Dull Catastrophes and Love Songs: a Tacit Artistic Research Project
(2025)
author(s): Andrea Agostini
published in: Research Catalogue
My song cycle Dull Catastrophes and Love Songs, composed and recorded between 2022 and 2024, has a somewhat unusual placement within the context of contemporary music. In its original conception, it was first and foremost meant to investigate and extend the relation with recording technology, questioning a broad set of assumptions about the role and scope of musical notation, as well as the very conception and nature of the produced work, that are deeply ingrained in the practice and environment of score-based contemporary music. This would be achieved through an attempt to incorporate some techniques and creative approaches borrowed from the practices of popular music.
In hindsight, I realise that it was not only the strong orientation towards recording that influenced the creative process and its eventual outcome. Rather, technology enabled novel artistic possibilities and brought the work to addressing topics such as the agencies of the performer and the composer and the very ontology of the musical artefact.
Through the lens of practice-based artistic research, I will generate insights on the conceptual background, genesis, outcome and implications of this work. I set out to do this by delineating the musical, technological and socio-economic context in which the work is situated; exposing how the conception of the work changed over time, reflecting my growing awareness of its context and premisses; and describing the production process in order to show the difficulties and opportunities I encountered, as well as the ways it aligned with and deviated from the initial project. The goal is to spark a reflection on how the transfer of tools and techniques between different musical practices and creative approaches — with a specific reference to recording technology and its affordances and implications — may be an enriching opportunity for musical creation; and, more generally, on how technical and technological choices, far from being neutral, impact on the very aesthetic and ontological qualities of the work of art.
Composing Play:
An Investigation into Game Dynamics in Music
(2025)
author(s): Livia Malossi Bottignole
published in: KC Research Portal
This study dives into the realms of games and music, examining their history and the recent interest in the intersection of their features. The proliferation of research surrounding these two distinct yet interconnected fields has led to the emergence of new theories, reflections, and applications. While historical perception has commonly conceived "play" as a less serious activity, particularly in academic and artistic environments, this study explores how recent artistic movements have reclaimed its significance.
Both games and music contribute to a particular cultural proliferation. Moreover, the technological landscape has further amplified the impact of these artistic endeavors, with entertainment platforms experiencing widespread dissemination and an exponential increase in user engagement. Drawing inspiration from prior research, the study aligns with other analytical frameworks while consciously narrowing its scope to the performer-composer relationship. This intentional focus aims to delve deeper into the intricacies of this dynamic without dismissing the importance of the audience, framing it as a subject of debatable relevance within the study's specific analytical scope.
In conclusion, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of the relationship between games and music, shedding light on their shared history, contemporary developments, and the dynamics between performers and composers in the evolving landscape of artistic expression.
The figure of Eugenia Osterberger, the forgotten Galician romantic composer
(2025)
author(s): Mariña Palacio Fernández
published in: KC Research Portal
Throughout our musical history, many female composers’ figures and legacies have always remained overshadowed in the male-dominated realm of 19th- and 20th-century music. Eugenia S. Osterberger (1852–1932) is one of them: a remarkable and overlooked Galician composer who blended Galician and Spanish traditional music with European academic styles. This research aims to shed light on Osterberger's life and work by performing her compositions with my instrument addressing the central question: “How can I share it engagingly with the audience?”. To carry out this project, the methodology involves a literature review of Eugenia’s context, story, and compositions; archive fieldwork to find the scores; the process of arranging and adapting her music for oboe or English horn; identification of Galician and Spanish folklore footprints and other styles in her pieces; and revision of tools for engaging audience. The culmination of this research will be to have all the essential tools to be able to create a performance that combines narration and music to bring Osterberger's legacy to life, making the audience enjoy and connect with my emotional engagement and with the composer. In addition, it is intended to make a new contribution to the repertoire for oboe and English horn and raise awareness of under-represented voices in music history, which may inspire others to rediscover forgotten composers.
Editorial, ARJAZZ Journal for Artistic Research in Jazz 1 (May, 2025)
(2025)
author(s): Michael Kahr, Monika Herzig and Mike Fletcher
published in: ARJAZZ - Journal for Artistic Research in Jazz
Editorial of the inaugural edition of ARJAZZ Journal for Artistic Research in Jazz (May, 2025)
Performing Reflection: Improvisation in Word, Thought and Action
(2025)
author(s): IRK
published in: Research Catalogue
This exposition contains the complete artistic output and accompanying reflective documentation of the artistic research doctoral project I conducted at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna between 2021 and 2024.
Free improvisation in music offers a unique field for exploring how artistic practices develop through embodied engagement, critical reflection, and collaborative experimentation. This research focuses particularly on the process of practicing within this context, tracing the evolution of specific exercises and preparatory methods. These were initially tested in collaborative projects with other musicians and later refined through a series of workshops. A central theme that emerged throughout this process is the role of reflection—both musical and verbal—as a vital component of artistic development. This realization culminated in the project Performing Reflection, which established a dialogical relationship between musical improvisation and reflective discourse. The work contributes to a deeper understanding of how structured exercises and reflective practices can support and expand the art of free improvisation, offering new perspectives on its preparation, pedagogy, and performance.
Home page JSS
(2025)
author(s): Journal of Sonic Studies
published in: Journal of Sonic Studies
Home page of the Journal of Sonic Studies
