Associate Professor Jon Drummond
Associate Professor
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci
Turning data into music
Associate Professor Jon Drummond is transforming art, nature and data into music to highlight scientific discoveries in a way that is accessible and creative.
Associate Professor Jon Drummond’s research, which combines music with computing, is helping less accessible scientific research come to life and reach a wider audience.
Drawing on the skills of sound design, composition and software design, Drummond collaborates with other artists and scientists in the field of sonification and data visualisation. His research looks at the ways that the world of data we live in can be represented in both sound and digitalisation through creative coding.
“I work primarily in the arts/science domain so my work is about how sonification can help tell the story of science,” Drummond said.
The composer and sound artist began his studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as a classically trained musician studying piano performance and composition
when he discovered the potential of working both in the music studio and with computers. He went on to do a Masters of Science in computer engineering to the develop software skills needed to create and manipulate sounds and use software to compose music. His PhD examined interactive electro-acoustics, sonification and visualisation.
Highlighting the demise of the bumble bee
Across Northern Europe the fields are an eye catching green, however the lack of flowers means the landscape is as barren as a desert to the bumble bee.
Drummond was one of the researchers on a large-scale project rolled out across the Netherlands and North Germany, known as ‘Oratorio for a Million Souls’.
Collaborating with thousands of bees, this project created three architectural structures, in the form of traditional bee ‘skeps’ in botanical gardens in Buitenpost (Fryslan) and Oldenburg and Emden (Germany). To generate empathy with the dire state of bees in the face of commercial farming, pesticides and global warming, these three ‘Oratorios’ contained Bumble Bee nests equipped with audio and data sensors that created a multi-channel real time opera audiences could participate in. In a unique inter-species situation visitors could experience the uncanny sensation of being located in the heart of a massive bee city.
“Multiple stories of sustainability and environmental impact could be told through this process. The public could go in and see and hear the visualisation of the data, hear the bees and open up a dialogue with the scientists who have been researching the plight of the bumble bee,” Drummond said.
“One of the best moments of that project was when we installed the skeps in the garden and the general public came through and we could sit back and see the conversations unfold about the environmental situation and hear people talking about how they could make a difference and help save the bees.”
Drummond also turned the data and sounds recorded in the hives into music that brass bands played to local audiences, further enhancing public interest in the project.
“The beehive entry and exits were heard as pulses in the music. The bees would have a slow start to the day then activity increased as the day wore on then slowed down, so that provided a rhythmic framework for the musical piece. We used the frequency of their buzz to provide a scale,” Drummond noted. “The brass band performances of the bee soundscape invited further discussion around the environmental situation.”
Interpreting art as sound
Another of Drummond’s projects brings to life musically the artworks of Arthur Boyd. In a collaboration with scientists, artists, media and communications academics the project tells the history of Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon property which was gifted to the Australian people following his death in 1999.
Scientists conducted a mineral analysis of the soil at the property and discovered when human habitation began in the area and also revealed the story of Arthur Boyd’s use of paint.
“The mineral analysis showed the use of lead and cobalt in the art studio. We analysed the mineral data and produced a unique visualisation in conjunction with a Geiger counter inspired soundscape that played individual notes. Low notes for the heavy elements and high notes for the lighter elements,” Drummond said. “Visitors to the site were invited to use an app on their phones to access the data and soundscape while walking around the property. The app also provided multimedia material on the history of the property.”
Drummond collaborated with artist Nigel Heyler on another project that brought to life Boyd’s artworks. He invented a camera vision system to read the minerals in Boyd’s paintings and interpreted this data as a compelling sound composition. The resulting installation, Heavy Metal, invited visitors to interact with Boyd's paintings in his old studio at the Bundanon homestead to discover a hidden world of elements and minerals in an experience that was simultaneously chemical, visual and musical.
“We used a camera on Arthur Boyd’s paintings to get a colour measurement which we could then correlate to a pigment which we could then correlate to a mineral spectrum. It was a playful installation that allowed you to ‘play’ the painting with music. We were able to access Boyd’s piano and turned the piano sounds into painting sounds,” Drummond explained.
Using sonification to relieve stress
It’s Drummond’s fascination with the way that humans can be both moved and inspired by sound and music that lends itself to his collaboration with Dr David Cornforth, a computing researcher at the University of Newcastle. They are testing the potential of sounds and sonification to relieve stress.
“This project will undertake a study of simple to use, commercially available Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) devices and music, sound design, and environmental soundscapes for a personal health biofeedback system,” Drummond said.
“We’ll be using the BCI device to measure the patient’s brainwaves while also delivering sound to their ears,” he said. “We know anecdotally that music and soundscapes can help with relaxation and reducing stress but we are aiming to measure scientifically what impact the sound has on the patient’s heart rate, respiration, brainwaves, temperature and blood pressure. We’ll also ask the patient to complete a depression and anxiety questionnaire.”
“By measuring their physiological response to sound we can clinically report what effect the music has on a patient’s emotional state.”
Turning data into music
Associate Professor Jon Drummond is transforming art, nature and data into music to highlight scientific discoveries in a way that is accessible and creative.Associate Professor Jon Drummond’s research, which combines music with computing, is helping less accessible scientific research come…
Career Summary
Biography
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Sydney
- Bachelor of Music, Sydney Conservatorium
- Master of Science (Honours), Macquarie University
Keywords
- Australian Music
- Composition
- Creativity
- Electroacoustic
- Interaction Design
- Media Production
- Music
- Programming
- Robotics
- Sound Design
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
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360302 | Music composition and improvisation | 33 |
360305 | Music technology and recording | 33 |
360503 | Digital and electronic media art | 34 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Associate Professor | University of Newcastle School of Creative Industries Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
1/1/2013 - 17/11/2017 | Senior Lecturer | University of Technology Sydney School of Humanities and Social Science Australia |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2024 |
Lynch S, English H, Drummond J, Scott N, 'Exploring cell-based dynamic music composition to create non-linear musical works', Innovation in Music: Technology and Creativity, Routledge, London (2024) [B1]
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Journal article (7 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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2024 |
English H, Drummond J, Kerrigan S, 'Im/possible musical selves: experiences of female music students in a music degree', Australian Educational Researcher, (2024) [C1] Recent studies and media articles draw attention to gender imbalances in the music industry, both locally in Australia and globally. In Australia, there have been calls to overhau... [more] Recent studies and media articles draw attention to gender imbalances in the music industry, both locally in Australia and globally. In Australia, there have been calls to overhaul tertiary music programmes to support and encourage female students into careers such as sound production, screen composition and contemporary music performance, where women are greatly underrepresented. Taking up this call, we investigated the experiences of women in a music degree programme at a regional university. Positioned as a music education study at tertiary level, we focussed on any barriers female students perceived to be affecting their participation in specific music courses. We took a phenomenological approach, collecting data through focus groups and examining the data through a ¿possible selves¿ framework, as described by Markus and Nurius. The findings from the focus groups indicated that female students felt unconfident about some career paths, which they described as male-dominated, notably in the STEM-focussed music technology courses, and perceived some learning environments as not gender-inclusive. The ¿possible selves¿ framework pointed to the role of emotions in female students¿ learning experiences. The importance of positive emotions for confident learning is applicable to other higher education disciplines, particularly those in STEM.
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2023 |
Hight C, Minichiello M, Egglestone P, O'Callaghan S, Drummond J, Irvine C, Cassin A, 'The Playable City: Collaborative Workflows for Innovative Urban Social Design', Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal Annual Review, 16 97-107 (2023) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2022 |
Studley T, Drummond J, Scott N, Nesbitt K, 'Can competitive digital games support real-time music creation?', Journal of Sound and Music in Games, 3 1-35 (2022) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2020 |
Studley T, Drummond J, Scott N, Nesbitt K, 'Evaluating Digital Games for Competitive Music Composition', Organised Sound, 25 75-88 (2020) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
Show 4 more journal articles |
Conference (16 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2024 |
Hight C, Minichiello M, Egglestone P, O'Callaghan S, Drummond J, Irvine C, Cassin A, 'The Playable City: Refashioning Spaces Within Urban Social Design', Peer Review Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices, Newcastle, N.S.W (Virtual) (2024)
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Nova | ||||||
2024 |
Drummond J, Minichiello M, Egglestone P, Wright R, McGrath J, Scott N, et al., ''House We Build': Design Communication and Urban Planning', Peer Review Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices, Newcastle, N.S.W (Virtual) (2024) [E1]
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Nova | ||||||
2023 |
Lynch S, English H, Drummond J, Scott N, 'Implications of Modular Music Composition for Digital Environment as a Means of Creating Dynamic Musical Works', UNE (Sydney) (2023)
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2022 |
Drummond J, Manning A, Bessenyei A, 'Circuit dreaming: Childhood imagination and making music with robots', Circuit dreaming: Childhood imagination and making music with robots, University of Melbourne (2022)
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2021 |
Khan M, Hadjileontiadis L, Cornforth DJ, Drummond J, Jelinek HF, 'The Effectiveness of Point-of-Care Testing with Intervention in Psychopathology: A Pilot Study', Proceedings - 2021 14th International Congress on Image and Signal Processing, BioMedical Engineering and Informatics, CISP-BMEI 2021, Shanghai, China (2021) [E1]
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Nova | ||||||
2020 |
Bockeler H, Cornforth DJ, Drummond J, Olling L, Jelinek HF, 'The Effectiveness of Paced Breathing versus Game-Biofeedback on Heart Rate Variability: An Observational Study', 2020 11th Conference of the European Study Group on Cardiovascular Oscillations: Computation and Modelling in Physiology: New Challenges and Opportunities, ESGCO 2020, Pisa, Italy (2020) [E1]
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Nova | ||||||
2019 | Helyer N, Drummond J, 'Heavy Metal and the Oratorio for a Million Souls', Proceedings. ISEA 2019 25th International Symposium on Electronic Art, Gwangju, Korea (2019) [E1] | Nova | ||||||
2019 |
Studley T, Drummond J, Scott N, 'Exploring Competitive Musical Creativity in Digital Composition Games', Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Musical Metacreation (MUME 2019), University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA (2019) [E1]
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Nova | ||||||
2018 |
Studley T, Drummond J, Scott NB, Nesbitt K, 'Designing for Stochastic Game-Based Composition with Max and Unity', Reflecting Worlds: The Promise and Limitations of Mimesis in Electronic Music. Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Music Conference 2018, Perth, Australia (2018) [E1]
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Nova | ||||||
Show 13 more conferences |
Creative Work (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2022 | Drummond J, Music and robotics at the Sydney Opera House, Opera House, Opera House (2022) | ||||
2020 |
Kenke R, Anelli L, Wright R, Minichiello M, Drummond J, O'Donnell L, et al., The House We Build, Newcastle City Council and GPT Group (AU) (2020)
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2018 | Drummond J, Culturescape: An Environmental Portrait of Bundanon, Bundanon (2018) |
Other (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
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2012 | Vella RJ, Drummond J, 'Mathematics, Music, Visualisation & Creative Thinking', . Canberra (2012) | ||
2007 | Vella R, Drummond J, 'ACID Press: a New Approach to Knowledge Collaboration', : Resonate Magazine (2007) [O1] |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 8 |
---|---|
Total funding | $1,825,000 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20231 grants / $1,000,000
Smart City Innovation Challenge 2 – Safer Public Spaces for Women and Girls – Proof of Concept (Phase 3)$1,000,000
Funding body: Transport for NSW
Funding body | Transport for NSW |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Paul Egglestone, Doctor Tamara Blakemore, Associate Professor Jon Drummond, Ms Louise Rak |
Scheme | Smart Places Acceleration Program – Safer Public Spaces for Women and Girls |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2025 |
GNo | G2300914 |
Type Of Funding | C1600 - Aust Competitive - StateTerritory Govt |
Category | 1600 |
UON | Y |
20223 grants / $510,000
ARC RESEARCH HUB for Connected Sensors for Health$250,000
Funding body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
Funding body | ARC (Australian Research Council) |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Paul Egglestone, Professor Paul Egglestone, Doctor Rewa Wright, Professor Mario Minichiello, Associate Professor Jon Drummond, Dr Mark Flynn, Professor Chun Wang, Professor Mike Calford |
Scheme | Industrial Transformation Research Hubs |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2022 |
Funding Finish | 2026 |
GNo | G2101332 |
Type Of Funding | C1200 - Aust Competitive - ARC |
Category | 1200 |
UON | Y |
ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health$250,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Paul Egglestone, Professor Mike Calford, Associate Professor Jon Drummond, Dr Mark Flynn, Professor Mario Minichiello, Professor Chun Wang, Doctor Rewa Wright |
Scheme | ARC ITRH Partner Funding |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2022 |
Funding Finish | 2026 |
GNo | G2200115 |
Type Of Funding | C3200 – Aust Not-for Profit |
Category | 3200 |
UON | Y |
Blockchain – Potentials and Affordances for the Creative Industries, Business and Law$10,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
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Project Team | A/Prof Jon Drummond (lead), Dr Marie Hadley, Dr Amelia Besseny, Dr Marcus Rodrigs, Dr Kevin Sobel-Read, Dr Rewa Wright, Heath Johns (BMG Australia and New Zealand) |
Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2022 |
Funding Finish | 2022 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20212 grants / $173,000
Newcastle City Night-Space Activation$168,000
Funding body: Newcastle City Council
Funding body | Newcastle City Council |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Paul Egglestone, Associate Professor Craig Hight, Doctor Andrea Cassin, Doctor Simone O'Callaghan, Associate Professor Jon Drummond, Professor Mario Minichiello, Doctor Clare Irvine, Dr Bavinton Nathaniel |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G2100573 |
Type Of Funding | C2400 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Other |
Category | 2400 |
UON | Y |
Transdisciplinary Research Network in Art and Interface Technology (TRAIT)$5,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Rewa Wright (Lead); Dr Andrea Cassin; A/Prof Jon Drummond; Dr Ralph Kenke; Prof Mario Minichiello; Dr Nicole Carroll; Dr Clinton Watkins (Auckland Uni of Technology); Dr Alsion Bennett (RMIT) |
Scheme | Strategic Network and Pilot Project Grants Scheme |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20201 grants / $140,000
Singleton Laneways Activation$140,000
Funding body: Singleton Council
Funding body | Singleton Council |
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Project Team | Professor Paul Egglestone, Professor Mario Minichiello, Doctor Andrew Howells, Doctor Kristefan Minski, Associate Professor Jon Drummond, Doctor Nicole Carroll, Doctor Jane Shadbolt, Doctor Ralph Kenke, Dr ZI SIANG See, Doctor Ari Chand |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G2001494 |
Type Of Funding | C2300 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Own Purpose |
Category | 2300 |
UON | Y |
20191 grants / $2,000
International Symposium on Electronic Art ISEA2019, Republic of Korea, 22-28 June 2019.$2,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
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Scheme | FEDUA Conference Travel Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | PhD | STIMulate – A Sensory Interface / Framework Designed to Encourage Participation in At Home Therapy & Treatments | PhD (Design), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2023 | Masters | A Study Of The Process, Production, Techniques, And Education Of Hybrid Music For Media Production. | M Philosophy (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2023 | Masters | An Evaluation Of The Validity And Efficacy Of Music-Assisted Mindbody Relaxation In Helping University Students To Experience A Relaxation Response. | M Philosophy (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | Improve Lifestyles of People Experiencing Sensorineural Hearing Loss Through Human-Centred Design | PhD (Design), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | Multimodal Feedback as a Means for Improving Accessibility for Blind and Visually Impaired Users of Digital Music and Audio Software | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | The New Language of Visual Music - Locations and Durations | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | Nonlinear Dynamic Music: Applying Adaptive Game Music Techniques to Broader Contexts of Music Distribution | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Masters | The Session Guitarist as a Collaborator and Arranger in the Analogue and Digital Eras of Recording | M Philosophy (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2023 | PhD | Appropriating Classical Music in Popular Music | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2022 | PhD | Crossfade: Exploring Interstitial Spaces and Public Collaboration in a New Orchestral Composition Entitled Portraits of the Air | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2021 | PhD | Exploring Real-time Music Composition Through Competitive Gameplay Interaction | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2020 | PhD | Dynamic Music the Implications of Interactive Technologies on Popular Music Making | PhD (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2014 | Masters | Acoustic Phenomena as a Model for Music Composition | M Philosophy (Music), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
News
News • 19 Jul 2019
Virtual concert set to transform performance possibility
The University of Newcastle will host Newcastle’s first ever virtual concert this week, as students test the boundaries of immersive performance.
Associate Professor Jon Drummond
Position
Associate Professor
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
jon.drummond@newcastle.edu.au | |
Mobile | 0413048837 |