"Researching entrepreneurial action and work in the creative Industries is exciting because it is an incredibly dynamic field; new technologies, new markets, and new ways of working are always appearing.
"Technical knowledge – although important – is not always a guarantee of success, so understanding how cultural entrepreneurs develop images, personas, and present themselves as authentic, adds a symbolic aspect to understanding to what is often a risky commercial undertaking."
After a career as an independent musician, including multiple albums and international tours, Michael was awarded a PhD scholarship.
His Doctoral research analysed government support for the development of national music industries as a hybrid component of Creative Industry policy and social policy.
Since 2012, Michael has held a balanced academic position at Flinders during which he has taught sociology and social theory, cultural sociology, and urban geography.
He continues to create music as a ‘serious leisure’ activity, playing regularly around South Australia and occasionally recording new music.
"There are no boundaries around what is “acceptable” or “proper” when it comes to music. People like what they like and make what they make, and it’s all worthy of study. Taking a close look at other people’s processes will help us better understand our own, in order to unleash our full potential as composers.
"Music, maths and writing are very different expressions of creative processes that I believe are related in fundamental ways. All three use specialised languages to convey key concepts and processes; all three have the capacity to build vast edifices of incredible complexity that may yet appear to the wider public very simple in conception. I find the overlap between these fields endlessly fascinating, and often draw on two or more when creating."
Under his real name and as “theadelaidean”, author Sean Williams has been building a parallel career as a composer in the field of experimental ambience, with his tenth album being released late in 2022 by Projekt Records, alongside a score of tracks through international labels in the UK and US.
A past winner of the Young Composer Award, his work has been performed in venues as diverse as the National Museum of Australia and Slingsby’s Hall of Possibility, and has featured in worldwide performances by experimental UnPiano Trio.
Recently, he created original soundscapes for exhibitions by visual artists Thom Buchanan, Chris Houghton and Julia Robinson.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
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