The Flexible Trombonist
(2023)
author(s): Andrew Macleod
published in: KC Research Portal
Name: Andrew Macleod
Main Subject: Classical Tenor Trombone
Research Supervisor: Caroline Kang
Title: The Flexible Trombonist
Research Question: How can yoga be used as a tool to prevent injury and promote ease in brass playing?
Yoga has established itself as an effective tool to reduce anxiety, increase breath control, and strengthen the body. The classical music profession being an industry where physical demands are high it is no surprise that ‘playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) are prevalent. This research investigates the effectiveness of regular practice of yoga at reducing pain and tension in brass playing with an aim towards reducing the risks of PRMD’s.
To carry out this research a combination of a case study, interviews, self-experimentation, and reviewing existing literature was used. The case study included a mixture of seven collegiate and graduate level brass musicians who implemented yoga into their practice routine over the course of two weeks. The participants completed three surveys and two practice diaries which monitored the success of yoga at reducing pain and tension in their practice.
The outcome of the case study presented positive results in support of the correlation between the practice of yoga and reduced pain/tension in brass playing. This was supported in the self-experimentation and reflection. The interviews reinforced this connection however highlighted that yoga is not the only solution available.
Through analysis of existing material on this subject, it is clear that further research would be beneficial. The issue of PRMD still exists in the music profession and this research offers an initial insight into effective methods of injury prevention and awareness. More research on this subject would reduce the likelihood of career-ending injury and encourage a holistic practice of brass playing.
E quando mai potro cessar di piangere ? : an exploration of the links between arias with obbligato instruments and musical affects in Antonio Caldara’s oratorios composed between 1716 and 1736 for the Habsburg’s Hofmusikkapelle in Vienna
(2021)
author(s): Maud Haering
published in: KC Research Portal
Student Number
3262561
Supervisor
Inês de Avena Braga
Title
E quando mai potrò cessar di piangere ?
An exploration of the links between arias with obbligato instruments and musical affects in Antonio Caldara’s oratorios composed between 1716 and 1736 for the Habsburg’s Hofmusikkapelle in Vienna
Research Question
What is the link between obbligato instruments, text and affects in Antonio Caldara’s oratorios composed for the Vienna’s Hofmusikkapelle between 1716 and 1736?
Sub-questions
How can the creation of a descriptive catalogue of Caldara’s oratorios help uncover his choices for instrumentation in relation to the libretti and religious context?
How does Caldara’s choice of obbligato instrument emphasize the affects already present in the text?
Summary
The aim of this research is to rediscover music that has been forgotten for centuries. Through the topic of making links between obbligato instruments and affects in the texts from the libretti in Caldara's oratorios written when he was a composer at the Vienna Hofmusikkapelle, I would like to shine a light on new arias for voice and obbligato instruments which are, in my point of view, very beautiful and which deserve to be highlighted. Antonio Caldara needed to adapt to the imperial court music taste and also to its available instrumentarium, and from the day he started to compose for Charles VI, he began to use different instruments in his way of writing arias in his oratorios. In order to keep the focus of the research on his oratorios composed in Vienna, I purposefully will not discuss the considerable number of operas he composed in the same period, and I will contextualize these works thanks to a descriptive catalogue of each of the oratorios, to the translations of the texts of the arias, and by paying attention to the Habsburg dinasty in Vienna.
Short biography
Maud Haering is a French soprano. After studying Medieval Music at the Sorbonne University of Paris (France), she decided to continue her specialization in the Early Music repertoire in singing more Baroque and Renaissance music. With several ensembles, she performed different baroques styles (Italian, German, English and French) of different periods (17th and 18th centuries) either secular or sacred. Always looking for new repertoire to discover and sing, she really enjoys going into libraries to see manuscripts or to explore the thousands of resources available online to find new pieces. This research about Caldara is one of her explorations.
Searching for Sattler
(2017)
author(s): Timothy Dowling (KC)
published in: KC Research Portal
Abstract
Name: Timothy Dowling
Main Subject: Trombone
Research Supervisor: Charles Toet
Title of research: “Searching for Sattler; Reproducing a Romantic Trombone”. The history and development of the trombone, particularly in Leipzig, between Beethoven’s Fifth and Schumann’s Rhenish Symphonies, 1808-1851
Research Question:
Does the prevailing tendency within the so-called “Historically Informed” performance tradition of performing early nineteenth century German composers’ trombone parts on narrow bore classical( or even baroque) reproduction instruments or modern German trombones truly reflect the performance practice of the trombonists performing in orchestras within the time period of this study? What were the instruments used by the original performers? Who were the builders of these instruments and what were their dimensions? Is it now possible to build a truly idiomatic mid nineteenth century German style trombone based upon traditional techniques that truly reflects the sound world of the early nineteenth century orchestra?
Summary of results:
After extensively examining in detail the use of trombones in orchestras between 1808 and 1851 in an historical context, I have concluded that the current common practice of performing the trombone parts of the music of mid century German composers such as Mendelssohn and Schumann on the standard reproduction classical trombones of three different sizes and pitches : alto, tenor, and bass, is unlikely to be an accurate representation of the instruments used, particularly in Leipzig, during the time period of Mendelssohn’s directorship of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, where most of this repertoire was first performed. After meeting instrument builders, instrument collectors, and viewing and measuring many instruments in museums and private collections, I have concluded that it is possible and desirable to design and build a set of Romantic reproduction trombones based on models of the Leipzig master instrument builder Christian Friedrich Sattler and his successor Johann Christoph Penzel, that could accurately represent the trombone sound for which Mendelssohn and Schumann wrote. In this study I have made a detailed proposal (within the scope of my expertise) as to how these instruments should be built and it is my fervent hope that in so doing I can add to the understanding and advancement of nineteenth century trombone performance practice among trombonists for both “authentic” performance practitioners and modern symphonic trombonists.
Biography:
Melbourne-born trombonist Timothy Dowling began his professional career in Australia in 1979, performing in four different Australian orchestras before being appointed to his current position of solo trombonist of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague in 1988. He is also a noted performer on historical instruments, and is a founder member of baroque ensemble In Stil Moderno and is currently principal trombonist with Anima Eterna Bruges. He has been teaching modern trombone at the Royal Conservatoire since 2006.
THE AFRO-CUBAN DRUM RHYTHMS: Origin, Selection, Analysis and Development of drum patterns applied to Jazz Trombone
(2016)
author(s): Juanga Lakunza
published in: Codarts
My intention with this Artistic Research was to learn more about the afro-Cuban rhythms that I consider one of the bases on which a lot of modern music is built.
As a trombonist, I don´t consider myself only as a jazzman, sincerely I would like to be the most complete musician that I can. Of course, to study jazz gave me many tools for being more comfortable in other styles, but rhythmically, the Latin-American music has still a lot to say.
The compilation of the information for the development of this research report, has allowed me to discover an exciting world to which I am truly attracted.
Since I was a child I have been fascinated and captivated by the percussion.
Music is magic, but if there is something more magical than the music itself , that is the sound of the drum. Since ancient times the drum has been a sacred element in many cultures. The present Western society, with its great technological development, is forgetting the basics of human spirituality.
I sincerely believe that the drum will have an important role in the future, as a healing member of society. Every musician should be percussionist before playing his own instrument.
The Joy of Practice. A Case study of Keren by I.Xenakis - The pursuit of happiness in our practice room
(2015)
author(s): Georgios Kachrimanis
published in: KC Research Portal
Name: Georgios Kachrimanis
Main Subject: Classical Trombone
Research Coach: Paul Scheepers
Title of Research: The Joy of Practice: A case study of Keren by Iannis Xenakis
Research Question:
How can I bring the joy back into my daily practice?
Summary of Results:
Every musician perceives “hard work” differently in their career or education. For me it was something like weight lifting training with the motto “No Pain, No Gain”. This was my idea about practicing music for more than 15 years. Besides the hard work I was also dealing with anxiety and the outcome was that I was not progressing in my practice and performance. I noticed that I was not enjoying myself anymore as I did as a young boy, but that I was ‘working’ the trombone instead of ‘playing’. When I was accepted for the masters program of the conservatoire I knew I had to change something about my way of practicing. So I came up with my main question for my master research “How can I bring the joy back into my daily practice?” In my research paper I am exploring the flow theory of Csikszentmihalyi and the use of awareness from book of The Inner Game of Music. According to the Csikszentmihalyi flow can help musicians to experience more joy and achieve better work satisfaction. In order to explore this theory and the use of awareness I used a case study, Keren by Iannis Xenakis. Because joy
and anxiety also got a lot to do with how you plan your practice and recovery I also made a practice plan. For this I used the information and planning techniques I got from Erja Joukamo-Ampuja, one of the speakers at the conference ‘From Potential to Performance’ in 2013. Putting all the information I gained during my research together, I came up with six conditions that I needed for my daily practice to be flow-like so I could gain some joy out of it: having a clear mind, a goal/outcome, good skill/challenge match, frequent feedback, physical/mental energy, relaxed concentration. During my presentation I will explain the concepts of flow, anxiety and joy in my daily practice and my case study.
Biography:
The Trombone came into Georgios’ life at the age of 15, although he had started playing music at the age of ten in his local fanfare band. Shortly thereafter he started
playing in the Athens Student orchestra. The first time he played music
professionally was at the age of 17, with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Greece.
In 2002 he won his current position as principal trombone of the Athens Philharmonia and in 2003 finished his studies with a 10 and first prize. During the next 10 years Georgios won other auditions and played with all the major and minor orchestras in Greece, appearing as a soloist on a number of occasions.