Having access to postdoctoral positions is a valuable asset for the Malmö Academy of Music. It serves as a bridge and a springboard for researchers following the completion of their PhD, at a time when the field of artistic research is expanding worldwide.
For Jack Adler-McKean, who earned his PhD at the Royal Northern College of Music in the UK before joining Lund University and the Malmö Academy of Music, the position has been highly significant. Jack works extensively around the globe as a soloist, orchestral musician, and improviser, and his research is closely intertwined with his day-to-day artistic practice.
The Encounter Between Human, Sound, and Machine
Jack’s research project has operated at the intersection of organology (the study of musical instruments), sound studies, and performance practice. Put simply, it concerns the instruments we use to make music, the sounds they create, and how we as musicians go about producing them.
Using his own primary instrument, the tuba, as a starting point, Jack has investigated how the instrument functions as an interface between composer and performer.
– The project grew out of my doctoral research, but the postdoc position gave me the opportunity for a deeper investigation into what emerged during my thesis project, Jack explains. It provided me with space for critical self-reflection and exploration in a way that is rarely possible in the professional freelance industry.
Historical Discoveries and National Collaborations
Jack describes his time at the Malmö Academy of Music and the Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts as an enriching experience, highlighting in particular his encounters with various artists and researchers at locations such as the Inter Arts Center (IAC). At the same time, the period has been characterized by exchanges across the entire country.
His research has taken him to a museum in Landskrona, where he discovered and was allowed to test-play early Swedish-built instruments from the 19th century. He has also collaborated with composers in Gothenburg and shared his research findings at national meetings.
"Postdoctoral research provides the framework for a knowledge production that can unlock greater resources of creativity and discovery for everyone." – Jack Adler-McKean
The Musician's Agency in the Research World
A central aspect of Jack's work is demonstrating how performing musicians and instrumentalists can contribute to the field of artistic research, even if they do not have a direct connection to composition or improvisation. His academic work therefore weaves together everything from historical musicology to acoustic science.
– Existential questions about the musician's agency and role are hard to avoid. Therefore, it is important to show how we can develop methods where instrumentalists can explore and deepen their practice through a wide variety of scientific and scholarly approaches, he explains.
In an era where academic and artistic institutions are often under financial pressure, Jack believes that postdoctoral positions are crucial for creating long-term sustainability and building new networks of knowledge.
The Future: Material Science and Acoustic Diversity
Jack’s postdoctoral work has had a significant impact on his continued artistic and academic career. Among his recent projects are recordings of Romantic tuba repertoire on replicas of early instruments, as well as brand-new music composed for the historical instrument known as the serpent. This project was initiated thanks to incentive funding from the faculty, resulting in a concert that took place as part of Lund Contemporary in February 2025.
Looking ahead, he wants to take on a new challenge to counteract the sonic homogenization that currently characterizes much of the music industry.
– I am particularly eager to explore how we can promote a greater diversity of timbres. This will require me to step into material science and the production of the musical instruments themselves. It’s a world where I’m not an expert yet, so I’m really looking forward to the challenge!
To other early-career researchers considering a postdoctoral path within artistic research, he offers this advice:
– Keep searching for new questions, and remember to think of others. Artistic research easily becomes very individual-focused. But to grow beyond your PhD project, your own specializations must be transformed into questions that can engage a wider audience. Broader contexts are always there, if you are willing to explore new methods.
Jack Adler-McKean
Trained tuba player and researcher who completed his doctoral degree (PhD) at the Royal Northern College of Music (UK) prior to his postdoctoral position at Lund University/Malmö Academy of Music. He works internationally as a soloist, improviser, chamber musician, and orchestral musician in both historical and contemporary productions.
More information about his research focus, current recordings, and publications can be found here: www.mhm.lu.se/en/jack-adler-mckean
