Connected Alone
(2022)
author(s): Arja Anneli Kastinen
published in: RUUKKU - Studies in Artistic Research
This exposition examines the possibilities and problems of using the elements of ancient musical culture for producing new music. It contains eleven video clips and associated texts explaining my artistic research on the Karelian kantele improvisation of the 19th century and earlier, which the kantele players called "soittaa omaa mahtia" ("playing their own power"). The word "mahti" ("power") means inner strength and knowledge. In this article, I call this particular music inner power improvisation.
In addition, the article includes two case studies that exemplify the use of tradition and its philosophy as tools in creativity education. I address the question of whether I can surpass the challenges of understanding a musical culture from a different time era and of an entirely different society than my own. Is it possible to receive an insider view through artistic research, by learning to make music according to the information found in the archives, historical texts, and folk music research? How do I perform responsible research and introduce my conclusions and musical interpretations when there is not enough reliable information about the original tradition?
Six Hours of Exploratory Improvisation
(2021)
author(s): Arja Anneli Kastinen
published in: Research Catalogue
Creativity is seen as a fundamental human capacity which also seems to be very sensitive in escaping scientifically controlled conditions. During the last decades, musical improvisation has become a more and more interesting channel for studying the cognitive neuroscience of creativity. On 6 February 2017, I improvised for six hours without a break on eight different kanteles in the Black Box hall of the Musiikkitalo, Helsinki Music Centre. There were EEG caps on me and three listeners, and the data was recorded for about two hours from the beginning of the event.
From the musical perspective, my personal starting point for the six-hour improvisation was to test and experience the reactions of my mind and body to this way of making music in a time scale that was stretched close to the limits of my capacity. My text will look into the project and analyse it solely from my point of view: as a musician researching the process of long-lasting kantele improvisation based on ancient Finnic tradition.
The main questions in my study are: What is happening in the consciousness preceding and during the state of the so-called quiet exaltation? What are the elements or components needed to be able to achieve this kind of mental state? What is the meaning – the importance – of this music to its producer? What would be the relation of the musical elements and automatized finger movements stored in my long-term memory through the years of practise with the consciously invented and unconsciously produced music?
Harmony on the violin - internalising harmony for violinists and the role of (tonal) improvisation
(2017)
author(s): Liesbeth Ackermans
published in: KC Research Portal
Abstract
Harmony on the violin – exploring ways to enhance harmonic awareness by improvisation. How can playing with basic elements of classical music help us to enter the music we perform ‘from within’, to enjoy the creative moment in connection with the repertoire we know so well and love so much, to ‘co-compose’… How can (tonal) improvisation be an aid to learn about harmony in a way that experience comes first, using, in this research, the violin as our voice?
In this research my aim has been to create a toolbox of games/exercises that can be used working in the above mentioned way. At the same time the exploratory journey of the research proved to be a transformative experience with regard to my own relationship with the music I play, love and teach. In this paper those two threads – the development of educational material and the testing out of it on the one hand and my personal development as a violinist and musician on the other hand - are constantly intertwined. The one cannot do without the other.
This paper is a report of all activities that added to the above mentioned two processes. The report will guide you through the origins of the research, the rich input of colleagues, masters and books on the subject, a report of the practising, imagining, exploring hours spent by myself in my garden house, information on the enjoyable sessions when trying out the material with students. At the centre of the paper you will find the games and exercises themselves – the content of the toolbox, called ‘Invitations’. A closer look at certain aspects of the research is found in Chapter 5 – Behind the scene. The paper will finish with a set of recommendations and conclusions and – above all – future plans.
I do hope you will enjoy this research – a research into methods that can be used to let the playing from musical intuition and the building of harmonic consciousness meet. In doing so, enjoying the richness, benefits and pleasure that musical improvisation has to offer in music education.
Why do you think that you but not me should be on stage?
(last edited: 2021)
author(s): Hermans Carolien
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
Together with my daughter Lisa Scheers we participated in the conference ‘With Children: The Child as Collaborator and Performer’ Leeds Beckett University, 28thOf January 2017 with the provocation “Why do you think that you but not me should be on stage?” Performed by: Lisa Scheers (10 years old) and Carolien Hermans (47 years old)
From Problem Solving to Improvisation in Filmmaking
(last edited: 2020)
author(s): Jackel Chow
connected to: Stockholm University of the Arts (SKH)
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
This exposition provides the insight of indeterminacy during improvisation, as well as the reflection process of how I converted my problems-solving skills to planned improvisation during the adverse filming condition of my graduation feature film production.
I define Improvisation as a way to be adaptive and flexible in uncertainty, while problem-solving as a solution to overcome the obstacles faced.
I started from an ambitious goal by making a feature-length hybrid film for my graduation showcase in my two years of master study. Facing problems like lack of money, insufficient network to find talents and limited time to acquire local knowledge of the working styles in the country, I met a lot of challenges. When I solved the problems one by one within this filmmaking process, I gradually realized I relied quite a lot on improvisation. It does not only apply on the set when I worked with the actors, but also on scriptwriting, crew recruiting, locations scouting, shots creation, etc.
The turning point for me to change from coincidental (unplanned) improvisation (because it is needed with problem solving) to deliberate (planned) improvisation started from my second half of principal photography (or simply called production/filming) stage because more uncertainty emerged and I started to get used to such style.
At the end, I made two versions of the films with different levels of improvisational practice. I will reflect my whole filmmaking process and its connection with improvisation from my film products.
Pictogram-me
(last edited: 2020)
author(s): Linda H. Lien, Ashley Booth
connected to: Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design, University of Bergen
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
An investigation of how pictograms can contribute to increased reflection on life’s complexity.
An investigation of how pictograms can contribute to increased reflection on life’s complexity.open exposition comments (0)