Arthur Ehlinger, one of our Music Business course alumni, has recently co-authored a paper that is due for publication in a major academic journal! To celebrate, SAE sat down with him to talk about himself, his academic career and his time at SAE.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your academic background?
I’m Arthur, I’m 28 and I come from France. I started my academic journey at the SAE Institute Glasgow, completing a BA (Hons) in Music Business in 2019. Then I completed a Master’s Degree in Music Industries at the University of Glasgow. I’m currently a happy PhD candidate in the same university. My research takes a look at musicians who utilise Twitch as a new way to showcase their work and reach audiences. By highlighting its unregulated nature, I hope that my findings will act as a stimulus for greater scrutiny around the practice.
What pushed you to pursue a PhD?
I have always been fond of live music streaming, taking an interest in the practice in the early 2010s. As part of my bachelor at SAE, I undertook some uni projects on the topic, during which I noticed there was a gap in the academic literature. I came to the same conclusion one year later during my master’s degree, and I started to think that I could help fill that gap. I decided to apply for a PhD the same year and I got accepted.
We heard that you have recently co-authored a paper that is due for publication in a major academic journal – congratulations!
Could you talk us through the process of co-authoring that paper?
Thank you! With the help of Dr. John Markey, one of my former lecturer at SAE Glasgow, who became my academic mentor, we turned my bachelor thesis into an academic paper that is going to be published in April. It was an interesting process, adapting and improving a uni project with someone as knowledgeable as John. It took some time, lots of further research and discussions, writings, corrections, disagreements too which ultimately helped us, together, to make the most out of it. We’re really happy with the result, and we look forward to sharing it with the world.
What were the three biggest challenges you faced during the writing process? How did you overcome them?
The live music streaming ecosystem changes very fast so we had to constantly adapt and update our findings. It can be a little bit discouraging sometimes, and you have to accept to what you write is the state of play at a certain time. It’s also part of the fun to write something in a way that will still be relevant and will help understand the history of the practice in a few years time.
How did your time at SAE help lead you to co-authoring a published academic journal?
When I arrived in the UK in 2017 to start my bachelor at SAE I didn’t know anything about academic writing and my English was really poor. The staff and classmates at SAE definitely helped me build confidence. And when you become confident, you can start to identify and develop the skills that will help you succeed in life, academic or otherwise.
What made you decide to pursue a degree in music business?
Being actively involved in the music industry for a few years, my experience was very practical. In 2015, I co-created a collective dedicated to electronic music, DJing and promoting events. This nonprofit project, which I carried for 2 years, allowed me to discover the environment and familiarise with it. In the meantime, I had the opportunity to join an online community of social digging for music. As a member of a team, and with other volunteers, I managed this leading music community for 2 years. These experiences nourished my desire to discover other aspects of the music industries and I felt the need to study music in an academic environment. I wanted to add a theoretical approach to this practical experiences and SAE seemed to be the perfect starting point.
What made you choose SAE?
From what I could see, SAE had good reputation and I knew Glasgow was a great city for music, and culture more generally. Having already lived abroad for a year, I was very eager to take on the challenge to discover a new culture, new ways of teaching and improve my English. So why not?
What did you enjoy most about your degree and time at SAE?
The atmosphere for sure! Throughout my degree, I always felt I was in positive and motivating environment, surrounded by people who love what they do, whether they were staff, lecturers or fellow students. It helped me surpass myself and thoroughly enjoy the experience.
What would you say to someone considering applying to SAE?
Go for it! And once you’re there, be pro-active. You’ll get the chance to hang out with like-minded people, have access to a wide range of professional equipment, and people who can teach you how to use it. Use your time to build projects and collaborate with other students… and of course have fun!
