Pamela Jackson Memorial Scholarship in Musical Instrument Research

Pamela Jackson was Hon. Secretary to the Friends of St Cecilia's Hall and Museum between 2008 and 2011, ​and took the helm as Chair from 2011 until her death in 2017. She left a generous legacy for the Friends of St Cecilia's Hall and Museum to establish a scholarship with which to develop new knowledge in the field of Musical Instrument Research.

This scholarship is open every two years to fund one scholar with a full course fee and stipend up to one year full-time. The fund can alternatively be split equally over two years for a part-time study model

Awards

The Pamela Jackson Memorial Scholarship in Musical Instrument Research will fund one scholar biennially.  The scholarship is available for applicants from the UK or from overseas. These awards will be tenable for one academic year and will cover the cost of your tuition fee with any remaining funds being awarded as a stipend towards living costs.  Pro-rata equivalent for part-time study over 2 years.

All scholarship award holders are expected to be energetic members of our postgraduate community, and will engage with opportunities to present their work to the wider student and staff body during the period covered by their award.  Award holders will also engage with the activities of the Friends of St Cecilia’s Hall, offering a presentation of their research and/or contributing to the newsletter, ‘Soundboard’.

Eligibility

The scholarships will be awarded to new applicants who have applied for admission to our Masters by Research degree in Music, commencing in September 2025. 

Applicants must have, or expect to obtain, the equivalent of a UK first class or 2:1 Honours degree at undergraduate level.

Only applicants with a confirmed place on the Music MScR degree are eligible to receive this award. Applications will be considered from UK/Overseas applicants wishing to study full-time/part-time learning programmes. Part-time study is not available for overseas applicants.

Criteria

Applicants for the scholarship must present a proposal for a research project, appropriate to a one-year MScR degree, which places working with the Musical Instrument Collection at its heart. For information about the Collection, see https://collections.ed.ac.uk/mimed.

Proposals by applicants from any musical background or heritage are welcome. Various approaches and disciplines will be considered, provided that the Collection is the principal basis for the musical instrument research or performance. These areas may include but are not limited to: organology, musicology, performance studies, physics, acoustics, composition, music technology.

The output of the project will be determined in part by the scope and aims of the proposal, but may include: a dissertation; a portfolio of performances paired with a dissertation; or a scientific report, including theoretical and experimental work.

The proposal should demonstrate an openness to participate in the post graduate community in Music at Edinburgh College of Art. For example, contributing to the Music Research Seminar Series, concerts or other public and student-led events.

Applying

This scholarship is open every two years and will next be open to applicants studying an MScR degree in Music in Edinburgh College of Art, the University of Edinburgh, commencing in the September of the academic year 2025-2026.

Applications for September 2025 entry are expected to open in January 2025.

Contact Details

Enquiries about this scholarship can be made to Dr Jenny Nex in the first instance. 

Enquiries about MScR applications can be made to the ECA PGR administrative team.

Further Information

It is to be noted there will be a preference towards projects relating to keyboard instruments to reflect Pamela Jackson’s interests, but this is not an essential requirement.