Decolonizing the Music Curriculum - Interview With Tom Metcalfe
Decolonization of the Music Curriculum
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Interview with Tom Metcalfe
Tom Metcalfe is currently embarking on a PhD at the University of Salford, fully funded by the North West Consortium. He is a performer, teacher and music theorist. He is vastly experienced multi-instrumentalist, session musician, songwriter/composer and workshop facilitator.
"A Theory of Four Tonalities" is a new pedagogy for the heptatonic system, inspired by flamenco and blues harmony, and incorporating jazz theory concepts including chord-scales, modal brightness and negative harmony. In part, it is a spiritual successor to "Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization" by George Russell, which directly influenced the development of modal jazz and Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" album.
As part of the innovative pedagogy, Tom and his students have created the Minecraft Music School - an interactive, customisable and collaborative virtual music campus filled with interactive teaching machines, which builds upon the established use of Minecraft in education.
Tom became immersed in learning flamenco during his PGT studies at University of Salford and this element has become one of the defining features of his musicianship. In 2020, Tom was awarded a Master's Degree in Music (Performance) from University of Salford, achieving the top grade of Distinction. He achieved a grade in the outstanding category for his role as a flamenco guitarist accompanying a dancer and singer, which remains one of the highest ever given for a recital at the University of Salford.
Tom is also a graduate of the BA (Hons) Popular Music and Recording programme, studying from 2010-13.
