-piece Irish fusion group “The Delodians” who performed regularly around Brisbane and regions including at the Woodford Folk Festival. He also played regularly in the jazz and contemporary duo “What Black Cat” until leaving Brisbane in 2009 and is currently a senior lecturer in music at the University of Newcastle.

Research Expertise
• Research, Production and Writing and Recording for a 6 part series for Radio Eye on Radio National ABC Australia entitled: When the West Met the South: the music of South African history (1995-2000)
• Research project on the outcomes of blended and on-line learning in music orchestration- publication (2000-2003)
• Research in Southern Africa and Australia on traditional music styles and techniques in Southern Africa, and the creative practice of intercultural composition. This project formed the basis for my PhD, which involved both creative and analytical components (2002-2007)
• Research and development of online assessment processes for music performance (2010-2013).

Teaching Expertise
Taught university courses in psychology, communication, management and music. Most recently have taught core and elective courses in bachelor of music at Queensland University of Technology, Rhodes University (South Africa) and University of Newcastle (Australia). Oversaw curriculum development of approx 50 courses in music at University of Newcastle.

Administrative Expertise
Deputy Head of School (teaching and Learning) School of Creative Arts, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle 2009-2012. Discipline convenor- Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), School of Creative Arts 2013

Collaborations
Areas of research include African Music, World Music, Syncretic, Inter-Cultural and Cross-Cultural Music, Computer Based education in Music, Music Pedagogy, Rhythm Theory and Neuropsychology.