No Joy in the Brilliance of Sunshine
(2022)
author(s): Sean Bell
published in: KC Research Portal
Sean Bell
Student number: 3230643
Master Early Music Voice
Research supervisor: Dr. Inês de Avena Braga
Title: No Joy in the Brilliance of Sunshine
Research question: How can I create a stage performance combining and connecting my two sound worlds/style identities as a performer?
Summary of the results of the research:
In this research I have explored the creative development of a stage performance, combining operatic music by Handel with contemporary performance art. Through this I have explored how I can combine my duality as a performer: the early music singer and the contemporary performer and creator. This project and its connected research are a part of my artistic development as a musician, creator and performer, and the urge to explore this music and questions grew out of previous projects and ideas.
I have created and developed my project through following a consequential progression of artistic choices, and through this space that has unfolded I have come to find an essential identity of myself as a performer and creator. By being honest towards myself through the critical reflection, I have been able to investigate my process, my preferences, inspirations and my distinct personal style. Through this I have been able to strengthen my artistic identity and the artistic tools I use, bringing forth a more complete performer.
Short biography:
Sean Bell is a countertenor and performance artist from Oslo. His studies centre mainly on chamber and sacred music and opera, yet also includes a focus on new ideas and methods of interpreting classical and contemporary repertoire. Through sonic imaginations and arrangements, he explores this repertoire in new ways. This has led him to a series of collaborations and solo performances on the border line between classical music and performance art. Bell also works with contemporary music and has premiered several pieces for countertenor. He is an active improviser, plays baroque guitar and engages in instrument building and music electronics.
"An Actor Prepares": A musician's approach to a selection of techniques by Konstantin Stanislavski
(2022)
author(s): André Teixeira
published in: KC Research Portal
The belief that imagination’s engagement and emotional connection with what I play enhance my performance propelled me to do this research. However, these are not systematically integrated in instrumental practice. Thus, it seemed to me that the twentieth century theatre director Konstantin Stanislavski’s ‘system’ would be the perfect basis for such a quest.
The starting point were acting techniques from his first book "An Actor Prepares": the "given circumstances", imagination-related ("supposed circumstances", “inner visions”, "magic if”) – and emotion-related ("emotion memory", "sensation memory", "surroundings"). Partly supported by existing literature, these techniques were linked with the instrumentalists' work and tested out in a self-case study through three interventions.
The process consisted of making video recordings of the 'before' and the actual interventions, which were guided by the filling out of intervention forms designed by me. The techniques were applied on three distinct piano passages of Richard Strauss’ melodrama for narrator and piano "Enoch Arden". Furthermore, I did interventions’ reports to provide more palpable insights about the experience, namely the effects of each technique on the performer.
The outcome was evaluated through a questionnaire filled in by a group of listeners, comprising musicians and non-musicians, and by me.
The responses generally show that the techniques were effective. However, the recordings were perceived as very similar. Also, the listeners’ perception sometimes differed from mine.
Nevertheless, the reports allow us to conclude that these techniques might affect the performer’s focus, creativity, self-confidence, knowledge about the works and also self-knowledge.
OBOETRY – French poetry played in melody: a poetical & vocal approach to French 'mélodie' on oboe
(2022)
author(s): Anna Marieke Zijlstra
published in: KC Research Portal
This interdisciplinary research presents a contextualisation and musico-literary analysis on the French poem and art song “Colloque sentimental” from Paul Verlaine and Claude Debussy, followed by a full-fledged transcription of this ‘mélodie’ for English horn, expanding the existing oboe repertoire. In the annotation and interpretation of “Colloque sentimental”, a poetical and vocal approach has been applied, aiming to communicate a deeper understanding of the ‘poésie’ and ‘mélodie’ for performance practices. The studying and singing of the song resulted in an experimentation and reflection of playing the ‘mélodie’ on English horn, a process of musically translating the poetry into an instrumental transcription that takes into account the particularities and possibilities of the language and voice as well as these of the instrument in question, with the aim of providing useful material for fellow oboists and those who are interested. For example, it was demonstrated during the research process how the understanding of literary and vocal phrases enhances horizontal and legato phrasing on English horn. Consequently, an important challenge in this case consisted of writing the transcription in a feasible notation that would be playable for any oboist, even without prior knowledge of the French language and poetry, hopefully leading to a poetical and purposeful performance of the piece.
A case study of instrument design
(2022)
author(s): Rafaele Andrade
published in: KC Research Portal
While searching for a way to unify my creative process into an artistic practice, I was led to design a new instrument. This instrument resembles a cello in certain respects but also integrates important values and discussions from the current century, notably Communication, Integration, Representation and Autonomy. My goal has been to use the process of design development of the instrument as research for discovering new ways of practicing music and composing. For this research project, I am testing my 2021 release of the instrument: producing artworks with a diverse range of collaborators and multidisciplinary interactive concerts. At its core, this is a transdisciplinary case study combining instrument design, composition, and performance.
Tvísöngur - Tradition Icelandic Folk Music
(2022)
author(s): Björg Blondal
published in: Research Catalogue
Tvísöngur, Icelandic two-part parallel fifth polyphonic oral folk practise.
De Mémoire
(2022)
author(s): Poli Wilhelm
published in: Research Catalogue
Depuis le début de ma maîtrise, je réalise des explorations à partir de matériaux imprimés d’archive, datant d’une autre époque, dans le but de signifier et créer des dialogues entre la couleur, le temps et la mémoire.
Transformer l'image imprimée par la peinture, créer un dialogue entre l'image photographique et le motif, c'est tenter d'évoquer les parts de récits que la mémoire peut conserver et celles que, nécessairement, elle oublie. Cet oubli n'est pas l'effacement d'un savoir, mais la transformation du récit, afin d'accéder à l'histoire par les vestiges des événements.
