Research Catalogue

This thesis describes my electronic and artistic research into the design of what I have called the Voltage Controlled Signal Path Generator (VC-SPG). It is a switching audio matrix that can both be seen as a new tool, and as a part of a musical-instrument. As we will see, it can be applied in an analogue electronic music studio setup, a modular synthesizer or in an interactive art-installation. This master research project is a continuation of my previous work at the Royal Conservatoire where I design new technology for Art and Education. The fundamental core of my research project is the development of an audio-matrix with 16 inputs and 16 outputs that can be fully configured, controlled and programmed with Open Sound Control (OSC) and that can be synced and triggered with external analogue signals. In its present state the VC-SPG has become a new type of generator that is able to switch between different studio presets and form the core of new audio experiences and new compositional approaches. I will describe and reflect upon both the technical challenges and development and the musical and artistic results shared with me by students and professionals who used the VC-SPG over the last year for their own work. They all experienced the VC-SPG to be adding a new dimension to their creative process. We can conclude that the VC-SPG is not only a new practical tool, but also a creative instrument for electronic-music and art.

Giuseppe Torelli (1658-1709), a violinist and composer famous all over Europe during his lifetime, has not received much attention in today's concert programs and academic environments. This research has a twofold intention: reconstruct the life of Torelli and investigate the origins of a genre of which he is considered to be the father, the soloistic concerto. As a case of study, an in-depth analysis is been drawn of one violin concerto, which has a debated authorship nowadays, poised between Torelli and Vivaldi. The results are presented in three chapters: the first one contains the biography; in the second one it is outlined how Torelli redefined the form of the pre-existing Concerto Grosso, thanks to the activity of his predecessors and to the peculiar context in which he was active. This process resulted in the arise of the concerto for solo instrument, which already presented all the characteristics that made this musical form so popular and successful amongst his contemporaries and the following generations. The third chapter consists of an analysis of the Concerto for violin in D minor A.2.3.9/RV813. Through the examination of the primary sources, its transcription for solo keyboard made by Johann Sebastian Bach and the stylistic patterns used, I intend to demonstrate that the attribution to Torelli is more plausible. The inquiry about this repertoire through a musicological and historical contextualization can bring to a more grounded awareness in how to approach this music as a performer and, hopefully, it will lead to a rediscovery of musical treasures.

How can Kodály music methodology contribute to the already existing Waldorf music education in giving the children ownership in music.

Many classical musicians can suffer from tension and nervousness during solo performance. This research looks at how practicing improvisation and creative body movement, as well as creating one’s own performance together with a dancer, can affect the feeling of freedom and enjoyment on stage. The researcher explored a way to find her own voice. By practicing free improvisation she explored new possibilities of her playing and expression as she searched for freedom and development of creativity. This resulted in a generally more free and involved feeling on stage. In addition, body movement courses helped her to be more aware of her body on stage, resulting in a better sound quality. A project was created to address the question of how to create one’s own performance that comes from the performers own voice. The project created was based on the poem Woman Inhabited by Words by Guisela Lopez – a poem that was very meaningful to the researcher. In the performance she improvised on the viola; the sound is modified by a computer, and at the same time a contemporary dancer improvised on the music. In this way, the researcher combined her love of dance and of playing music to find a new depth in her performance and performance experience.

Research question: How the relationship between seconda prattica (Claudio Monteverdi) and poetica del gesto (Luciano Berio) can be absorbed in a singing study process and which are the practical results/vocal consequences? Abstract: This research wants to investigate through a personal vocal approach the nature of the connection between music and text in Claudio Monteverdi’s and Luciano Berio’s compositions. It started with my personal wish as a singer to be able to express feelings behind words in such a way that the relation between both becomes more clear. I found in the connection between these two composers the perfect ground to build this vocal study path which I documented with recordings. This vocal path has proven to be full of inspiration and stimuli: on one side the open, honest and modern full of love language of Monteverdi, which shapes the harmony according to the meaning of the text (pone l’armonia serva all’orazione). On the other side the inspiring, rich, creative and fascinating writing of Luciano Berio that with his poetics of the gesture seems to reveal in a direct and elegant way a world of infinite possibilities of colorful combinations between musical sounds and words. This research exposition, is divided in four main chapters. The first one is an introduction to Monteverdi and his seconda prattica in which the doctrine of affections is exposed with a special focus at the Lamento d'Arianna along with my research about vocal interpretation. The second chapter describes the musical context in Italy at the beginning of the 20th-century observing how the new composers looked back at the past and in particular at Monteverdi and his contemporaries; in the third chapter Luciano Berio's poetics of gesture will be exposed and it will be observed how some of his composition refer to Monteverdi's seconda prattica. A final chapter will show, with a video recording, my vocal research during the approach to their music.

We usually perceive time as an integral part of our everyday life. We try to wake up at the same time every day, we schedule our affairs and get upset if a train is five minutes late. However, we often face situations that challenge our usual experience of time when we notice an uncrossable gap between this experience and what can be measured by clocks. I believe that music is infinitely capable of providing us with such experiences, and creating that kind of confusing time with music is the main focus of my research. At the heart of this research is the idea of three ways of representing time in music: measured, unmeasured, and immeasurable. Theoretical conceptualization is mainly built upon the works of Henri Bergson and Alexander Vvedensky. However, their works focus mostly on individual experiences of time, but my main question is how one can communicate such an experience to other people through music, and how to make this experience social. I analyze different musical strategies that deal with unmeasured time or challenge the idea of measurement itself. I conclude by presenting my own strategies of creating confusing temporal experiences, mainly through building failing hierarchies of temporal authorities and challenging the possibility of simultaneity. These strategies are presented through the series of pieces called “Songs” on which I have been working while writing this paper.

this is the pdf version

Starting from my personal teaching experience, I have been studying the effect of visual instructions on my violin pupils. With a detailed analysis of the interactions between students and teacher and the help of 36 observation sheets, I could finally see the effects of enhancing visuals on student’s musical learning. All conclusions were drawn after taking into account specific studies mentioned in the theoretical framework and with respect to the observations made by three external experts. This research found further evidence of the link between visualization and critical thinking as well.

This research explores the creation and application of mindfulness and goal setting exercises and tests its relationship with the construct of self-efficacy for music learning and practicing. Three separate questionnaires and pre- and post-intervention interviews were applied to a sample of 11 conservatory students. All participants but one rated higher scores of self-efficacy for music learning and practicing in one of the questionnaires. The additional questionnaires, interviews and formats that were analyzed give this study a broader scope for identifying distinct factors that may have a relation with the exercises applied and higher self-ratings of self-efficacy. The content of this research provides an analysis of mindfulness practices and goal-setting strategies and their application to the instrumental practice of music conservatory students. The material envisioned for this study is both original and retrieved from external sources. Some of the material is taken from author Vanessa Cornett and her book “The Mindful Musician” (Cornett, 2019), as well as from Sarah Samuel’s book “Mindful Crafting” (2018) and Bernadette Dijkhuizen-Keogh’s work (2019). This research wishes to provide tools not only for students who want to improve their sense of self-efficacy regarding their instrumental practice but also for teachers, who want to explore the material developed in this study with their students.

Abstract: An attempt to explore a method of speculative biography through composition, taking Alexander J. Ellis as an object of research, and creating opportunities for exploring elements of his work, with the very tools he used at that time. Combining research, correspondence, composition and instrument tuning, a (re)sounding of some key ideas of Ellis are presented. In a manner I postulate he may have experienced or imagined himself. Aside from tuning two instruments common to Ellis, firstly, a London made concertina, and secondly, a set of 74 tuning forks, I will attempt a musical representation of parts of his archive and nineteenth century scientific research, using his means, objects and measurements as starting points for composition. Tuning a concertina from 1924, in Skhismic tuning, an extended Pythagorean chain of 24 fifths, affords a system of ‘practically just intonation’, described by Ellis in the Appendix of Helmholtz’ ‘On the Sensations of Tone’ (first English translation 1875). Concertinas with 24 reeds within one of the octaves had not been not available in the time of Ellis. Historically, reference pitches had often been tuned onto tuning forks for sharing locally and internationally. Using the data from ‘On the History of Musical Pitch’ (1880), where Ellis gathered 223 historical instances of the note A from European instrument makers and musicians, I produced a just intonation system with the 74 unique Hz frequencies. Extremely minor adjustments were made, allowing the possibility that each Hz frequency could be expressed as a small number or Pythagorean ratio. These were then tuned onto a set of new forks ranging from F# to C#, by current A440 standards.

After the second world war, the musical performance style remains changing from intensely expressive into clean and litteral. The exaggeration of expression through tempo, rhythm, portamento, ornamentation were suddenly gone and became utterly unrealistic and old-fashion. The cleanliness of the performance style brought singers to put more focus only to the score and text. Realizing how much the gap between two different styles, I have only partially understood the half picture of the style. My thesis will focus on the re-enactment study of Lotte Lehmann's recording in 1930s of An die Musik by Schubert and Ich grolle nicht by Schumann.

Name: Arjen Berends Main subject: Master Theory of Music Supervisor: Dr. Bert Mooiman Title of Research: Listening to Messiaen's colourful hands Subtitle: Analysing harmony and voice leading in the two homorhythmic chorales from Messiaen’s La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Research question: How to analyse harmony and voice leading in the two homorhythmic chorales from Messiaen’s La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ? Abstract Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992), one of the most famous French composers of the 20th century, was also known to be a great organist and improviser, as organist of Église de la Sainte-Trinité in Paris for over 60 years. His huge oratorio La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, composed 1965-1969, includes two entirely homorhythmic movements entitled ‘Choral’. As a listener, I am fascinated by Messiaen's extraordinary approach to harmony. The aim of this research is, therefore, to attempt to understand how best to analyse Messiaen's unique harmonic language. Many approaches to analysing Messiaen’s music are vertically orientated, including his own way of describing his use of harmony. He himself never discussed the horizontal aspects of his music. Because of his coloured hearing synaesthesia (son-couleur), Messiaen's analyses are particularly special in their manner of addressing the colours of certain chords. A colour analysis by Messiaen therefore may give the listener some insight in the way Messiaen might have perceived his music. This research includes videos with the music and paintings of the colour analyses by Messiaen and two other musicians with synaesthesia of one of the chorales, specially made for this research. Considering Messiaen’s own lack of emphasis on horizontal aspects of his music, is it possible to understand Messiaen’s music from a horizontal perspective as well? Since the two chorales are homophonic and homorhythmic, the bass and soprano are the most important voices. These parts can be perceived clearly, but the attention of the listener is also caught by other aspects such as the complexity of the chords. It is difficult to determine the precise voice leading of the inner parts because it is ‘blurred’ by the varied orchestration, but by way of harmonic reductions of the chorales, Messiaen’s horizontal compositional techniques can be clarified. This research includes a harmonisation of a melody by Messiaen in the style of the chorales in La Transfiguration. Biography Arjen Berends teaches music theory and arranging at the conservatories of The Hague and Utrecht. He graduated in music education at the Utrecht Conservatory, where he also studied classical piano with Henk Ekkel and Martyn van den Hoek. At the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague he completed his studies in music theory with Paul Scheepers, Arie Boers, Diderik Wagenaar, and Ineke Kien. He is répétiteur of Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam conducted by Boudewijn Jansen; he has previously worked with choral conductors such as Louis Buskens, Iassen Raykov and Béni Csillag.

Diversity and inclusion within Western art music have become topics of elevated importance in in recent discussions. To create enduring results regarding these matters, there needs to be a commitment to in-depth study of practices that will produce visible change. This is one of the goals of my research, in which I tackle issues of representation by focusing on Black women composers and their absence from the canon as overlooked and marginalized artists. It is well known that women have been denied many opportunities throughout history; as composers, many experiences crucial to professionalism were not always available to women, including music education in composition, the publication and circulation of their works, not being hired as conductors, or receiving reviews from influential critics. These opportunities and resources dwindled further if a woman was also a person of colour. Thus, in order to ensure their inclusion within the canon, these underrepresented identities demand and require unique recognition. I have examined the issue of neglected women of colour composers in classical music from an interdisciplinary standpoint, utilizing the methodologies of history and experimentation to form an “intersectional feminist critical curation” framework. This framework implements knowledge from intersectional feminist theory and music curation practices in order to answer following questions: “What is the impact on new audiences of diverse backgrounds experiencing classical music through an intersectional feminist curatorial framework?”, "Can classical music be an effective device for messages of social and political change?", and “What is the impact on myself as a classical vocalist and a Black woman to implement an intersectional feminist curatorial framework within my musical study and performance?”. The overall goal of this research was to discover an effective way forward to achieving diversity in classical music for underrepresented groups. Drawing from this study, I have created a digital performance project entitled “The Narrativity Sessions,” which functioned as an experiment utilizing this knowledge of intersectional feminist theory and praxis fused with select critical curation strategies applied to my own artistic practice as a classical singer. The outcome was a novel artistic practice that can contribute to creating innovative and artistically fulfilling performances while simultaneously advancing diversity and inclusion in the classical music sphere for audiences, performers, and composers alike.

The discovery of Ludovicus Mirandolle’s manuscripts

Student Number 3258904 Supervisor Bart van Oort Title From Xavier Lefèvre to Frédéric Berr: Clarinet instruction at the Paris Conservatory between 1795 and 1838. Research Question How to describe clarinet instruction at the Paris Conservatory between 1795 and 1838? Summary The Paris Conservatory was founded in 1795. Xavier Lefèvre (1763-1829) was one of the first clarinet professor to teach there, from 1795 to 1824. In 1802 he published an important clarinet tutor intended for study at the Conservatoire: Méthode de clarinette. Frédéric Berr (1794-1838) held the same position from 1832 to 1838. In 1836 he published a Méthode complète de clarinette and a Traité complet de la clarinette. Thanks to these writings, it is possible nowadays to get an idea of the skills needed by a French clarinettist of the early 19th century to play the music of his time. The aim of this research is thus to describe the main aspects of performance practice during the chosen period. Many of these aspects are not limited to the clarinet. Consequently, other methods for singing or for other instruments related to the Conservatory, have been studied to provide a broader perspective of performance practice at that time. As the first decades of the 19th century witnessed important developments in clarinet making and instrumental technique, it has been essential to discuss this point in this research. However the central aspect of this work is musical expression, the ultimate goal of a performance. Phrasing, the variety of articulation and dynamics appear as essential tools for the performer who wants to communicate with the audience. Short biography Théo Couillez is a French clarinetist. He studied in his native country where he received the bachelor degree at the Pôle Supérieur Paris Boulogne-Billancourt in 2017. Eager to discover another approach to interpretation, he decided in 2019 to study for the Master degree in historical clarinet with Eric Hoeprich at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. (Netherlands). Passionate about the symphonic orchestra, he took part to several orchestral academies such as the Youth European Orchestra Hector Belioz led by François-Xavier Roth and the Collegium Vocal Gent Academy led by Philippe Herreweghe.

What was considered the "normal" size for the Italian theorbo or chitarrone upon its creation in the 17th century, and why should 21st century players like us embrace the historical size? This research tackles the question from several different angles: description in historical texts, surviving instruments, the optimal string gauge and tension, and tone comparison. The study finds the vast majority of surviving chitarroni to have a stopped string length around 88-89cm, with some exceeding 90cm and very few falling short of 80cm. This sparks the question of whether smaller instruments required a different tuning. Upon comparing with lute family instruments from the same era, the logical conclusion is that smaller instruments with string lengths around 76cm most probably did not need to have a double re-entrant tuning which is the standard tuning for all solo chitarrone music. When comparing a large instrument (95cm) and a small instrument (76cm, with single re-entrant tuning), one can hear that they perform very different roles as continuo instruments, and are not mutually replaceable. As modern-day lutenists, one should really embrace the large size if one wishes to play the chitarrone, and develop a technique to suit the instrument, instead of scaling down the instrument to suit the technique. Menglin Gao has been a recorder player, a countertenor, and now a theorbist, studying at the Royal Conservatoire of the Hague. He is the founder and director of the Shanghai Camerata, an early music ensemble based in Shanghai, China.

Research Title: Intabulation as process and practice Research questions: When it comes to the manifold surviving solo lute intabulations from around 1500, where is the line between "unwritten" and "written" intabulation? Intabulating involves the writing out of several parts into tablature, but does this twofold distinction really apply to all pieces? What was the process of appropriation of vocal polyphony for a lutenist of the early 16th century? How can we apply this to our own processes? Abstract: Intabulation refers to the arrangement of vocal pieces for what Johannes Tinctoris refers to as a “perfect instrument”, amongst which he counts such instruments as keyboards and the lute – and it implies writing out the parts of a polyphonic composition into tablature. However, after playing many surviving intabulations for several years, I had a strong feeling that there must be an “unwritten” solo lute intabulation practice behind the “written” intabulations from the beginning of the 16th century, in contrast to the more “composed” intabulations from the time after the mid-16th century. While surviving sources provide us with much information on what lutenists played, they also hide the “unwritten” practice which they did not record. We can only imagine what was happening. In this thesis, I investigate the process of intabulation by lute players from this time by analysing and comparing different versions of the same song from different sources. Through this research, I trace the transition of the changing style of intabulation, which is in turn related to the transition of lute technique from plectrum to finger-plucked and the change in style of the vocal models. Moreover, the diffusion of printed music changed the manner of the transmission of music. To conclude, I hypothesise that lute players might have listened to and copied each other’s intabulations unconsciously, and when they wanted to preserve their work, they might have made some adjustments to their intabulations. The study also suggests how to apply these ideas to actual intabulation practice, which will be presented in the Research Symposium online as a video format. Biography: The Japanese lutenist Asako Ueda studied the lute at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague with Mike Fentross and Joachim Held and completed her Bachelor's with the highest achievable mark, which gives her the opportunity to continue to the Master’s program with the Excellence Scholarship of the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She won first prize at the Biagio Marini Competition and third prize at the International Van Wassenaer Competition. She started playing the violin at the age of five. After finishing her Bachelor’s degree with the violin in Tokyo, she continued to study the Baroque violin and composition. https://asakoueda.com

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.

The interest for the contemporary repertoire, combined with the interest never abandoned for the Electric Bass Guitar, pushed me to investigate the role of this instrument in the contemporary repertoire, observing that only at chamber music level It has found its own dimension, however totally absent in the soloist field. Can the electric bass guitar rise to the role of solo instrument in contemporary music? How can it find its way to be considered as a solo instrument in contemporary music? Can composers approach this instrument exalting its expressiveness and technical potential? The research is divided into two parts: The first part concerns the history of the instrument, its construction and its impact on musical culture. In this part we will also analyse some pieces of the contemporary repertoire, analysis accompanied by video demonstrations of some excerpts that I perform personally. The second part is the fulcrum of the research: the execution of a piece for electric bass and electronics, "L' Autodidatta" by Maurizio Tedde. It will highlight the collaboration between the performer and the composer, the vision of the composer and the role of the electric bass in the piece, demonstrating that Bass and the electric bassist can have their own dimension in the soloist field.

After participating in a project, Remy awakened his interest in Arabic traditional music. Being trained as a jazz, pop and classical bassist, he found that this music left him clueless, but mesmerized. That was when he decided to learn more about this musical genre, and dedicated his Master’s degree to the subject. In his research, Remy aimed to find ways to incorporate elements from traditional Arabic music into his own musical practice as a Jazz double bass player. To reach this goal, Remy researched both rhythmic and melodic aspects of the Arabic music tradition. The first step was to understand the theory and the melodic and rhythmic information involved, encountering challenging topics like quartertones and complex rhythms and song structures. Secondly he searched to find ways to translate the melodic and rhythmic elements on to the double bass, creating several exercises to gain familiarity with the material. The third step of the research was about applying his findings into his artistic practice. By composing new tunes and arranging existing songs, both from the traditional Arabic world as from the jazz genre, Remy aimed to let the discoveries of his research sink in in his musical creativity. Remy’s presentation will take you through his journey discovering this music. He will guide you through the three steps of his discoveries, looking at the melodic elements of the Arabic musical tradition, and how he implemented these into his own musical practice. Master Research exposition by Remy Dielemans Jazz Double Bass, Royal Conservatoire the Hague Supervised by: Loes Rusch Master Circle Leader: Wim Vos

The Walton Viola Concerto is one of the most famous and recognized compositions in the viola repertoire. Apart from this, it is a compulsory piece in any viola orchestra audition. This research is focused on my practice and artistic process of the Walton Concerto, consequently subjective, to create an artistic choice. In order to achieve an ideal interpretation of this composition, I will investigate and analyze the first two recordings made of the Concerto, as both represent different versions of the piece with several differences between them. These recordings were made by Frederick Riddle in 1937, and by the famous violist William Primrose in 1946. This research aims to: (1) decide what details or alternatives I can recover from these recordings to inspire my own interpretation, and (2) find out what ideas from the first recording are reflected in the second one. Taking into consideration these recordings, I first drew up a list mentioning the differences found between them. Then, I classified these differences into different categories such as bowings, different notes, fingerings, orchestration, and so on. Finally, I recorded myself playing both versions of some passages. The main outcome I found is to discover that the sound-based approach (listening to recordings and experimenting with them) is a richer source of inspiration for a musician than a purely score-based comparison. I hope these artistic ideas can be a great stimulus and encouragement to other violists who want to play this wonderful Concerto.

The Violin Solo Sonatas op. 3, composed approximately in the 1780s by the Russian composer Ivan Khandoshkin, take up an exceptional place in music history. In the last decades of the eighteenth century, Western European sonatas were mainly composed for fortepiano solo or fortepiano with an accompanying other instrument such as violin. Music of the sonata genre was featured by its simplicity and homophonic textures. Khandoshkin’s Sonatas, however, present us with rather unusual features for those times. This music for solo violin includes dominating polyphonic textures, double stops, many dissonances and improvisational moments. One could say that Khandoshkin stayed in the traditional, baroque style and did not follow revolutionary developments of the classical era. By analysing the Violin Solo Sonatas and studying the historical background of the composer’s life, I realized that Khandoshkin consciously chose not to follow the one dominating style of the Western music world. Instead, in the Solo Sonatas he successfully combined baroque, classical music features and therefore, created his unique style by inspiring his music on Russian sentimentalism. Moreover, in his sonatas, he expanded many violin techniques which were inspired by playing on Russian traditional instruments such us balalaika or gudok. These technical moments were unplayable for many violinists during these times and they are even challenging for violin players of today. By presenting this unknown music on my CD and sharing my knowledge of Khandoshkin’s Sonatas in my Master thesis, I hope to encourage other musicians to explore this unusual repertoire in greater depth.

The desire to improve my drum soloing and the lack of in-depth material and examples on the subject led me to research drum soloing. Evaluating my playing, I found my approach to drum soloing was based heavily on playing “licks,” copying other drummer’s vocabulary literally with no clear idea of my own sound and identity with problems associated with this approach, such as forgetting phrases, feeling uncomfortable in unknown musical situations, etc. In my research, I tried to answer the question of how to integrate the playing of the master drummers of the bebop era into my own vocabulary and how modern drummers that I admire developed the classic language to fit their own style. I chose some of the most notable drummers of the bebop era, namely Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes, transcribed their solos, and analyzed their playing. Through their playing, I discovered fundamental concepts of drumming like the Call and response concept, the rudimental concept, the melodic concept, and tools and methods that help with technique, musicianship, and creativity on the drum set.

Master Research Exposition "Unknown instrumental repertory of Sandomierz" - graphical exposition by Weronika Zimnoch (MA historical violin), Royal Conservatory in Den Haag

The research aims to construct a framework for interdisciplinary performances. This framework is organised in the different components that shape creative processes. The research follows a process that begins with my experience in the dance-music collaboration “The Devil on the Dance Floor”, which included my ensemble Quinteto del Diablo, dancer Rosanna Ter Steege, and stage director Laura Suárez. The insights gained from this project, as well as the interview with director and actress Laura Suárez, led to the theorisation of the framework. The mentioned components are organised in a map. Each one of them serves as a possible starting point for a creative process. The propositions drawn from the framework support the notion of non-hierarchical creative processes. However, it also concludes that all the mentioned components have to be observed and worked with according to their qualities. After the layout of the framework, the interview with dancer and choreographer Mar López provides a critical comparison to support the theory through the experience of someone outside my environment. The last section analyses my master project, a piano-dance duo with Rosanna ter Steege, as a practical application of this theoretical framework. The research aims to set a framework that can help me and others, especially classically trained musicians, when working on an interdisciplinary performance. The format of the presentation is a research exposition.

After a long investigation of the jazz discography from 1920s until today, Dimitris Koutantos chose 5 recordings which contain drum-comping styles with these two characteristics: 1)not-cymbal-oriented 2)non-repetitive. For his research exposition, he uses a variety of media (such as videos, musical notation & text) to show you his path: -searchng and choosing recordings -transcribing them -analyzing them -creating different exercises (to solve problems) -turning what he learned into action -looking for his own comping style (inspired by those drummers) -sharing his thoughts and conclusions. With this research, Dimitris hopes to help other drum-students: -explore these 'unconventional' styles of comping -improve their time & co-ordination -search for their own style.

This study aims to understand and learn about the historical performance practice in the 17th century. As an early music singer, I am attracted to the sweet and charming 17th-century French vocal music. In particular, I am interested in the relationship between French ornamentation and expression. This research investigates the background of 17th-century performance practice in France in relation to the ornamentation, the pronunciation of 17th-century French, the different types of ornaments and the expression implied by the ornaments. The performance practice in the 17th century was different from now since it was undergoing a major change from polyphonic to solo music, which emphasised more the text than the music. The knowledge of ornamentation was an expected requirement for all well-trained singers in the 17th century, ornamentation was not merely a decoration, but a tool in emphasizing the importance of the text. Thus, it is necessary to learn ornamentation for a complete 17th-century French vocal performance. Since text was the main element in 17th-century French vocal music, it is important to know the characteristics of French language in this period. The ability to distinguish French long and short syllables was important because ornamentation could only be applied mostly to long syllables. The pronunciation of certain French vowels has undergone a significant alteration, and the ‘old’ way of pronouncing them is included in the study. The research findings also show that some ornaments were meant to be used only in certain expression and they help me to better ‘compose’ French ornamentation in future performances.

The internet is a promising place for musicians; one can promote and perform music for free, with possibly endless reach. Especially online video and streaming are booming spaces with many opportunities. Online music videos are often either recordings of a live performance, or they are an "online performance" from a musician who acts as if they are part of a regular live concert with an audience. However, the practices of regular concerts and online video are very different in nature. Perhaps online video requires a different way of engaging with the musical material within the video format. What if classical musicians created videos that emphasized the more casual and chatty style of the online platforms? Through an iterative process I researched how classical musicians can use the vlog-style format with classical music and music theatre. In these vlogs I draw inspiration from the book "Three in Norway by Two of Them" and combine it with music by Julius Röntgen and Edvard Grieg. From this process I drew some conclusions and came up with a process for other musicians to try out this video format.

Diminutions, divisions, and doubles are essentially different words for the same practice in viol literature - ornamenting music by dividing notes into smaller notes. The practice varies in name based on its context: in Italian and Spanish music it is called diminution, in English music it is called division, and in dance movements from French suites it is called a double. The question then remains: why do these theoretically identical practices remain distinct in name? Are there other ways in which they differ? This exposition argues that there are indeed other ways in which these different families of diminution-style ornaments differ, and for this purpose it examines texts and scores from each group. For diminutions, the focus was Silvestro Ganassi’s “Opera intitulata Fontegara” (1535) and Diego Ortiz’ “Trattado de Glossas” (1553); for divisions, Christopher Simpson’s “The Division Viol” (1659); and for doubles, Marin Marais books of “Pièces de viole” (1686-1725). The first chapter is an explanation of the chronological history of these different practices, beginning with diminution during the Italian Renaissance, moving to England in the mid-17th century, and ending with Marais’ suites from the late-17th to early-18th centuries. The second chapter explains the contextual differences of each style (in which genre/musical setting it was applied). The third chapter explores stylistic elements that are unique to each style, and the fourth chapter discusses the implications this information has for the modern player of the viola da gamba.

This research serves as a guide for musicians to develop their own business models using the Canvas model taking into account legal, economical and competitive context.

This work arises from the long and passionate research the author has been conducting as member of a professional piano duo in order to understand why the piano four-hands repertoire has always been stigmatized as an “inferior genre” despite its unquestionable beauty, and to shed light on the contemporary repertoire for this medium, which is at present almost unknown, unperformed and undiscussed, despite it embodies masterpieces of undoubted artistic value. To do so, the work focuses at first upon the technical challenges, the distinctive features, the possibilities of expression as well as the limitations that characterize the piano four-hands repertoire, explaining why they are of a completely unique order and why they make the medium itself so distinctive and so controversial at the same time. The script then explores the medium also from a more historical point of view, setting it into its social-cultural-musical context and deeply investigating that process that has brought it from being considered one of the most fascinating socio-cultural phenomenas of the 19th century to its almost complete extinction at the beginning of the 20th century, with the ultimate scope of analyzing what’s left of it nowadays and its role in the current musical scene. The results of the investigation point out that once the historical and sociological factors that have allowed the extreme popularity of the medium fell short, it could finally assume a completely new value and be a site of compositional and performance innovation which absolutely deserves to be discovered, performed and analyzed. The outputs of this dissertation have also inspired the young Chinese composer Ching-Fang Teng to write “Entanglement”, a proper homage to the medium and to its endless compositional potential.

When listening to early orchestral recordings, we are immediately confronted with a musical reality far detached from our own. Many aspects of these recordings sound quite alien to modern listeners and performers alike. Yet, the same recordings are often remarkably expressive and display great freedom which breathes fresh life into works which we now sometimes tend to take for granted. This expressiveness and freedom seems to a great degree to stem from a very different, more fluent, concept of musical time. In this research I wanted to understand these recordings better, to see what can be learned from them and how it can be applied in modern practice. I asked the question: how can analyses of recordings by Felix Weingartner, Willem Mengelberg and Pierre Monteux aid the use of 19th-century stylistic traits in modern orchestral performance practices? This research question was answered by first conducting detailed quantitative analysis on unnotated use of tempo flexibility and portamento on recordings made by these conductors. This was followed by an experimental practice-based phase where these findings were applied. The most striking finding of my analyses is the ways in which all three conductors used un-notated tempo flexibility. Using the structuralist and rhetorical terminology of Nicholas Cook (2013), in slightly altered form, their interpretations all exhibit rhetorical tendencies, with Weingartner being the most structuralist, Mengelberg the most rhetorical, and Monteux somewhere in the middle. Additionally, several concrete style elements connected to the use of unnotated tempo flexibility were identified, internalized, and applied in the practice-based phase. Having engaged deeply with the interpretations of these three conductors, I now feel freer to make my own interpretations without feeling restricted by traditions or modern performance practices. Most importantly, this takes the form of my increased use of un-notated tempo flexibility as an expressive tool.

This document presents a research, focused on case studies that aim to explore the repertoire for Wind Band and best preparation strategies for performers. It has two well-defined objectives: the first is to make a good catalogue of trumpet excerpts on original works for wind band, and the second one is to find an easy and simple way to help anyone who wants to prepare these excerpts for an audition. The process began with a broad search for wind band jobs and repertoiry. I was mentored by many principal trumpets from different countries, mainly because it was not easy to find books about it. This was also one of the biggest motivations, but also a problem. The second step was to choose 9 of these excerpts, in which we were able to find different styles, some of them virtuosic, others with slow movements, and identify the main technical difficulties. The subsequent focus was on these difficulties and I made technical, rhythmic and also mental exercises to help improve the interpretation in a simple way. Once all the data has been collected, I drew conclusions in order to contribute to the musical educational community and create new ways of preparing the wind band repertoire. I made these exercises with help of knowledge from performing science and the outcome was positive as this achieved almost instantaneous results, improving the student’s playing in just 3 workshops of 30 minutes each. This process was documented through recording workshops and subsequent interviews. Key words: Music Education, Practicing skills, Wind Band repertoire, Case Studies.

The basset horn is part of the clarinet family and its history begins in the late 18th century. It had at least seventy years lasting period of popularity in Germany and Austria but also in Bohemian countries, and England among other countries. Around 1850 to 1855 the basset horn began to disappear. This is the time period in the history of the basset horn this thesis explores. After an introduction, the beginning chapter will concentrate on different treatises or instructions written for this instrument like Albrechtsberger, Koch, Fröhlich or Mahon, bein compared to the main one, Backofen ’s Klarinett-Anweisung. Next, historical basset horn makers in Austria and other German-speaking countries will be listed and discussed. The fourth chapter deals with famous basset horn players of this era and tries to line up as many details known about them as possible. Also, the phenomenon of the basset clarinet as another additional low single-reed instrument will be investigated. A special focus lies in the following chapter: Mozart’s contribution to the repertoire of the basset horn. This complete list of his works highlights the role of the basset horn and also Mozart’s relationship with the famous player Anton Stadler. A detailed look on his Concerto in G (KV 621b) follows. At last but not least, a general overview of works including the basset horn will be presented. The thesis will finish with a conclusion to show what role the basset horn players had in the music world between 1770-1850 in Austria and other German-speaking countries.

What than is music? – Music is language.’ Composer Anton Webern was quite outspoken in 1932 : 'A human being wants to express thoughts in this language, but not a thought that can be transferred into an idea, but only into another musical thought.’ Almost sixty years later composer Wolfgang Rihm isn’t sure whether music is a language but states in his speech 'Was ‘sagt’ Musik/ What does music ‘say’?:’ if music is saying something, than the first what is addressed to us is: speak! Music wants to make us speak. That’s what music says!’ That raises the question whether music can be referential or carry meaning just as language can. A question that has made many speak and filled libraries of studies. Cognitive psychologist Aniruddh D. Patel writes in 2008: ‘A natural place to turn for help in defining musical meaning is the work of music theorists and philosophers of aesthetics’. After summing up a dozen publications on the topic since Webern made his statement, Patel reports: ‘No consensus has emerged from these writings for a definition of musical meaning.’ There is a lot of evidence in linguistics that qualities attributed to musicality contribute to language being the carrier of meaning. So what about the other way around? Can language help to understand what is experienced as meaningful in music? Language itself is an indicator that qualities inherent to language are often given to music. In German the word Interpret is used for instrumentalists performing music. The Dutch language has the word zeggingskracht that attributes power to music. 'Zegging-’ stems from the verb zeggen (to say), ‘kracht’ means power. Zeggingskracht was one of the three criteria to assess the work of composers by the Fund for the Creation of Music (Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst ) in The Netherlands. When the power to speak is inhibited and people stammer or lose their speech suffering from aphasia, it has been said that “only music, can do the calling.” And it’s almost a cliché to say that music can express what can’t be given words. Music is not a language but often sounds like one. What do musicians that are ‘speaking’ that music have to say about meaning in music, singing, performing or creating what composer Louis Andriessen describes as ‘talkative’ music? Or the stammering that composer György Kurtág calls his mother language? How do musicians give words to those moments when their music does the talking? What is the word is the last text that Samuel Beckett completed at the end of his life when through a stroke he periodically suffered from the disability to finds words, commonly diagnosed as aphasia. The Irish author inspired many to explore the zeggingskracht of music. Precise as he was, Beckett left out a question mark in the title, both in the original French version of Comment dire and in his English translation. That the title of Samuel Beckett’s last text is not posing a question but may provide us with an answer, is the hypothesis of this research.

For this project, Lien Baelde and I created a choreography based on "La Soiree dans Grenade" by C. Debussy. In order to prepare the choreography, I made an approach to the connection between music and dance and I analyzed the harmony and sctructure of the piece. The objetive of the research is to see how my playing changes while working “La Soireé dans Grenade” with a dancer. To answer this question, I compare a recording before and after working with the dancer. This research concludes that mixing arts in the learning process has benefits in my playing, adding flexibility and tempo control.

This artistic research project delves into the role of organ music in the Dutch Protestant liturgy. It studies the added value of organ music in church services by looking at one specific manifestation of liturgy in which organ music has a prominent role: organ vespers. An organ vespers is a brief Christian service of prayer with a prominent role for organ music. This research provides historical and practical context to organ vespers by relating it to Jewish, Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions of Evening Prayer, and to how Dietrich Buxtehude entertained local businessmen in his series of Abendmusiken. It discusses relevant literature and the guidelines of the Dutch Protestant Service Book on prayers and music. Three practices of organ vespers in the Netherlands are compared. Two outcomes are presented. First, this research presents the order of service for four organ vespers in the Goede Herderkerk in Rotterdam. Second, it describes the results of a questionnaire held amongst the visitors of those vespers. In total 82 questionnaires were filled in by those attending at least one of the vespers. Based on the results, this study argues that organ music in a liturgical context has the exquisite quality of engaging and interacting with listeners and participants in the liturgy. Furthermore, it illustrates how the age-old role of organ music in liturgy continues to be of great value in both musical as well as religious context.

Name Pim Witvrouw Main Subject Music Theory Supervisors Paul Scheepers / David Kuijken Title of Research Towards an integrated method for practicing: internalizing the composer’s language Research Question In which ways can we use the outcome of an analysis to develop a practice method focused on learning the general musical language of a score, instead of just memorizing the right notes? Summary of Results Musicians who could very well play, improvise and compose wrote down the majority of repertoire, which we encounter as Western classical musicians. In conservatories and music schools often an attitude towards classical music is developed from a narrower point of view: learning and performing a score. There are extra classes in solfeggio, harmony, improvisation, analysis and counterpoint. However, the reality is that, for most students these subjects are not connected to their practice as instrumentalists. As a pianist, I don’t use all the resources I have as a theorist, and there seems to be a separation between these two practices. Might there be a different way to start practicing a classical work? For the purposes of my research I have chosen one piece as a case study: the first movement of Beethoven's piano sonata n. 31 (op. 110, in A flat major). First I analysed the movement and then I looked at what I can do with the data generated from the analysis. I developed some exercises in order to prepare one for studying the actual work. These exercises could bring theoretical knowledge and improvisation skills into the instrumental lessons and give the player a deeper insight into Beethoven’s harmonic language and use of formal structures. Further research is necessary in order to work out these exercises for more repertoire of all levels, styles and even instruments. It is my intention with this research and future work to bring music theory and activities in the practice rooms of musicians closer together. Biography Pim Witvrouw began his professional music studies at the Young Talent Department of the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven (Belgium) where he studied piano with Stefan Celen. He continued to study in the Netherlands at the Utrecht Conservatory, where he studied with Paolo Giacometti. In addition to this he studied musicology at the University of Utrecht. Pim is currently engaged giving piano lessons and music theory classes at the CKV-Almere. Since September 2018 he also teaches music theory at the Conservatory of Zwolle. In recent years he performed a solo program devoted to works of J.S. Bach.

Student Number 3169227 Supervisor(s) Andrew Wright Title I'm Nobody, who am I Research Question My research question is too long for the form. Summary Emily Dickinson's poetry can be hard to understand the first time you read it. How then can the artist communicate an Emily Dickinson poem in a song in a way that an audience grasps the meaning the first time? For that reason, you need to define who you are on stage and what you want to communicate. But what do you communicate on stage when your first sentence is 'I'm Nobody!'? This research turns Nobodies into Somebodies and the other way around by looking at the voices (the characters) that are present in the poems of Emily Dickinson, specifically the poem 'I'm Nobody!'. Who speaks to whom? The research makes a journey from Emily Dickinson to scholars who write about her, composers who make songs on her poems and in the end to the performer who with all these people in her mind communicates the poem and the song to the audience. Finally, the voices in the poem become defined as various characters that can be performed on different settings of 'I'm Nobody!' by Ernst Bacon, Nick Raspa and Lori Laitman. From something vague and ungraspable the poem and its voices become very concrete and close to our own daily lives. Short Bio Mezzo soprano Boukje started singing as soon as she could speak. After her Bachelor’s in History at the Utrecht University, she decided that she wanted to explore as much as possible about singing. In 2017 she graduated from the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg and started her Master's in the Royal Conservatoire. Currently, she studies with Catrin Wyn-Davies. Boukje performed as a soloist in different concerts. She sang, for example, the alto solos in Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Haydn’s Stabat Mater, Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle and she sang the role of Hänsel in the staged opera of Hänsel und Gretel from Humperdinck.

Student Number 3026329 Supervisor(s) Andrew Wright, Maggie Urquhart Title De Formule Research Question How can a performance of Shostakovich’ piano quintet be dramatized by using words, movements, staging and lighting? Summary This research was carried out in and through the practice and performances of ensemble ‘de Formule’, a piano quintet in which we both play the violin. As a result of this research, our goal was to perform the Shostakovich piano quintet in a dramatized way, which we did in 2018. The research text describes the internal research process. By looking at (historical) sources about the composer and the piece, and by analyzing the score we got an impression of the context and atmosphere of the quintet, and we created a story to go with it. We found that the piece fitted today’s very important topic about finding your identity within the (mass) society, knowing the history of Shostakovich’ own struggles and the expressions he creates in his melodies, harmonies, instrumentation etc.: sometimes searching, sometimes dragged along in sarcastic happiness and sometimes screaming for help. All these elements we used to conduct the research process, which included translation of the story lines and expressions into movements, words, light effects and different stagings. As a result of this dramatization, we noticed that the audience seemed to understand the music better, and for ourselves, the performance was a more meaningful experience. Short Bio Coraline Groen obtained a bachelor’s degree from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. Her teachers have included Vera Beths, Peter Brunt and Philippe Graffin in The Hague, and Rodney Friend at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Groen was a member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Academy 2018-2019 and played with the Bayrische Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra and the Residentie Orchestra. She was appointed principal of the second violins of the NJO, the RAM Symphony Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Academy Orchestra. Groen is a member of the Volkmann Trio, De Formule, and a duo with bayan player Robbrecht Van Cauwenberghe.

« Should the interpretation of Monteverdi’s lamenti and lettere amorose be closer to the pre-existing art of declamation? » Nowadays, Monteverdi has become so sacred to the Early musician, that we are afraid of disturbing his art in our interpretation of his written down musical lines. So we stick to what is written, respecting every pitch, every note value, and God forbid we change the tactus! For a lot of Monteverdi’s music, this is a respectable approach. However, when it comes to the interpretation of his lamentations (lamenti) and love letters (lettere amorose), one asks themselves whether it should perhaps be done in a more declamative way. These two genres are composed in the stile recitativo and carry so much unrepeated text that it seems almost improbable that one should approach these compositions from the notes rather than from the poetry. If the seconda pratica is the beginning reign of the text over the harmony in the composition process, then why not adopt this same concept in the interpretation process? Throughout this research, I will first observe the historical context of these two genres and their connections with the world of the Commedia dell’Arte. I will then discuss the very delicate question of the tactus. And finally, I will attempt to interpret a couple of Monteverdi’s compositions, basing myself on the declamation skills of a Commedia dell’Arte specialist with whom I worked closely.

The harmonium and the accordion are two similar instruments working via the same core principles: free-reeds and bellows. Despite this commonality, the harmonium was popular in the late romanticism & early 20th century whilst the accordion, as a concert instrument, started to emerge only from the 1950s on; both instruments thus having a totally different repertoire. Nowadays however, it is not so easy to find a decent harmonium, let alone to come across somebody who masters its specific technique and for that reason, harmonium pieces are these days often performed on an accordion. This research will therefore try to be a guide for the accordion player who is asked to play a piece that was originally written for the harmonium, by providing him with some necessary tools and background information concerning the specifics of the harmonium. First of all, a brief history, focussing on the historical and constructional similarities and differences between both instruments, is included and besides that, the most common harmonium-types (compression system, suction system, art harmonium) aswel as the rise of the free-bass accordions are being described. The second chapter deals with the specific repertoire for the harmonium by offering a list containing the majority of the romantic literature for the instrument, written by established composers of that era. Hereby, some of the key compositions, e.g. l’Organiste by César Franck, are highlighted. A comparison between the way of playing, sound and registration of both instruments will conclude this thesis.

My aim for this research is to discover more about the equipment I use every day and to see if having a practical and technical knowledge about the viola da gamba bow and bow making in the 16-18th century in general will affect my playing and artistic decisions. In today’s practice, bows with a screw mechanism and white hair are the most common type used by viola da gamba players. Iconography and treatises show us that the screw system was not in use until the middle of the 18th century, and the choice of the type of wood, hair, or the shape and length of the bow is very diverse. As the main part of my research, I have spent a lot of time in a workshop, learning the process of bow making, with the result of three bows. This experiment helped me to explore which parts of the bow affect our playing the most, how the frog system or the tension relate to the articulation, and the quality of wood to the quality of the sound. Bow makers are artists who through their wood-working help the musicians to express their music. In my presentation, after an overview of how the bow changed during the 16-18th century, I will describe my experience in the workshop with pictures and videos and finish with a demonstration of the bows I made.

As a harpsichordist and HIP performer, I was so fascinated with 16th-century keyboard tablature notation on my first encounter some years ago. Since then, I have been inspired to explore playing from original notation as part of my HIP training. This research is a big part of this artistic endeavor, addressing 16th-century keyboard tablature notation from Spanish and German sources and finding answers for what it is, why it was invented, why it is not in practice today, and how one may bring it back to practice. At the beginning stages of this exploration, I noticed that keyboard tablature was not really in practice as performance notation in the current HIP dialogue. I wanted to investigate why and, through this thesis, present it as a relevant, stimulating topic. This research presents historical and theoretical analysis of this notation and the results of an extensive systematic experiment-survey I devised and conducted with 32 non-musicians and musicians of all levels. Personally, the contents of this thesis have greatly deepened my understanding of historical performance of keyboard music in the 16th century and enriched my experience as an Early Music performer.

The term prolonged touch comes from Carl Czerny and is synonymous with finger pedaling, legatissimo, overlegato, and, in some cases, legato. This was a common technique used by the early pianists who took it out of the practices of harpsichord, clavichord, and organ playing. Its use in piano music declined during the Romantic period and beyond, due to the development of the piano and its sound, the advancement of damper pedal technique, and a more "literal” reading of notation. My research aims to understand how and where in music the prolonged touch was used in Classical and early Romantic piano music. Passages describing this technique were found in treatises and works by C. P. E. Bach, Türk, Milchmeyer, Adam, Hummel, Moscheles, Czerny, and more. From these passages, I examined the ways the aforementioned composers notated or indicated the use of this technique in their compositions. Next, based on what the treatises tell, I organized categories of musical applications of the prolonged touch. And then I gave examples from piano literature to further illustrate their use within each category. Finally, I demonstrated my artistic use of the prolonged touch in Mozart’s Sonata in F major, K. 332.

Frederic Mompou i Dencausse (1893 - 1987) was one of the most intriguing Spanish composers of the 20th century. His music, often described as pure for its beauty and apparent simplicity, has captivated the attention of numerous critics and musicians around the world. The majority of the production of Mompou is dedicated to the piano, instrument that he mastered despite his reluctance to perform for large audiences - similarly to F. Chopin. The aim of this research is precisely to investigate the way Mompou performed his pieces, in other words, his performance style. My investigation is divided into two clear sections: on the one hand, chapters one and two provide the reader with a theoretical framework (biography, style, and influences; on the other hand, chapters three and four constitute the practical and most important part of my research. Concerning this last one, I analyze Cants Magics (1919), the first piece that presents a defined unique style, and its corresponding recording performed by Mompou himself in 1974. The result of this proces is the creation of a new annotated score to visually demonstrate the different expressive resources he uses to enhance the expression of his composition. Examples of these are dislocations, tempo fluctuations, voicings, rubati and pedalling. Lastly, in chapter four I apply partof the above-mentioned Mompou's pianistic techniques into other compositions from Musica Callada. These serve me to formulate an experienced-based reflection on the matter.

The solo clarinet compositions of Antonio Casimir Cartellieri (1772-1807) are comparatively unknown in these days, although during his lifetime his works were widely acclaimed in the Viennese Court. This research has a threefold purpose: Reconstructing the life of Antonio Casimir Cartellieri; locating and procuring as many of Cartellieri’s works as possible; studying the selected compositions; assessing both his historical role in the clarinet repertory and the value of his compositions for the instrument. The results are presented in three chapters. The first one contains a biography of Cartellieri, the second deals with Cartellieri’s repertoire and the last chapter, the most important, contains the analysis of the clarinet solo works. Observation upon Cartellieri’s compositional style and treatment of the clarinet will be drawn from the analysis of the four clarinet concertos and the four clarinet quartets. With regards to the nowadays clarinet performer, Cartellieri’s compositions serve as a model representing the best traits of the late eighteenth-century wind virtuoso school. Furthermore, they provide a repertory bridging the gap between the old style of Stamitz and Mozart, and the new style of Weber, and Spohr. The concertos and the quartet are excellent training pieces for clarinet students, showing formal characteristics of the period. They are pleasant, charming, and unassuming works of the chamber genre, idiomatically suited for the solo instrument, emphasizing directness and balance of conventional structure. Cartellieri’s works were undoubtedly fashionable vehicles for displaying the Viennese Clarinets virtuosos. They possess a high degree of musical craftsmanship with moments of true musical inspiration.

Name: Laura Ginström Main subject: Ensemble Singing Supervisor: Gerda van Zelm Title of research: Singing and Well-being - The Experiences of Professional Choir Singers Research question: How do professional choir singers describe the effects of singing and the professional life on their well-being, and what is the importance and effect of singing-related well-being for my own artistic development? Summary of results: Singing in choirs has been an integral part of my life, and I have personally experienced enjoyable physical sensations, positive emotions and social bonding associated with choir singing. Researching this topic further, I learned that these experiences can be described as singing-related well-being. According to a growing number of studies amateur choir singing produces various beneficial effects on health and well-being. Research on professional singers about their experiences and occupational well-being has been much scarcer. Based on the limited studies, they might not enjoy all of the same benefits of singing as amateurs do. The goal of this research was to start closing this research gap and to learn what professional choir singers have to say about singing-related well-being. I created an online questionnaire to gather experiences from professional singers, and also kept a diary of my own well-being experiences during professional choir projects. Analysing these two sources of data revealed that professional singers did recognise many of the well-being experiences associated with singing. However, professional choir singing was not perceived as something especially relaxing or therapeutic, which are common themes emerged from research on amateurs. The social aspects of choir work were deemed important in experiencing singing-related well-being, as well as the conductor’s artistic approach. For me personally, these well-being experiences have been the motivation for my career choice and for this research, and they also serve as an indicator of my development as a musician. The format of this research is a thesis. Biography: Laura Ginström (1992) is a Finnish mezzo-soprano who has studied vocal pedagogy and clinical psychology in Helsinki. Her love for choir singing brought her to The Hague, where she started in the new Master Specialisation Ensemble singing at The Royal Conservatoire in 2018. She currently studies with Noa Frenkel and sings projects with The Netherlands Chamber Choir as a part of the master’s course. She is passionate about combining her two careers in singing and psychology, being particularly interested in the beneficial effects of singing on the body and the mind.

Western art, literature, and music have told many parallel stories throughout the centuries. Living through similar politics, philosophies, and technological advancements, it is no surprise that such links between the arts exist. Now, more than ever, a time when anything can be considered art and anyone an artist, I feel a necessity to understand these connections of the past in order to proceed forward as a musician. Being more and more involved in creating my own music, I thought it an opportune occasion to combine these interest and explore how a research into artistic and literary movements can help me develop my musical language and creativity as an improviser. In this exposition, I have created a narrative that brings together the art, music, and poetry of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Based on my understanding and experience of these artistic and literary movements, I have created improvisations and semi-composed/semi-improvised pieces (some of which I collaboratively worked on with my trio Kalea), attempting to demonstrate how looking to the past can bring inspiration to our contemporary practice.

Research question: How can the embodiment of gestures help me to increase my performance focus with the aim of eradicating meaningless gestures during singing, and is it possible to create a step-by-step study plan that incorporates my findings? Abstract: The goal of this research was to find a solution to my problem that my gestures don’t always contribute to the lyric’s meaning when I’m singing. I was looking for a way to eradicate meaningless gestures. I carried out my research by examining the history of singing, scientific papers and articles regarding the connection between speech and gesture, and writings by experts in the field of acting, singing and body movement like Fajo Jansen, a body-movement teacher who helped help me analyse some of my old video recordings. I also used a questionnaire and created a study plan incorporating these findings, and recorded myself multiple times under the guidance of Fajo in order to test their efficacy. I discovered that a disruption in my performance-focus during singing was causing my gesticulation problems. By creating a deeper physical connection with a text’s meaning, I sought to re-establish and strengthen this focus, which I tested with my study plan for the embodiment of gestures. My work with Fajo showed that, next to this approach, another layer should be added: namely, the body should feel grounded and experience a feeling of flow in order to create free gestures which contribute to a text’s meaning. With Fajo, I concluded that by not only working on the embodiment of gestures but on the whole body as well, my gesticulation problem can be remedied more effectively.

Ornamenting baroque da capo arias is crucial for the historically informed singer. However, the choice of ornaments should do more than fit the affects portrayed in a given piece: it should emphasize their expression and move the affections of the audience. In Mattheson’s Der vollkommene Capellmeister it is suggested that rhetorical figures can be of good use as ornaments. Out of the abundant number of figures listed by theorists associated with the movement of the German Musica Poetica, only a few have simultaneously an affective meaning and can be applied to a pre-existing melody. This research explores some of the existing ornamented melodies by G. F. Händel and singers from the time of the composer to understand how these ornaments can be linked with figures from rhetoric, and how they assist in the expression of the text. This research associates rhetorical figures and manieren with general affects and demonstrates its practical use in selected operatic repertoire by G. F. Händel. This study aims to enhance the author’s aesthetic choices while performing, and furthermore encourage other singers to use ornamentation effectively in similar repertoire.

The revolution of sound recording at the beginning of the 20th century influenced classical performance practice, setting definitive interpretations and eradicating more personal approaches to music-making. Many fundamental expressive devices were lost over the years and thus Romantic musical performance was no longer understood in the same way. This is why my research tries to look backwards in time with the aim of exploring the main attributes of Brahms’s Romantic style in music for string instruments. My research aims to: (1) understand lost Romantic expressive devices and how they worked, and (2) explore ways of using them today. I first analysed primary and secondary literature to establish context. Then I examined historical edited cello scores by Brahms, using them to show the different fingerings and slurrings provided by the main cellists of the period, which give us a clear idea about the use of portamenti, for example. Finally I listened to cello and string quartet early recordings to hear sonic evidence of these techniques, before applying them in Brahms's chamber music for cello. The main outcome I found is that diverse and emotional approaches to music-making made the Romantic period unique. I hope these tools can encourage today’s cellists and string players in general to create new, more personal, freer and more creative approaches to playing Romantic repertoires.

This thesis is the outcome of the research component of our Masters’ study Aus Licht - Sound projection. The aim of this research was to document the available information that would come to the fore while working with a group of experienced Stockhausen collaborators, each of them a specialist in sound reinforcement and sound system engineering. This information is captured in three case studies that contextualise a set of keywords that were collected and defined during the 20 months of preparations and rehearsals (September 2017 to May 2019 in Licht aan Zee Studio in The Hague), as well as the concert period (May 2019 to June 2019 in De Gashouder in Amsterdam). One case study was written collaboratively and two case studies were written individually by each of the sound projectionists involved in this research project. Each case study details one work or part of the whole program. The thesis is concluded by reflective statements by each of the collaborators.

In ‘early music’ performance today ΄sound΄ does not get as much attention as other expressive devices, even though the sound was an inseparable part of expression in music performance in 18th century. This research attempts to explore the traverso and its expressive sound possibilities when placed in the field of contemporary music. The tonal capabilities of the traverso will be viewed from the perspectives of both 18th century sources and modern-day ΄early΄ and ΄classical music practice΄. The research considers what have sometimes been seen as the instrument´s “limitations” and "imperfections", asking how they could be positively exploited in contemporary music. At the same time, so-called ‘extended techniques ’for the modern flute are explored on the baroque flute, by a study and performance of two contemporary compositions for traverso solo. At the end, I will be looking at how this untraditional perception of traverso sound could open up our expressive imagination in performance of the traditional 18th century traverso repertoire. The research hopes to bring some new inspirations for traverso players as well as other ΄early music΄ performers, and to clarify the distinctive role of sound as an expressive device in early instruments. It also hopes to inspire composers to write more contemporary acoustic music using the specific sonority of this instrument. The presentation will be given in the form of performance-lecture.

The objective of my proposal is to educate aspiring professionals and students of baroque guitar on the history and development of the instrument and the strumming style in France

The human sensory system is complex and enigmatic but yet, attractive. Why are we continuously applying expressional words from another sensory modality and understanding it without any suspicion? In classical music, usage of the term dolce (sweet) to specify particular musical tones is frequently applied despite the word initially used to express a character of specific taste, which seems unrelated to music. This curiosity affects the researcher to explores a specific sensorial phenomenon, a crossmodal correspondence. The study's objectives are to comprehend and utilise the topic of crossmodal correspondences to design multisensory performance with an emphasis on sound-taste associations. This exposition contains scientific reviews on crossmodal correspondences, interviews with a neurologist, and personal experience at a fine dining restaurant; additionally, the related subject, synaesthesia. Lastly, a review on the process of creating a flavour musical piece for solo guitar in collaboration with a prominent Thai composer, Piyawat Louilarpprasert, has been elaborated.

Phoebe Kirrage Classical Singing Research Supervisor: Anna Scott Britten's Folksong Arrangements and Their Traditional Counterparts Question: How do the Britten Folksong arrangements relate to their traditional counterparts, with an emphasis on text? This research explores the relationship between traditional British folk songs and their Benjamin Britten counterparts. The function of this research is to create a new relationship between the original songs and their values and the impressions brought about by Britten through his edits. Primarily through harmonic arrangements, changes in melody and textual edits made by Britten. Both folk and classical music have been crucial components in my life and have shaped me as a performer. There have been a great number of folk songs and tunes arranged for classical music yet there is very little dialogue between the two styles. I have used a combination of my own fieldwork, interviews, rehearsals, recordings and historical research to create an in depth research into the differences made to the traditional songs by Britten in his arrangements. The final results have come to fruition in the creation of an in depth analysis of the differences between the arrangements and the songs, and a full recording of the sixth book of folk songs with guitar. The outcome is a combination of the two musical styles to create a new sound. A concert will follow in which the new arrangements will be performed in a space and atmosphere inspired by both classical and folk performance spaces. A noticeable difference in my classical performing has also come about through the research into storytelling and freeness in folk performance in combination with classical performance. Phoebe Kirrage is a British soprano, having previously studied Musicology at Royal Holloway University of London, she is now pursuing her masters degree in classical singing under the teaching of Noa Frenkel. Having sung from a very early age, Phoebe has had the privilege of performing in some of the UKs most prestigious performance venues, including The Royal Albert Hall and The Barbican. In the Netherlands Phoebe has had the opportunity to perform in spaces such has the Grote Zaal in TivoliVredenburg. Upcoming performances include Britten's Turn of the Screw and Psalm 42 by Mendelssohn.

Many musicians think that experiencing and showing vulnerability is a weakness. I see it differently. To share our music with the world, without any assurance of acceptance or appreciation, is to be vulnerable; to be real, to choose courage over comfort, to take off your mask, is vulnerability. The exposure and risk we face, are not optional. In my own musical journey, I discovered that I cannot escape vulnerability on stage. What if embracing our vulnerability is key to convincing, yet authentic performances? This research is not about finding the magic solution for performance anxiety. It is not about avoiding vulnerability, but about embracing it. Embracing vulnerability starts with defining, recognizing and understanding it. That is exactly where this research started: a literature review was done and experts in the field of psychology were interviewed. This led to the design of strategies that can help embracing vulnerability when performing and when preparing a performance. These strategies are used in an intervention over 13 performances that have been documented with audio/video recordings, a journal and a self-questionnaire. Results show that performance preparation is a crucial element in dealing with vulnerability. Also, embracing vulnerability led to more experiences of ‘flow’, enhanced focus and increased trust in my abilities to perform music. Besides, I felt more authentic as a performer. These findings, although subjective, provide insights and strategies that could be of great benefit to other musicians.

Research in progress

A lot of researches have been conducted on Mozart's work and how to play it, including by myself. Eventhough those works helped our comprehension of this music, we still don't know what particular horn did Leutgeb (the composer's hornist friend) play at the time ; and never have I ever encountered a practical experimentation on such an instrument yet. XVIIIth century horns are rare and never played : every recorded performance of Mozart’s music on hand-horn is played on a copy or a XIXth century horn, which is historically inaccurate. We know a lot of theory ; but no one has gone any further yet. My goal is to step in the unknown : first, to get as close as possible to the horn Leutgeb and Mozart knew ; then, find and play a historical horn from Mozart’s time, and see what impact it has on the playing and the music.

CARLOTTA PUPULIN Baroque Harp Supervisor: Dr. Inês de Avena Braga Title: Angelical music for a New World Research question: How did music develop in Hispanic America between the XV-XVII centuries?

This essay focuses on the connection between personal and artistic growth. The starting point for the essay is my position as a student counsellor at the University of Arts The Hague dealing with students that have personal issues that affect their artistic development. First I take a bigger view by focussing on personal growth in general, from a dialogical perspective. I also make a connection to mental health. With the concepts derived from this wider perspective, I investigate how they could play a role in art. I present material I gathered, about artists who struggle on a personal level with a possible effect on their artistic work. Also in regard to art, I make a connection to mental health. I look back on the reports from my conversations with students, and analyse the data of an interview I did with 14 students. To illustrate my argument, throughout the essay I present cases of students that contacted me during the past years.

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Name: Hannah Jefferies Main Subject: Classical Flute Research Supervisors: Ines de Avena Braga, Research Question: How can elements and features from psychology and philosophy illustrate what is fundamental to our emotions, in what way can these concepts be represented within and expressed by the flute repertoire, and how can we incorporate and convey these understandings as performers to create music meaningfully and be of beneficence to others? Summary of Results: This research sets out to contrast and evaluate diverse standpoints from psychology and philosophy to discuss firstly how emotions can be defined, whether music creates real emotions in us, and what capacities we possess to be both receptive and conveying of emotion within music. During my discussion, I incorporate examples of excerpts from the flute repertoire, consider the harmonic language used and function of musical structures, and balance this against the resulting emotional response from us. This initial discussion is in support of a questionnaire which I conducted in order to gather results from respondents of their perceived emotional response and valence when presented with differing musical excerpts, both upon an initial and second listening. I aimed to gauge and qualify their reaction to musical traits which have been connected more strongly than others to specific emotional states, and additionally I was interested to find if there was a connection between memory of a piece of music, and emotional valence due to this familiarity. Finally, having demonstrated the emotive strength it is possible for music to hold, I investigate how as artists we can harness and emphasise certain functions of music to create performances which are highly engaging and positively affecting for listeners. Additionally, this research then leads us to an understanding of the impact of integrating the effects of emotion and music, and suggests how this combination can be beneficial and utilised in and for the wider society, namely in the field of music therapy. Biography: I am currently a second year masters student from the UK studying classical flute at the Koninklijk Conservatorium with Jeroen Bron and Dorine Schade, having recently completed my Bachelors degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. During my studies I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to perform as part of ensembles including Asko|Schönberg, New European Ensemble, European Youth Wind Orchestra, and Amadeus Orchestra Academy. Outside of performance, I greatly enjoy being part of outreach and community music; a highlight was working with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra, delivering music therapy to people with Dementia.

(this research was submitted March 2019) How can late-18th- and early-19th-century vocal techniques influence our way of experimenting with portamento use in Schubert’s violin music and how can we reinstate the practice in ways that are relevant for current listeners and players? The voice and violin have always shared an intimate connection. Violin treatises from the late-18th and early-19th centuries consistently encourage violinists to imitate vocal techniques. My thesis explores this relationship via the music of Franz Schubert (1797-1828), who revolutionised Lieder and used vocal techniques in his instrumental writing. Many fundamental vocal expressive devices, including portamento, have been lost in “modern” and “historically-informed” (HIP) singing and violin playing. My thesis aims to (1) understand the historical appropriateness of portamento in Schubert’s violin music and how different types of portamento work, (2) examine why the technique was lost, and (3) explore ways of reigniting it in today's musical aesthetic. I first analysed relevant written sources and early vocal and violin recordings, finding clear evidence of frequent and varied vocal and violin portamento use, clear links in portamento use between early-recorded singing and violin playing, and consistency between early-recorded portamenti and written sources from Schubert’s time. To understand why portamento was lost, I examined the wider phenomenon of style change in the 20th century and found that both recording technology and general 20th-century aesthetic changes encouraged “cleanness” and “repeatability” in music, thereby eradicating spontaneous and unique expressive devices like portamento. Finally, I researched innate emotional responses to music and portamento’s importance as an engaging communicative tool, and undertook my own artistic experimentation in early-19th-century music, collaborating with and surveying leading vocal and string 19th-century HIP practitioners to explore ways of making portamento expressive and relevant to modern musical practice and appreciation.

This research is about how to continue making music through engagement in musical activities with meaningful understandings that the act of music making contributes to lifelong musical growth. The measurement of validation as a musician are based on concepts of FLOW and deal with the combination of musicianship understandings through the philosophies of Zoltán Kodály, David J. Elliott, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

The recent discovery of original bassoons made in Barcelona in the 18th century and the researches made on the musical life of the city during this period give us the opportunity to understand how the instrument was conceived and which role it had in its musical context. When were this bassoons made? By whom? For what purpose? Which repertoire could have been played with them? Do they share any common characteristics? How are these linked to their function in the music of that time? All these and other questions are answered in this research by putting together an organological analysis of the instruments, the repertory that has been preserved and different written sources concerning the historical and musical context and the instrument making. This research will be presented in form of research exposition.

In the past three decades, the process of music-making moved away from operating analogue devices to using the software running inside of computers. While these advancements provide significant advantages, visually impaired people cannot fully benefit from this progress because some of the software tools are not accessible to them. The aim of this thesis is to explore the accessibility of music production tools for the visually impaired and propose an accessible eyes-free audio equalizer application controlled by a surface haptics interface. To determine the level of accessibility of music production software, this thesis reviews industry practices and research concerning assistive technology in music production by analysing the most popular digital audio workstations' accessibility features. Further, online interviews with visually impaired music producers are conducted to find out about the way they work and their experience with using the software. Finally, an equalizer with a visual display of the EQ curve for a surface haptic interface is designed and developed to explore a new human-computer interaction method that makes it possible to operate audio plugins eyes-free. Due to haptics feedback, the user can control the application in a non-visual way. To validate the application design and potential for improving the accessibility of music production tools, two tests with participants are conducted. The results show that it is possible to control audio equalizer only with haptic feedback. However, more development is needed to improve the user workflow.

The late Nineteenth Century saw the emergence of the viola from the ‘engine room’ of the orchestra to a solo instrument in its own right, due to champions such as English violist Lionel Tertis. The viola’s rising status paved the way for collaborations between violists and composers, resulting in an expansion of a relatively limited repertoire and placing higher demands on the performer. Through theoretical and practical based research, I identify the roles and responsibilities of the classical violist when collaborating with living composers. At the centre of my practical investigations were collaborations with four composers in the realisation of new works and exploration of pre-existing works by three composers, as part of a cross-departmental/cross-cultural collaboration. These collaborations highlight the importance of a high level of musicianship and an ability to communicate with and without the instrument. Artistic and intellectual exchange through open communication results in mutually beneficial outcomes and a deeper connection with the music. Additionally, these collaborations reveal that the viola is still emerging as a solo instrument, needing further experimentation and exploration. The final aspect of my research is the curation of a lecture-recital series showcasing these new compositions, anchored with works from the standard and lesser-known repertoire. The future aim is to perform and record these new works in order to reach a wider audience. Successful collaborations contribute to the generation, promotion, and contribution to the classical viola repertoire and the status of the instrument itself now and into the future. Bio Michelle Pritchard is an Australian violist, violinist and pedagogue, studying her Master in Classical Music (Viola) with Ásdís Valdímarsdottír at The Royal Conservatoire, The Hague. In Australia, Michelle studied with Alex Todicescu, Sydney Conservatorium. Later with Jeremy Williams, obtaining an Associate of Music Diploma with Distinction, and a Graduate Diploma of Professional Music Performance Practice through the University of Tasmania. Specialising in chamber music, Michelle established a concert series in Sydney. She has toured Europe as recitalist and as a member of the Hourglass Ensemble.  Additionally, she founded ‘Eisteddfod on the Mountain’ in the regional area north of Sydney

This research is about how mental imagery exercises can be included in daily practice and what the effects are. The main question in this research is: How can mental training help me to practice more economically? Previous research showed different potential benefits of imagery exercises. The aim of this research is to collect and categorize different imagery exercises and to indicate if the exercises help to practice more economically.

Master Thesis

Connections; The artistic process of creating a multimedia performance

Name: Noa Meshulam Main Subject: Historical Clarinet Research Supervisor: Wouter Verschuren Research Title: Clarinet Pedagogy in Times of Change and Advancement: The Evolution of Amand Vanderhagen’s Méthode Nouvelle et Raisonnée pour La Clarinette Research Questions: • How are the changes in the clarinet’s design and playing techniques, musical aesthetics, and taste being manifested in Amand Vanderhagen’s method from the first to last edition (1785-1819)? • Has Vanderhagen changed his pedagogical model in the 34 years that passed between his first book and his last? If any changes occurred, what were the factors that contributed to that? Summary: During the last decades of the eighteenth century, the field of clarinet pedagogy started to blossom and rapidly developed alongside the publishing of the first comprehensive methods for the instrument. The earliest amongst these important treatises, Méthode Nouvelle et Raisonnée pour La Clarinette, by Belgian-French clarinetist Amand Vanderhagen, was published in 1785. Throughout his lifetime, Vanderhagen edited and republished his method twice after the initial edition; In 1799, the Nouvelle Méthode de Clarinette, and in 1819, the Nouvelle Méthode de Clarinette Moderne à Douze Clés. In this research, I demonstrate the ways in which the development of the clarinet and the changes in the musical culture in Paris affected, contributed to, and inspired Vanderhagen to modify his pedagogical model. In addition, I examine the ways changing musical aesthetics and styles are manifested throughout the three methods. During the process, I got the impression that Vanderhagen was extremely sensitive and attentive to the changes in the musical scene, as well as the advancements in the clarinet culture in Paris. Hence, between his three methods, I could spot several interesting changes in his approach, particularly in topics like embouchure, exercises, embellishments, etc. With this comparison, I aimed to draw attention to a different thread that focuses on Vanderhagen’s approach to clarinet pedagogy in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, and appreciate the ways in which the instrument’s evolution contributed to the development of the method and practice of teaching. Biography: Noa Meshulam is an Israeli-Portuguese clarinetist specializing in historically informed performance. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. During her bachelor studies, she participated in the Nazarian Excellence in Chamber Music Program and played with The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra on several occasions. After graduating she moved to the USA to pursue her master’s degree at Indiana University and was awarded scholarship and fellowship grants. There, she also started studying historical clarinet with Eric Hoeprich, with whom she continued her second master’s studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

How can a classical performing violinist develop a practice method which serves for expanding their active musical vocabulary and applying it in an improvised interlude during a concert? The objective of this research is to explore practice methods which helps one create improvisations inserted in between composed pieces of a concert programme. The main goal is to create a common thread in a program with an otherwise varied repertoire. This research identifies and compares the practice methods that can be used to achieve this goal. The methodology is based on the study of academic and educational sources, autoethnography, experiments in the form of performances, a questionnaire for the audience, interviews with experts and recording of work in the practice room. The improvisation played in between two compositions is called an interlude and the act of playing such an improvisation, interluding. These interludes contain musical material of both the previous and the next piece, thus creating seamless transitions, a bridge between characters and/or a dialogue between the pieces. First, the historical importance of preluding and interluding is discussed, followed by a collection of improvisation exercises based on an existing composition with audio examples. These exercises serve to expand an active musical vocabulary inspired by the chosen pieces. The interludes can be built using different structures with this newly acquired vocabulary. To present and discuss the results, recordings of performances are included. Finally the limits of this format of strictly recycling (thematic) material are discussed, bringing to the surface other ways to use the concept of interluding.

Taking the audience on a journey is always an important goal of mine while performing. My research was created not only to add to my knowledge but more importantly to my performance and my connection to the audience. Throughout my research I uncover the enigma of Bach as an inspiration for Hindemith. What connects these two composers living 200 years apart? How do we connect the ‘new and modern’ to the ‘old and familiar’? Is Hindemith in fact 'Bach with a modern twist'? By discovering the similarities and differences between Bach’s 6th Cello Suite and Hindemith’s Solo Sonata Op.25 No.1, through background research and putting their structure and harmony in relation to each other, a new world of interpreting both composers opened up to me. The research makes my performance more involved but also allows me to take the listener by the hand, guiding them through this more ‘modern’ music by Hindemith and his contemporaries such as Max Reger, by accompanying his music with Bach, and accompanying the music with short metaphorical stories highlighting the composers' similarities as well as different approaches. Engaging the audience, allowing them to open their ears and view the music in a new light.

Much research has been done to better understand the emotional experience of music; from the philosophical, artistic, psychological, and statistical approaches. In this research we conduct a cross-domain experiment based on those four disciplines, to further understand the factors that influence the emotional perception of music; and in particular the difference between the artist’s emotional conception and the audience’s perception. In the experiment we train a novel model of an Artificial Neural Network, to predict the perceived emotion from a short musical phrase. We then feed the machine curated input, which simulates artistic choices, to explore its most significant factors in determining the perceived emotions. In the conclusion we describe the results, as well as the possible follow-ups to the experiment, such as an emotional expression training tool for musicians.

The harpsichord enjoyed a preponderant role at the end of the 17th century, not only on its own but, in the words of C. P. E. Bach, as an instrument "entrusted [...] with full command" and "in the best position to assist [...] the entire ensemble in maintaining a uniform pace." The following is a study of the aspects related to ensemble leadership as exerted by the harpsichordist. For this, this research draws conclusions from historical sources in regards to the influence of the basso continuo realization in the ensemble, and other non-verbal communication devices (such as gestures) in order to reveal a global picture of this kind of leadership that was particularly prevalent at the time.

Research question: “What can be learned about the programmatic relationship between Franz Liszt’s B Minor Piano Sonata and its programs?” My research started as an investigation of the traditional programmatic relationship between Franz Liszt B minor Piano Sonata and Goethe’s Faust, but it had an unexpected outcome: Liszt B minor Sonata can be programmatically connected to multiple programs at the same time. Through the study of symbols behind themes and harmonies used by the composer, connections with other compositions, and the composer’s notes and letters, my research explains why and how the Sonata is programmatically inspired by Goethe’s Faust, Milton’s Paradise Lost and the Bible not only in its structure, but also from a philosophical and spiritual point of view. I propose to look at the Sonata in a different way, considering a more general and Christian “leading thought” which connects all its possible programs and permeates the whole work: Liszt’s Sonata tells the story of every man and his lifetime struggle against temptations and damnation to reach salvation. At the end, I give practical suggestions on the interpretation of specific passages of the Sonata based on the considered symbolic connections with its programs and composer’s notes. The chosen format of presentation is the exposition, because it gives me the possibility not only to include explanatory pictures and score excerpts, but also to use my own recordings to explain better the symbolism of themes or harmonies in certain passages and to show the practical and interpretive outcomes of my research.

The process of vihuela intabulation of sacred music by Cristóbal de Morales, using examples contained in Orphénica Lyra by Miguel de Fuenllana and instructions by Juan de Bermudo.

Albéniz was one of Celia’s favorite composers from her childhood and always felt a special connection to his work. However, in the fifteen long years that she has been studying music, she has never been able to play any of his pieces on the bassoon. Now that she has finished her master's degree -and she had to reflect on where she comes from and, ultimately, who she is-, she decided to investigate the composer in depth with the aim of arranging his Spanish Suite, originally written for piano, so that at the end of so many things, she can interpret it with her reed quintet. Thanks to its flexibility and wide palette of colors, sound, and articulation, the combination of reed instruments achieves a greater range of register and color, and provides Albéniz's music, inspired by elements of flamenco and Spanish folklore such as cante jondo, a texture and expressiveness that evokes the human voice. Caire Reed Quintet was formed in 2020, in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic crisis. The five of them are from Spain and they share the same passion for Albéniz. With this work the author wishes to offer other composers and performers the opportunity to discover, learn and experience how much the reed quintet's sonority can contribute to certain styles of music such as Spanish nationalist, reaching a greater range of register and color, and endowing this style of music from a new perspective.

One of the first Spanish virtuoso violinists to achieve international recognition, Felipe Libón enjoyed a successful performing and composing career. He worked and performed alongside other celebrated violinists: Rode, Kreutzer, and Baillot, who were founders of the so-called "19th Century French Violin School". We will experiment with applying the extensive indications of the treatises (Baillot, Campagnoli, Woldemar, Spohr, Cartier, and Libón himself) to build a performance practice case study.

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.

While the commercial musical stream of "Latin American Baroque" has been associated with musical cross-breeding, the study of the colonial repertoire that composes it documents quite the opposite: the absence of non-European musical features. By accepting the impossibility to find the written "Mestizo Baroque", this research chooses to "re-imagine it" from orality. Taking the Fandango musical family as a framework, this research enters into playful dialogues between the XVIII century European fandango and its surviving folklore counterparts: the Mexican Son Huasteco and the Colombo-Venezuelan Joropo. Through analysis and transcription of oral sources, style comparison, arrangement, and improvisation this research aims to create a musical product that reclaims the mixed-raced identities, erased from colonial archives, in today´s Early Music industry.

This research explores how the voice can be used creatively in large ensembles and big bands. It is structured in five parts, starting with an introduction explaining my interest and personal connection to this topic. I then analyzed the work of composers and arrangers that used vocalists in their large ensembles before me - for example Kenny Wheeler, John Hollenbeck and Martin Fondse. There I looked at how they used vocalists in their works and found that oftentimes, the voice still is used as a doubling part for the lead melody, but seldomly is used as an independent part in the arrangements. I then moved on to analyzing my own compositions I’ve written for a vocal section and large ensemble. I saw that I unconsciously often used the same kind of arrangement style, and drew a lot of conclusions for my future works out of this analysis. In part four, I compiled my research of others and my own work into a small handbook of arranging tools for big band and voice section. With this, I want to inspire other composers and arrangers to write for vocalists in new and creative ways. After this, I concluded my research with a reflection and conclusion in the last part. In my presentation, I want to talk about my progress working with others and my own music, and the conclusions I drew out of it, as well as showing some examples of my analysis and the handbook I wrote.

This research examines if the Viennese tuning was used in the orchestral works of Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn and whether it is possible to link the composers and the use of this tuning in their writing style for the 16’ instrument. The Viennese tuned violone is a particular 5-stringed 16’ fretted instrument tuned to “F, A, d, f#, a”. This instrument appeared in the region of Lower-Austria and Moravia in the late 17th century and was played until the middle of the 19th century. Considered a member of the viola da gamba family by its name “violone”, it also has similarities in its thirds and fourths tuning, flat back, sloping shoulders, and frets. I have found no clear evidence of a date, or of a composer, who made specific use of Viennese tuning in orchestras after the solos of Haydn's six symphonies. The Viennese tuning disappeared progressively towards the middle of the 19th century. The last clear evidence we found in the music is Beethoven’s Septet op. 20, the first performance of Beethoven’s 1st symphony, and Schubert’s Trout quintet. We also have the performance on 2nd November 1800 of Sperger’s last symphony “Erbprinzessin-sinfonie”. We also know that instruments of this tuning were built until at least 1820. For Mendelssohn, analysis of his works has shown that its classical characteristics come out clearer with the Viennese tuning. This research is done in the form of an exposition to highlight the musical extracts of the different composers.

An overabundance of mental distractions may prevent musicians’ minds from being in the moment while practicing. The present mixed-methods study examined the effects of three newly designed mindfulness meditations on six conservatory violinists’ levels of dispositional mindfulness, mind-wandering and respective variables. Thought probes were used before and after the intervention to examine frequency of mind-wandering and contextual variables (task difficulty, fatigue and stress, and motivation) during two hours of participants’ instrumental practice (one of technical work another of a new piece in their repertoire). FFQM (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) and MfM (Mindfulness for Musicians) questionnaires were used to measure mindfulness levels before and after the intervention. Interviews and meditation logs were used as qualitative data. Results indicated that all participants became more mindful at the end of the meditation week for all mindfulness’ facets for the FFQM and MfM questionnaires. However, the improvements were particularly noticeable for the “Acting with Awareness” and “Non-Judge” facets for the FFQM and for “Describe” in the MfM. Results showed opposing trends in mind-wandering levels throughout the intervention. That is, some participants showed higher mind-wandering at the post-intervention and others lower. However, contextual variables such as fatigue, motivation or worry, may have also affected how much participants wandered while practicing (e.g. some of them showed more rumination when being more worried and having slept less). Overall, results from the experiment evidenced the importance of including mindfulness in violinists’ daily practice as a useful routine to become more aware and less distracted.

The well-documented climate crisis often looms over our daily lives. As an artist, I often felt frustrated by not possessing tangible means to enact change to help. This research is, therefore, a base for further investigations and performances geared toward percussion-based environmentalism. By examining four distinct pieces selected for their connection, or their possibility to connect to broad or specific environmental issues, and altering variables of performance location, instrumentation, personnel, and the addition of contextual material, this exposition demonstrates one path of many for environmental advocation in music. By focusing on decisions affecting sound creation and including context or subtext within each piece, this exposition gives the reasoning behind the decisions made in each piece’s performance based on modern musical activism and theories of promoting positive behaviors. This research also examines modern musical activism in popular music and the emerging contemporary genre of ecoacoustics. The conclusions of this exposition present the benefits of flexibility and creativity in this method and the importance of audience engagement while addressing the drawbacks of this method in the challenge of behaving sustainably as a modern artist. Lastly, this research highlights the possibility of community interaction to create small-scale environmental change that is also a creative outlet for the emotional impact climate change can have on individuals.

The Master research “Embodied Bits” concerns how trans-human, post-digital and post-internet ideas relate to my Queer experience. It is, in a nutshell, an ongoing research on how the technological world has spilled over into the biological world and how Queer folks are front and centre when it comes to taking advantage of technological developments in order to realise their identities. The research question is “How do we perform ourselves in the digital realm?”. Though it started as a research on the practicalities and aesthetics of internet/networked-based performances it quickly opened a Pandora’s Box of social inquiry and analysis. Performing ourselves means performing ethnicity, gender, sexuality, cultural identity... There is an inevitability in drawing a direct connection between these topics and how do we, as singular and, paradoxically, plural human beings within ourselves engage with modern day technology. Through technology we are able to build ourselves, to draft new identities, to build again if they no longer suit our needs. As an artistic research, “Embodied Bits” looks into how digital media has influenced human experience and focuses on the experiences of non-normative bodies and identities, in which I include my own. These topics are interlaced with my own compositional and performative work, always informed and inspired by the previously mentioned ideas and historical context.

Research questions: 1. In what ways is Michael Chekhov’s acting technique beneficial to classical singers portraying characters from operas in terms of the aspect of interpretation and acting, the aspect of mental preparation before a performance and the aspect of vocal projection? 2. Are there specific concepts of the technique that are especially relevant to classical singers and why? Summary of the results of the research: In terms of interpretation and acting, Michael Chekhov’s acting technique turned out to be very helpful to the singers. By exercising Chekhov’s concept, they acquired a sense of clarity to their character and a physical and psychological understanding. In terms of mental preparation, the singers felt like they gained tools in calming the mind, achieving a feeling of ease. And that in general, by moving the focus from the intellectual and to the body is a great antidote for nervousness. In terms of vocal projection, all the singers agreed that their vocal performance improved when they sang their aria the second time when they implemented Chekhov’s elements while performing the aria. There were differences of opinion among the singers as to which concepts of Chekhov’s were the most beneficial. Questionnaire and discussions though brought to light that the quality of radiation and the feeling of ease appealed particularly well to the singers. I believe that the reason for that is that these qualities create an ideal physical state to sing. The feeling of ease creates a sense of ground, openness, calmness and at the same time alertness. The quality of radiation gives off a strong feeling of confidence, power, and freedom. The act of singing requires physical strength but without creating excessive tension in the body. Healthy singing requires being both firm and soft, which is achieved with both concepts.

This paper is about finding relationships within my own composition process, how these relate to my relationships with the world around me, and how these impact the music that I make. In this paper I will touch on how my work has been influenced by psychogeography, making music about locations, and my experiences working in community arts. I will discuss my influences from the work Situationists International and later psychogeographic explorations, the community art world in Toronto, discussing how they have influenced my composition process and how the relationships between people, places, and sound play into the music that I compose, and the musical worldviews that helped me shape these influences into my own work. I will further explore, specifically, a part of my process which involves the setting up of situations in which music occurs as part of my compositional practice, discussing how the situation in which music is being made impacts that music, and how the music can impact the situation, finding reciprocity within these musical relationships.

Alice Andreani - Classical Cello Research Supervisor: Daniel Salbert Research Title: "Singing and Playing - A Kodály Approach to Cello Playing". Research Question: “What are the effects that the practicing of exercises involving singing and playing has on cello playing? The objective of my research is to draw attention to the importance of developing and training musicianship skills; in this paper I will argue on why musicianship training should receive as much importance as studying the technique of an instrument. I will specifically focus on the effects that practicing exercises involving singing and playing on the cello, has on the development of a good inner hearing and musicianship skills over time, as well as how singing is proven to be an helpful tool in combination with playing, when approaching a piece from the cello chamber or orchestral repertoire. This research is based on literature research and practice based research. It includes a series of 40 exercises for cello and voice written by me as well as guidelines on how to practice singing and playing. Biography: Alice Andreani is a cellist, now pursuing her master degree at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, in the class of Michel Strauss and Jan-Ype Nota. 
In 2021 she was awarded the Andrea Elkenbracht prize. In the season 2021/2022 she was an intern in the Noord Nederlands Orkest. Alice has been playing with the Kamerorkest van het Noorden and has taken part in different chamber music festivals. Her interest for music goes beyond playing as she is very passionate about teaching; she is enrolled in the year 2022-2023 in the teaching training course Muziek als Vak.

When I played a Schumann piece, Genoveva Overture, for the first time, I was wondering, because there were Ventilhorn and Waldhorn parts. I could not imagine what his idea was when he wrote for four horns, but still used two different kinds of the same instrument. Did he want to express something with this set-up? Beside this, I did not understand why he, and other romantic composers, use so much transposition when they had already a completely chromatic instrument. As I started to get to know and play the natural horn, it was getting clearer what his intention could have been. Why he used an ‘ancient’ instrument, though he could compose for four chromatic horns. This made me even more interested, and I also got more questions and hypotheses about the topic, for what I wanted to find an answer. In my research, I tried to get to know the use of the horn in the middle of the 19th century. I wanted to get familiar with the contemporaries’ imagination about the old and new instrument, and with the way how they used them. Then, with this knowledge, I analysed Schumann’s orchestral works, especially the horn parts, and tried to find out if the results are matching with the background research. My aim was too, show the horn players, that the romantic horn playing is not only about the ‘holy’ valve horn, but something more complex and colourful.

In this study it is advocated to perceive performance space as overlapping multiple spatial layers, all existing in the same moment, but all with different boundaries. A triangle of performer, audience and surroundings creates performance space together as co-players by activating spatial layers and redrawing spatial boundaries. A new term is coined to better understand the unstable, moving nature of performance space: multi-space. To deal with the concept of multi-space in actual performances, the use of the verbs ‘navigate’ and ‘zoom in/out’ are advocated. Embedded in this study is an exposition of the artistic projects of Stijn Brinkman, in which the concept of multi-space is tested as new tool to create performances with more exploration, agency, imagination, and movement. By finding a way for performers to disappear and to be present at the same time, the domination of walls and the domination of a performer's body (both apparent in many traditional performances) are challenged. The concepts of multi-space, navigate and zoom in/out stimulate audiences to engage more with their surroundings, while helping performers to shape their ideas always through site-specific processes.

Mercadante’s flute works are among the most beloved 19th-century Italian compositions for this instrument. So far, no study has been undertaken to develop a specific historically informed performance practice for them. In order to do so, I first analysed the Italian flute history in the first half of the 19th century, which revealed a great influence of foreign instruments and methods on local flute makers and players; secondly, I studied the Neapolitan flute school during Mercadante’s lifetime (1795-1870) and discovered which instruments were in use, which methods were kept at the Conservatory Library, and who were the most successful contemporary players. Finally, I focused on Mercadante’s biography and created a detailed catalogue of his flute works, which includes bibliographical indications of manuscripts and editions, musicological details and historical notes (when available). This process revealed that the greatest part of such pieces was composed between 1813 and 1820, that is, while he was studying at the Neapolitan Conservatory. Once my theoretical investigations were completed, I approached the practical part of my research by following the performance practice instructions of Hugot-Wunderlich’s flute method, whose French original edition is kept in the Conservatory library since Mercadante’s study years. However, an important detail that I discovered at this research stage forced me at once to discard my entire methodological process. This true operatic plot twist - dramatic and yet funny - turned my thesis into a dramma buffo. It forced me to completely rethink my methodology and even what the concept of “historically informed” means to me.

As a composer, you are free to create, and often the melodic choices, the harmonic solutions are the result of something truly personal. The colors found within a piece are the representation of what the composer feels and wants to put on paper, he is free to express a concept without being bound by any kind of expectations or rules. In this project, I am exploring the ways in which I can integrate and use Keith Jarrett’s improvisations as material for writinf for large jazz ensembles. To answer this question I learned about his life, his philosophy in music and how his musical style developed through the years, to get along with his musical idea and try to respect his first intention. And to prepare myself for start writing the re-composition I analyzed the transcription of the Concert in Köln, seeing how he approached the improvisation and how he used the musical elements such as the construction of the melody, the use of the rhythm and the harmonic background; all elements that I used in my work. The project demonstrates that even if is working on an improvisation, which offers such a varied material and is developed without an apparent fixed structure, it is possible to recreate compositions that have a coherence; also respecting the intention and the sound context that characterized that moment. (cover art designed by Barbara Wojirsch, copyright believed to be owned by ECM).

This research develops a simplification of a graphical resource: the International Phonetic Alphabet. The choices made to simplify it are based on an analysis of existing diction methods. The thesis format seemed most suitable for my research, as the IPA is a graphical notation method which is meant to be used by writing it down. (While it is of course used to notate sounds, these sounds themselves are not actually the focus of the research. There are also already an abundance of audio examples for the IPA symbols.) The IPA can be a very useful aid for classical singers, from ensemble singers to soloists, but appears intimidating from the amount of symbols it has. This research looks at which IPA symbols are used and which are not used in five different diction methods for classical singers. These are systematically analysed and presented graphically to the reader to help visualise which of all the symbols presented on the IPA chart are regularly used by singers. The end result is practical in nature: a Simple IPA chart which uses only those symbols a classical singer really needs to sing the five main languages for classical singing: English, French, German, Italian and Latin.

The mouthpiece of a clarinet plays a crucial role in sound formation and tuning, and there is still great potential for research within the field of historical clarinet mouthpieces. This study explores the relationship between mouthpiece shape and performance practice in the first half of the 19th century when significant changes occurred in clarinet history. The author examines historical mouthpieces from various collections and creates 3D-printed replicas for experimentation. The research investigates how mouthpiece shape relates to changes in reed positioning and national styles, and how 3D printing technology can aid in understanding historical mouthpiece design. The study finds evidence of a causal relationship between changes in reed positioning and mouthpiece geometry, especially reflected in the dimension of the mouthpiece window. The creation of a functional 3D-printed historical mouthpiece and experimentation with variations in shape shed light on how different parameters of the mouthpiece geometry affect the sound response. The research offers a useful tool for historical clarinet players to choose mouthpieces in a more historically informed way.

It would be more than reductive to say that art is not created in a vacuum. Simply said, all art exists in a context, and said context includes medium, genre, style, and idiom, amongst other things. In the realm of Western music, much insight has been given regarding quotation, and less so regarding subtler applications of stylistic, generic, and idiomatic thought in composition. So, if all music exists in a specific context, how can composers creatively account for context in their compositions? This research seeks to answer this question by outlining methodologies via analysis of relevant works. Given the background and musical focus of the researcher, this research predominantly focuses on musical works that adapt or interact with Latin-American folkloric music and traditions, with many works dealing specifically with Venezuelan and Cuban folklore.

This paper is focused on the development of a large-scale personal compositional practice centered around the concept of placemaking. Its content is focused on the relationship between data analysis, data sonification, and musical structure in the development of art which engages in a practice which I refer to as ‘sonic placemaking.’ In the end, this research intends to put this artistic practice in a space to interrogate the relationship between art and social change, both on small and large scales. The different sections of the paper will provide context and support for my practice's conceptual and philosophical background, drawing on related theoretical writings in geography, sociology, fine art, and composition while guiding the reader through my process in executing these concepts through works of multimedia art and acoustic composition — and, at the same time, actively questioning the ability of this process to influence social change and worldmaking.

A good deal of mystery still surrounds some aspects of Arcangelo Corelli's work. Firstly, although he was recognised as the main composer of Sinfonie in Rome around 1700, all of his repertoire of this genre, with the exception of one, seems to have disappeared; secondly, none of his survived orchestral scores contains evidence of the well documented practice of using winds, trumpets in particular, in conjunction with strings. To fill these gaps, speculations have tried to identify, amongst Corelli's works, not only the ones that might have originated as Sinfonie, but also those that might have included trumpets in their original form. This research moves along the same path but sets a slightly different goal: on the one hand it considers that it is virtually impossible to determine if any of Corelli’s survived compositions were originally conceived as Sinfonie with trumpets. On the other hand, it argues that through a study of Lulier's Santa Beatrice d'Este oratorio - a work that preserves the only genuine Corelli's Sinfonia that has survived - and through a comparative analysis of the two Handel's Roman oratorios, it is possible to approach closely the soundscape of Corelli's Sinfonie con trombe. To achieve that goal, in accordance with contemporary Roman examples, newly composed trumpet parts have been integrated into some movements of three concertos from Opus 6. The outcome can be listened in the audio-video material part of this paper. Whether the addition of trumpets on top of a string-only movement could have been improvised, and not planned beforehand with written parts, is open to further speculation.

This research will focus on comparing tasks that are used to measure the development of executive functions (EFs) and musicianship exercises according to the Kodály concept in order to find analogies and functional intersections between them. EFs are essential for our mental and physical health, for school and job success. Since these skills can be improved and early EFs training might help reduce social disparities in academic achievement and health, pinpointing activities that could develop EFs has become an important research topic in psychology, neuroscience, and education in recent years. The main direction of this research will be a close examination of the tasks used for measuring the three core components of EFs - inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory alongside musicianship exercises taken from Kodály methodological books and lesson observations that work in a similar way. This study has found similarities between EF tasks and Kodály musicianship exercises in all the three core components of EFs. These findings could indicate that with Kodály’s music education approach we are not only practising musicianship exercises but we might challenge our EF skills as well. This research, therefore, could be a first step that leads to a more complex investigation into the potential positive impact of music education according to the Kodály Concept on EFs.

During the past decade, there has been a surge in the literature about crossmodal correspondences, consistent associations our minds establish between stimuli that are perceived through different senses. Correspondences between sound/music and flavour/taste have received particular scholarly attention, which has lead to a variety of practical applications in the form of food and music pairings, mostly examples of so-called ‘sonic seasoning’, a way to use sound to enhance or modify the tasting experience. This thesis aims to explore the pairing of food and music from an artistic perspective. Its goal is to find tools that would allow to present both music and food as components of coherent live performances in which neither of them is a mere ‘seasoning’ to the other. Through the description and exploration of different ‘mediating elements’ between them (such as crossmodal correspondences, but also structure, ritual, narrative, and others), a wide range of possibilities is presented to whoever wants to match food and music in a truly synergistic manner. Readers interested in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary artistic practices of any kind might find the outcomes of this research useful for their own work.

Verdiales is the traditional music from Málaga, Spain, which is little known even within Spain. This research places verdiales in its historical and musical context looking at: the differences between styles, rhythm and harmony, and, most importantly, the role of the violin in this music. As the main instrument in verdiales, the violin is played in a very different way than in classical music, since it is spontaneous music with a great deal of freedom for improvisation, disseminated purely by oral transmission, and with a particular technique which is suited to playing only this music. Through the deep learning of verdiales, I have looked for different resources to face my daily practice issues in order to gain more flexibility and freedom in my way of playing. After trying several exercises and approaches in different parts of my practice, I have been self- documenting and verifying the improvement and effectiveness of certain methods, taking into account different aspects such as bow hold, ornamentation, and improvisation. As a result, I came to the conclusion that in order to achieve different results, it is necessary for more exploration and extremely different methods than the ones I have been using when practicing the violin

This research is an exploration into stimulating autonomy and active learning in musical tuition. Through an explorative journey in my teaching practice I developed tools to increase autonomy, active learning and self-regulation in students, using the self-determination theory, new learning and self-regulation as the main learning theories to find answers to my research question. In my lesson practice students rarely come in as active-, self-directing autonomous learners. However, literature and experiences of other teachers, show us that students – even beginners – can learn to become active, self-directed learners. It is not common practice yet to implement these theories in music classes. This is why I would like to create a toolkit and a user manual for teachers that would like to incorporate autonomy supportive teaching and self-regulation in their practices. I will also create a blueprint to inspire working with blended programs in music classes. A flipped classroom can trigger an ongoing learning process in the week, it can aid students in their practice and it is a tool to reflect on teaching practices, teaching styles and programs. The research took place in the BASIS oboe classes at the School for Young Talent, in The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. There were 5 beginning oboe players, in the age group of 7 till 13 years. I used a combination of design and action research. With the design research I developed the online learning space and the tools for active learning and self-regulation. With action research I reflected on my teaching, students learning, development and well-being and the use of the tools. It was possible to use learning theories in different ways. I used tables and frameworks to reflect on my teaching, I used existing tools, I tailored tools to the age group of my students and I combined aspects of active learning and self-regulation. After three design cycles there is a blueprint of a toolkit that can be used in a flexible way and there is a blueprint for blended learning in instrumental music classes. The changes in my teaching style, the implementation of the learning theories and the reflections on the program using the online environment had a great impact on the teacher – student dialogue, the content of my lessons and the overview of the program. In students I saw an increase in motivation, autonomy and effectiveness. They are very engaged young learners, they learned to choose repertoire and strategies in their practice, they are able to plan, practice and reflect on their process and they have covered more repertoire and technique over the last year in comparison to the year before. They started sharing their music outside of classes and started thinking about their own goals in their oboe practice.

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.

Karol Szymanowski and Polish Folklore. Compositional copy or inspiration? What musical choices might be made for performing Harnasie and other violin pieces by using knowledge of Podhale folk music to inform violin performance practice. In this exposition I present my research which consists of a few elements. Firstly, to get acquainted with the composer - Karol Szymanowski and focus on his Nationalistic period. While exploring Podhale folklore and understanding its main characteristics, I did analyze the way Szymanowski uses this particular folklore in his pieces. Then, the focus goes to Szymanowski’s most important work of the period - ballet Harnasie and its comperisement with the violin transcription. To discover whether the folk citations used in his pieces are just a copy of original melodies or inspiration and how do they connect with each other? A significant and most important part of my research is finding out how the knowledge gained through this process can improve and enrich the performance of Szymanowski’s violin music. In short my conclusions are as follows. Folkloristic parts should be treated as original Highlanders would play it. Therefore, violinists need to get some sound simplicity such as no vibrato or playing in the first position. On the other hand, the lyrical parts are very contrasting. Szymanowski was inspired by singers and the way his dear violinist friend Paweł Kochański played. Therefore, the lyrical parts can be compared to the human voice, with a sweet romantic sound, natural voice like breathing in the phrases, continuous fast vibrato.

This thesis investigates the pathetic capabilities of the 17th-century vocal Lament. After first establishing an overview of the social and cultural conventions that influenced compositional choices, fourteen historic Laments from western Europe are analyzed to determine how they are able to evoke the feeling of grief. These pathetic elements are then applied to the composition of four new Laments for a Modern World, which couple 17th-century compositional techniques with newly commissioned texts that amplify stories including miscarriage, race-relations, displacement from one's homeland, and mental health.

Flamenco is still a mystery and although there is a growing body of academic literature seeking to understand it, there is still a long way to go. In addition, flamenco is opening up to such variety and innovation that various instruments have been included in the traditional ensemble of guitar, cajón, clapping, cantaor/a and dancer. For these reasons, this research aims to bring cante por soleares closer to anyone interested in the world of flamenco, although perhaps with special attention to string musicians, and cellists in particular. This work, together with my analysis of the rhythm, melody, harmony and structure of the soleares, seeks to offer reflections, tools and conclusions for those looking to imitate soleares singers on the cello. This work is carried out through the transcription and analysis of six soleares, carefully selected for the purpose of being played on the cello [having done so much work with flamenco experts, it is a pity not to mention this as one of your key methods]. With these insights, I seek to better understand the characteristics of cante por soleares, to propose different forms of imitating it on the cello, and to offer options more suitable to the instrument when close imitation is not possible.

While exploring ways to improve practice methods and reduce stage anxiety, the researcher came across the OPTIMAL (Optimising Performance through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning) theory of motor learning while reading William’s 2019 research on “Finding Focus”. The theory was proposed by Wulf and Lewthwaite (2016) to utilise motivation and attentional focus in improving performance. Through a thorough theoretical review of the theory, other relevant studies, and attending workshops and courses, the researcher discovered better approaches and methods to practising for himself, enhancing his quality of practice and promoting personal growth. By developing and applying an informed method to a group of 13 musicians from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, this research also investigated the impact of the OPTIMAL theory on the practice of other musicians through a three-week intervention. The goal-coupling action from enhanced expectancies, autonomy, and external focus was found to bring about greater practice quality. The data obtained from the intervention and a retention test also revealed enhanced levels of organisation, objectiveness, mindfulness, and confidence during practice. However, some found themselves more anxious in the process. The intervention highlighted a need for more resources, as well as safe spaces to discuss practice and performance in Conservatoires. This research hopes that the findings bring about more awareness, acts as a source of information, and encourage more open discussions on the way musicians practice and perform, as more attention could be given to this in the way we shape music education.

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.

In 2000, I took part in a project performing all of W.A. Mozart’s (1756-1791) Salzburg divertimentos for strings and winds in the quaint town of Delft in the Netherlands. In attempting to keep true to authentic performance practices we played on period instruments with one player to a part and most significantly the bass line was to be performed solely on the double bass; thus, no cello and no cello/double bass doubling of the bass line.1 Some of my colleagues involved in this project found this to be quite a ‘radical’ idea, for in chamber music settings many musicians are accustomed to the cello as the bass instrument of choice, and depending on the repertoire, a double bass might double the line, but double bass alone…impossible! Indeed most recordings I have heard of these pieces have been performed by a chamber orchestra or as chamber music with the bass line performed by a cello and double bass.

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.

Approaching Kunstlieder with the background as a jazz interpreter, has challenged me to find, not only, my interpretation of the lieder/songs but to also find my interpretation of my role(s) as the singer on stage between classical music and jazz scenes. Through performing music, the chosen body of work, we are not only repeating and interpreting the music but repeating and interpreting ways of performing it. This research focuses on the role(s) of the singer on stage and the moments between the songs; the open space between one piece of music and another that offers the possibility to communicate and connect with the audience. What happens in these moments? What stories do we tell and how do we tell them? What do I communicate with, through, in - and outside of the lied, the song, the piece of music. What do I perform in the open space between between the songs - my self(s)?

Born in 1892, composer Nikolai Obukhov belongs to the Russian avant-garde generation and was one of the pioneers in experimenting with twelve-tone systems, notation, and electronic instruments. He stands out from his contemporaries having inherited not only some aspects of Alexander Scriabin’s musical style, but, most prominently, the Russian symbolist belief in transcendence and collective spiritual uplifting through the performative act as well. The metaphysical substance and religious symbolism of Obukhov’s body of work reveals itself as a very rich and exciting source of inspiration for performers today. In this exposition I analyze the most relevant features of Nikolai Obukhov’s aesthetic, from his conception of the total work of art, to his harmonic language and annotations on the score, contextualizing them in the broader cultural and philosophical panorama of Russian Symbolism. I focus on understanding the social function of musical performance, and by conceptualizing certain basic principles, I shape my own performative approach to Nikolai Obukhov’s solo piano works. In the creative process of building a more holistic performance practice inspired by Russian Symbolism, the role of the modern performer expands from one of mere executor to the curator of an experience both for themself and for their audience. With this research I intend to encourage the musical community to reflect on our current relation with performance, to experiment with different concert formats, and to realize that we too, like the artistic community of Russians mystics, can project our own hopes about the future of civilization in our performance practices.

In short, the proposed work consists in a critical edition of Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Capricho diabolico, backed up by previous research in which I compare the manuscript and Andrés Segovia's interpretative edition. As a result of the significant differences between the two, I propose a version that is faithful to the original work, but without overlooking the collaboration between the two musicians.

Exposition 2022 What is stage fright, how to understand it and successfully perform with it?

This research takes as a starting point the Alberto Ginastera's Sonata for Guitar, op. 47 (1976) The Sonata represents, within Ginastera's musical trajectory, an example of synthesis of his work, due to the variety of compositional and motivic material that he manages to link. Its interest relies in the way in which avant-garde compositional techniques, such as serialism or twelve-tone technique, are mixed with folklore rhythms and popular elements typical of Argentine traditional music.  It offers the opportunity to verify in his compositional practice the theoretical approaches on music that the composer had presented in his previous works. Discovering the origin of the thematic and rhythm sources of the Sonata for Guitar by Ginastera is an invitation to inquire in the valuable atmosphere of Argentine folklore.  Since its premiere, the Sonata has attracted increasing interest for its innovative contributions to contemporary music. The result is a tribute to the guitar, the Argentine folk music and the avant-garde music. As far as the guitar as an instrument is concerned, in it the composer explores a great variety of innovative resources that verify its suitability to transmit the contents of contemporary music, while at the same time pays off the debt it had with Argentine folklore, present in its rhetoric and symbolically evoked, but now transfigured into a reality.  Finally, this research presents some connections between this guitar piece and the String Quartet No. 1, op. 20, that Ginastera composed more than twenty years before. 

Throughout the eighteenth century, a steady stream of Italian musicians travelled to Scotland, in search of artistic and commercial success. Inspired by the enterprise of their Scottish counterparts, many published collections of “Scots Tunes,” such that by the end of the century a rich body of repertoire had emerged. Italians and Scots alike valued this repertoire for various reasons: for some, these tunes represented an idealised vision of pastoral simplicity; for others, a fossilised record of the music of past generations; for others still, these tunes were a vehicle for the expression of nationalistic sentiment. This repertoire presents a challenge to Early Music practitioners today, who must contend with the fact that this music has been transmitted through textual sources and oral tradition. To this end, many musicians engage with elements of Scottish Traditional performance practice – a practice that often diverges from, and is at times incompatible with, dominant understandings of eighteenth-century performance practice. In this thesis, I summarise some of the ornamentation techniques employed by Scottish Traditional musicians, investigating their possible influence on Italian Scots Tunes sources. I contend that comparative analysis of these sources can inform performances of this repertoire, by revealing implicit relationships between notation, performance practice and aesthetic judgements. Further, I survey current trends in the historical performance practice of Scots Tunes, interrogating the ways in which this repertoire is framed by modern conceptions of “folk” music. I observe that this repertoire continues to be valued within a variety of aesthetic frameworks, which are themselves revealed, upheld, and reproduced through performance practice.

The design of the pedal harp underwent a series of dramatic changes at the turn of the century, most of them attributable to the inventive minds at a Chicago-based musical instrument manufacturer and music publisher, Lyon & Healy. Of the many innovations of the Lyon & Healy company, three of the utmost importance to the development of the instrument: the “adjustable fourchette,” allowing simple regulation of the harp’s tuning in the natural and sharp positions, the “single-link mechanism,” an internal change to the mechanism greatly simplifying both function and manufacture, and lastly the “extended soundboard,” an extension of the soundbox of the instrument allowing for greater volume. Each of these improvements has since been adopted by every modern-day harp maker. This paper endeavors to combine original patents, miscellaneous historical documents, and evidence gathered from extant historical instruments by Lyon & Healy to identify each of the above and other specific changes, their inventors, the time of their introduction, as well as the overall motivation behind each of these important changes.

About this exposition Nowadays we can find a vast amount of information about the history of the cello. But do we know anything of its larger ancestor? What was its purpose in the music scene in France in the 17th century? And why did it disappear? Little attention has been paid to the basse de violon, an instrument of great importance before the arrival of the cello. In my presentation, I will discuss these questions as well as other matters that concern the basse de violon, starting with what is it, going through its development, its role as a solo instrument, and as the bass of the ensembles, and finishing with the reasons for its decay and ultimately complete disappearance in France. Also, as part of my artistic presentation, I will base my conclusions by using videos of my experimentations on a surviving basse de violon from 1715 and a cello from the 19th century.

Can Eastern cultures become a more integral part of the classical guitar’s cultural identity through repertoire influenced by these cultures? In this research exposition, I explore the ways in which cultural elements from Eastern cultures may inspire repertoire for the solo classical guitar. Through this repertoire, I shall examine how such cultural influences may promote Eastern cultures to performers and audiences of the classical guitar. In doing so, the cultural horizons of the classical guitar world may be broadened to represent a greater variety of cultures that also mirrors the growing global community of the classical guitar. In Part I, I look at some of the pre-existing works that have been influenced by Eastern cultures including works by Toru Takemitsu; arrangements of popular and folkloric music from Eastern cultures; and original compositions that have influences from Eastern cultures. Part II deals with the ethics of cultural inspiration and looks at questions like: “How can we represent cultures authentically through music?”, “Is cultural appropriation ok?”. Finally, Part III presents an overview of the new repertoire specifically written for this research. This comprises of two arrangements of songs attributed to the Bengali polymath, Rabindranath Tagore, as well as a commissioned work with an Eastern cultural influence composed by Italian composer and classical guitarist, Marco Ramelli. The findings of this research reveal the difficulty of assigning an objective answer to the issues surrounding cultural inspiration. I implore readers to approach this research with an open mind and hope that, at the very least, I can encourage the musical community to consider different types of questions concerning the use of cultural elements in art.

In my thesis Performing Music Theory, I will examine how listening to recordings of musical performances may influence my analysis of Chopin’s First Ballade. Therefore, I take the music as heard in performance as the starting point for the analysis, rather than the score. By consulting recorded performances by various pianists, I will analyze how different performances may lead to different analyses. These analytical observations will concern phrase structure, harmony, topical analysis and form. The interpretation of form in particular is highly dependent on tempo choices that pianists make. In the case of the First Ballade, a piece with very few tempo indications, these choices vary widely. I will show that in some cases clear analytical conclusions can be drawn from performances. And in other cases, rather far-fetched theoretical analyses must be made to describe the performer’s choices, demonstrating how problematic it is to base an analysis entirely on performances. What does that mean for the relationship between performer and theorist, and more particularly for the position of the ‘prescribing’ theorist, who considers analysis as a starting point in a musical interpretation? And what does this mean for the importance of the Analysis course at conservatories?

Luthiers throughout the centuries have always tried to adapt and improve the characteristics of the instrument to the needs of the musicians of their time. I myself, as a bassoonist, am also a luthier of my own reeds and in their construction I try to help my musical needs as much as possible. It was in trying to improve the characteristics of my reeds that I felt the need to know better how they work. I wanted to understand how my manipulations on the reeds went to influence their functioning and consequently the sound generated. So, I decided to observe a reed while it vibrates and understand its movement. I want to repeat the experiment on different reeds to note any similarities and differences.

The traditional way of classical concerts – i.e. a concert of 1,5 hour, no moving or making sounds, no interaction – is not the way to attract children to classical music. There are different inviting ways to interest children in a classical performance, for example with interaction, participation or storytelling. In this research we investigate if storytelling has an effect on children’s enthusiasm for classical music and their likeability of playing an instrument themselves. Furthermore, we assess if there is a relation between musical interest, engagement and/or emotional intensity during the concert. We do this by comparing a story-condition with a technical information-condition, in which the presenter talks about the instruments or the performance location. It is executed in the Classic Express, a concert truck in which laureates of the Prinses Christina Concours, a Dutch competition for young musicians, perform and present classical music for primary school classes. Children answer questions before, directly after and one week after the concert about how much they like the music, if they want to experience it again and if they are interested in playing a musical instrument themselves. The results can support musicians wanting to give engaging performances to children, improve the quality of concerts for this target audience and raise likeability of classical music in young generations.

What are the main theories on sound and musical perception? Is there a possibility for the composer to understand those ideas and use them as the basis for the organization of his craft? Would those be enough to create the musical ‘clarity’ I am looking for? Finally, can I find a way to formalize any of those theories in my composition practice? As a starting point for this investigation, part one establishes the philosophical ground for this investigation about clarity, particularly stressing the difference between intention and object, between form and structure, and their complementary nature and interaction with each other, before drawing a first idea on musical perception through the lens of Gestalt theory. Parts two and three detail the different elements that come into play while applying those ideas into my composition practice. I introduce a list of the parameters that will play a prominent role in the elaboration of the representation of the mathematical formulations seen in part four by developing further my understanding of the theories elaborated by Leonard B. Meyer around the idea of ‘expectation’ in his book Emotion and Meaning in Music, and articulating them from a practical point of view. The fourth and final part of this investigation exposes a mathematical representation of my thinking on those ideas in order to conceive and use them in my composition practice. This ‘model’, based on an understanding of what will be referred to as ‘motion’, is the ground for the elaboration of the musical shapes in my pieces.

This paper is concerned with ecological awareness in multimedia composition often with the use of data as a compositional tool. It covers the philosophy of ecological awareness I wish to represent in my work and the aesthetic principles used to portray it. The philosophy is largely based on Timothy Morton’s Dark Ecology with influence from other writers and artists. The reader will be guided through my methodologies of multimedia composition (acoustic, electronic and visual), in four different works. The motivation behind this research has come from wanting to engage with environmentalism not just through writing and individual actions but through art and how understanding the importance of perception of the environment can change our behaviour to it.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation is here used as a case-study examiningclassical music’s foundations in the United States. Among other titles, Jefferson was a statesman, diplomat, slave master, and avid violinist. He is remembered as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. President. Early documentation suggests he was a gifted musician, reading notation at age nine and practicing “no less than three hours a day” for “a dozen years”. Music played an important role in the courtship of his wife, Martha Skelton Wayles, a harpsichordist and singer. They parented six children, of which two daughters survived to adulthood. Both received substantial keyboard training and their eldest inherited her father’s “taste and talent for music”. Upon their mother's death in 1782, Thomas began a complicated relationship with his late wife’s enslaved half sister, Sally Hemings. She became pregnant at sixteen and bore six of Jefferson’s children, four of which survived to adulthood. While Jefferson’s white daughters learned keyboard, two of his enslaved black sons were taught violin. It is likely that Jefferson himself taught them using the treatises of his expansive musical library, notably Geminani’s “Art of Playing the Violin”. A year after Jefferson’s death, the two sons were given their freedom; the youngest’s profession is listed as “musician” in the 1850 census; he is remembered as an “accomplished caller of dances”. These sons span the full stylistic gamut available in 19th century American music: from fiddle to violin. Thomas Jefferson and his family represent the kernels of America’s musical traditions, and the way they have morphed in parallel with America itself. The musical ecosystem of Monticello plantation is a dynamic location to discuss colonial music’s intersections with class, race, gender, and national identity.

This research focuses on the compositional process from the point of view of the performer. It examines the extent to which collaborations with composers have an effect on the composition and subsequent performance. More specifically: how do compositions in which you, as an instrumentalist, were involved during the composition process compare to compositions where this was not the case? How does the relationship with the composer contribute to the final performance?

This artistic research compares French and German bow techniques in Tango music. I have been playing for a couple of years with a German bow when I play classical repertoire, and a French bow when I play tango. Considering that Tango has changed and added many things throughout its history, I wanted to investigate why the tradition of playing with a French bow is still extremely strong. So that is why the main question of this work is how to approach Tango music for double bass using a German bow technique? To answer this question I have been studying the method "The bass in tango" published by Tango sin fin, that approaches all of the elements from the perspective of the French bow. However, I have studied this using the German bow technique. I have found that you can play Tango with both techniques, but you cannot follow the same instructions to find the same results. This is mainly because of the anatomy of the bow. Additionally, because there is not a strong tradition outside of Argentina of typical orchestras or soloists that play beyond Piazzolla the tradition of playing with a French bow is still strong. After finishing this research, I would like to continue working on this subject through a new repertoire in a personal search to improve my performance as a tango player and then share this knowledge playing concerts or teaching with other double bass players.

In this research I would like to investigate the psychological aspect related to the practice of a musical instrument, going deeper into the experience of the flow state that the musician can live intensely. It is a state of mind of complete absorption in what one is doing. The process started by reading and informing myself as much as possible through books, articles, and personal experience. Based on these I created a strategy of work and exercises that would help me to be more focused and inside the music both in my studies and especially in my performances. I prepared two questionnaires to be filled in after the performances: 1) Personal Questionnaire 2) Group of critical friends To check whether the strategy I had been using over the last few months was helping me to achieve my goal or not. From the results of the two questionnaires until now, I can deduce the most effective and useful aspects of the strategy I implemented. It is also interesting to see how the suggestions of critical friends are similar to the "criticism" I made myself in the personal questionnaire. Over the last few weeks while analysing my latest performances and the results of the questionnaires, I have realised an increase in pleasure in playing and concentration on the task to do, which was not always present before I started this work. I am quite convinced that whatever strategy you want to use, you need patience to see over time if it really works.

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.

Name: Ingrid Roig Main Subject: Music Education according to the Kodály Concept Research Supervisor: Suzanne Konings Title of Research: The Kodály Effect: measuring musical literacy in Dutch primary school children. Research Question: What is the effect of Kodály inspired music education on musical literacy in Dutch primary school children and how can musical literacy be measured? Summary of Results: Recent years have shown a growing effort to increase the number of music lessons in Dutch primary schools. Nonetheless, an apt way to track children’s individual musical development is currently lacking, and no studies have been conducted to investigate the beneficial effects on musical literacy. The Kodály approach to music strongly emphasizes musical literacy, and prior research shows evidence of a positive impact on specific music skills. This thesis presents a study investigating the effect of Kodály inspired music education on the musical literacy scores of one hundred and thirty-four Dutch primary school children, Mage = 8.72 years. Children were randomized into two groups: a Kodály music intervention group and a control group. Gordon’s IOWA Tests of Music Literacy provided data on musical literacy outcomes. A Musical Aptitude test assessed the learning potential for music. Musical literacy increased significantly in the music intervention group compared to the control group. Children with a high musical aptitude showed greater improvement in musical literacy scores than children with a low musical aptitude. The present results indicate a beneficial influence of Kodály music education on musical literacy. In the second part of the study, the focus lies on developing a Dutch instrument and materials to measure and track the individual musical literacy development of Dutch primary school children. A pilot version and materials that music teachers can use in their classrooms are presented. Biography: Ingrid Roig (Argentina, 1986) studied Psychology and Developmental & Educational Psychology at Leiden University with a special interest in learning potential. In 2020 she started her studies at the Royal Conservatoire. She is the founder of a choir school in Dordrecht where she currently conducts a children's choir and gives solfege lessons. She is also a music teacher in a Dutch primary school for gifted students.

The current music scene is manifold in its means of expression. As music becomes more diverse and embraces other art forms it makes room for a new type of performers to flourish. My academic path, comprising jazz theory lessons and an uncomplete bachelor’s in composition beyond my classical piano studies, gave me the opportunity to develop a set of artistic skills that go beyond the standard performer curriculum. I saw in this artistic research the perfect chance to apply this knowledge. In my work I explore three distinct approaches to a specific piece of music: Constança Capdeville’s Avec Picasso, ce matin… (1984), starting from a more traditional analysis and progressively diverging from this path towards a subversive approach inspired by the concept of anamorphosis. Capdeville’s score is essentially an open work with a set of guiding instructions. However, the lack of documentation, clear instructions and reliable sources concerning the piece made the notated score more ambiguous than expected. This possible setback in its reconstruction turned out to be the perfect context to put my expertise to the test. While dabbling with Capedeville’s score I resorted to experimental processes, to my experience with composition, my transcription and editing skills, archive work and the use of different media in contemporary performance practice. I approached the score as a “script” rather than a “text” (Cook, Nicholas). In this research the score is no longer an end in itself, but rather an excuse towards the development of a musical project larger than it.

Chinese art song, a type of Chinese New Music, was a musical genre referring to the songs composed particularly in the 1920s. It is undeniable that it was a product of the real contact and fusion of Chinese and Western cultures. Imagine listening to music like Schubert or Puccini, you may suddenly realise that the language is not German or Italian, but an exotic language (Mandarin, also mixed with different Chinese dialects). Chinese art songs indeed had such characteristics. Its appearance was epoch-making. Before the 19th century, the gate of Chinese traditional culture was closed and self-sufficient, but due to the invasion of Western powers, this gate soon collapsed. Western culture also swept China along with the military trend in the early 20th century, causing earth-shaking changes in China, in which Western music was also introduced into China. Some intellectuals enlightened by modern thoughts and knowledge believed that in addition to learning western military and technology, they should also absorb their philosophy and culture, so that China could rise in all directions and catch up with Western powers. The theme of this research revolves around one of the intellectuals (composers) of this period, Huang Tzu (1904-1938) who challenged and responded to the culture shock through composing Chinese New Music. After studying in the United States in 1926, he returned to Shanghai, China. Like the intellectuals at that time, in addition to being proficient in various fields like science, he also dabbled in music. Many of Huang Tzu’s music revolved around the concept of "nationality". It refers to an approach: borrowing Western compositional techniques to highlight the values of traditional Chinese aesthetics. This research did not aim at describing the characteristics of music or literature in Chinese art songs itself. Yet, it finally allowed me to discover more about how intellectuals dealt with issues of cultural exchange between the East and the West a hundred years ago. What would be the effects if Western music elements, such as harmony, form, techniques and musical instruments were added to the Chinese traditional music language and habits? From a cultural perspective, what significance did this incur?

In my search for extradimensionality in accordion playing, I have explored the three-dimensional use of the accordion bellows. This concerns moving the bellows forward or backwards at different angles, instead of typically maintaining a straight line. This research dives deeper into how the 3D bellows technique influences accordion music interpretations. A survey spread to accordion teachers worldwide made clear that this technique is quite unknown and undiscovered. In 4 case studies, video recordings of musical interpretations were compared using a linear bellows concept versus using 3D bellows. After intensive reflection, benefits of the 3D bellows technique became clear. Firstly, it allows a better balance between the right and left-hand manual. Different frequencies and harmonics could be discovered through the 3D use of the bellows, which could lead to more resonance and timbre nuances. Furthermore, the technique enhances direction and phrasing in accordion music, reinforced by the visual perception of 3D bellows. However, the technique should be reviewed in different musical styles: in baroque compositions, for instance, the 3D movements are preferably less explicit. Considering some prerequisite skills, an important concern in the practice process has been when to apply 3D bellows. The research suggests that 3D bellows can be included more explicitly in accordion practice and pedagogy today. It was found to be a useful tool to deepen musical interpretations and musical hearing in accordion students and professionals.

“Searching for the Siren” explores contemporary vocal approaches that mirror the aesthetics and the contemporary perception of defining the elements of Beauty. Specifically, three main thematics are researched: 1) The Folk Voice, which explores how folk elements and timbres enter in classical and popular music, 2) The Extended Voice, which describes the use of extended vocal techniques with reference to technical and physical aspects of timbral contrasts, vocal fry, scream and inhalation phonation, 3) The Absent, Transformed and Replaced Voice which occurred with the technological development. Ends with conclusions around the definition of the mythical creature of the Siren and its relation to the human voice. Every aspect includes personal views, works, performances and syllogisms.

This research investigate how arrangers can use vocals as an addition to their horn arrangements. Through experimenting and literature research I will explore the role a voice can have as an autonomous part in a horn section with 2 other horns. In this research I ask myself the question: How can I use voice to complement 3 part horn arrangements? Using the most common horns in jazz, I make groupings of 2 horns paired up with the voice based on instrument information and range. We will play in different devisions and explore the influence that vowels will have on blending, opting for a homogeneous sound, where the voice is adopted in the section.

This research investigates the means in which to successfully create an arrangement for a small ensemble, in this case, one with the instrumentation of Prokofiev’s quintet op.39. The approach involved a look into the obstacles and benefits of the instrumentation and how one could overcome and make use of these characteristics. Firstly, the relevance of such a research was discussed, contextualising the importance of arranging in general as well as demonstrating the potential of an uncommon ensemble. A further analysis of the arranging procedure follows, pin-pointing particular methods in creating effective textures, colours and nuances. This looks closely at how an ensemble of musicians can add a depth and conviction to conversational interplay through the subtle use of voice leading and accentuating timbral variety. With such a practical research, audio and visual examples are used to reinforce the analysis, conveying the effectiveness of the multitude of resources used and overall outcome of this arrangement. The research therefore argues the importance of arranging, encouraging musicians to explore repertoire and presenting it in a new light.

Canon-1 is the first of a serie of five electro-acoustic works by Dick Raaymakers for which the concept 'morphology of sound' formed the principle starting point. Alongside the compositional activities, Raaymakers attempted to systematically describe a theoretical model that allowed him to get grip on the difficult matters relating composing with electronic means. This work fully occupied him from autumn of 1963 until spring of 1966. Not only led this work to a unique serie of compositions, it also laid the foundation for his later works covering the fields of composition, music-theater, installation art and writing. This important work was never well documented or contextualized from the perspective of electro-acoustic composition. Based on the original tapes, Raaymakers' schematics and interviews, this research aims to do that.

Name: Federico Forla Main Subject: Oboe Research supervisor: Wouter Verschuren Title of Research: Performing the 'Group of the Six' Research Question: Which are the common aesthetic aspects found in the Group of the Six? How can one exemplify it in the performance? Summary of Results: A new French style starts to develop at the beginning of twentieth-century. This style will flourish and develop trough all the century. We can find in the 'Group of the Six' a first controversial example of this new aesthetic. In my research I used historical sources, writings of the composers and writers of the time, together with detailed analysis of representative compositions. Merging all this information, I was able to create a clearer picture of the new French aesthetic of the 'Group of the Six'. Performance practice is a central aspect: specific examples of the aesthetic's reflection in the scores are intended as a suggestion for the execution. A case-study at the end of the research shows a practical example of how the collected information can be used and related within a specific piece. Biography: Since the beginning of my musical studies I got really interested in chamber music. It was for me the most direct, simple and democratic way to make music together. In the following years this interest persisted, giving me the urge to explore and experiment new repertoire. My initial period at the Royal Conservatoire was characterized by my first serious approach to French chamber music of twentieth-century. My research was inspired by the issues, doubts and reflections of that period.

Name: Kit (Hannah Rose) Spencer Main Subject: Baroque Harp Research Supervisor: Kate Clark Title of Research: Squalid and Obscure: Timbral Word Painting at the Arpa Doppia Research Question: Can timbral refinement, through synthesized notation and subsequent technical exercises, enhance contrast and word painting in arpa doppia continuo realisations of Seconda Prattica songs? Summary of Results: While functionally versatile, the arpa doppia, an Italian harp of imposing size with multiple layers of resonating strings, revealed its nature as fondamento, in the subtle art of continuo. Direct contact with the open strings gave singers, accompanying themselves on the harp, unparalleled control over the instrument’s timbral potential. This is reflected in the role of the instrument within musica secreta, private concerts at the courts of Ferrara and Modena stylistically favouring word painting and chromaticism, in ensembles such as the concerto delle donna and Baroni sisters. The expressive freedom of their art influenced poets and composers and contributed to the development of the seconda prattica at the turn of the sixteenth century. Indeed, voice and harp were held up as the ideal way to perform epic poetry, a reflection of the mesmerising contrast and colour their combined forces could deliver. How do we find this unique skill-set today from a broken line of tradition, contending with limited, conflicting primary resources? There is very little surviving repertoire specific to the instrument, and other sources such as paintings are static representations with considerable variation in position and placement of the instrument, body and hands, making it hard to replicate. In the years dedicated to exploring the arpa doppia, we harpists uncover these insights through shared motions and motivations of our forebears— finding a way to play like them by trying to vividly colour the text as they did. This is a way artistic research can bring to life the spectrum of lost practice and technique. My research has resulted in the creation of timbral notation for the arpa doppia, easily added to music notation and publishing software. This notation is designed to help recreate as much as possible all the timbral refinement found by the hands of masterful singer-harpists. It documents, builds upon and preserves the invaluable research of historical practitioners, using visual, contact-based diagrams to provide clarity in understanding this evocative and highly specialised art form. With this foundation of  timbre and text, it aims to reconstitute the virtuosity, influence and innovation of the original arpa doppia players, through our shared practice today.   
Biography: While playing as the Australian Youth Orchestra's Principal Harpist, and as a fellow of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Kit Spencer's Honours degree culminated in studying Berio's infamous Sequenza II with its foremost interpreter, Alice Giles. Her passion for colour, gesture and bass lead her to arpa doppia, beginning with Andrew Lawrence King's St. Petersburg production of Landi's La Morte d'Orfeo and Monteverdi's L'Orfeo in Bauska Castle, Latvia.

Name: Mikel Ibañez Santervas Main subject: Violin Main Subject teacher: Peter Brunt Research supervisor: Herman Jeurissen. Title of the research: Caprice Basque op.24 by Pablo Sarasate. Way of being interpreted. Research question: Why did Pablo Sarasate compose the first dance of the Caprice Basque in 3/4 bar? Summary of results: The first dance of the "Caprice Basque" op. 24 by Pablo Sarasate is composed in 3/4 although it is a traditional dance from Basque Country which is usually played in 5/8. The piece was composed in 1880 when the quintuple bars were not still common at the classical occidental musical language but they were beginning to be spread little by little. After having analyzed all the documentation about it, my conclusion is that in the folkloric music often the musicians do not play what is written in the score really precisely. Sometimes what is written in the score is just an approximation of what it sounds. Is at the second half of the XIX, when, the folkloric music gets analyzed by expert musicians, that we start to see the relation between what we listen and what we read in the scores. This is exactly the case of Pablo Sarasate. He knew about the 5/8 bar when he composed the Caprice Basque ( because of the geographical closeness of Pamplona (his hometown) and the Basque Country, and because there were in the Basque tradition some written 5/8 “Zortziko” examples as the one we have seen of 1813 by Antonia de Mazarredo or her sister Juana de Mazarredo) but despite he wrote it in 3/4, it is completely sure that he would interpret it in the traditional way. Attached we can see a transcription of the piece in 5/8 which shows how the "Caprice Basque" op. 24 should sound. Biography: Mikel Ibañez, violinist. Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain) in 1989. He began his violin studies at de age of 6 at his hometown’s conservatory with the teacher Agustí Coma Alabert. Throughout his ten first years of studies, he complemented the violin lessons with his main teacher having some master classes with other teachers like: Víctor Parra, Christiam Ifrim, Joaquín Palomares and Keiko Wataya. Once he was graduated in 2006, Mikel was accepted in MUSIKENE to study bachelor with the prestigious Japanese teacher Keiko Wataya. He obtained the bachelor degree with distinction in 2012. Then, searching for a technical and musical development, Mikel moved to The Hague after being accepted at the Royal Conservatorium of the same city to study with Peter Brunt, and got the bachelor degree in 2014. Currently, he studies second year Master at the Royal Conservatorium of The Hague with Peter Brunt.

Name: Raquel Garzás García-Pliego Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Anna Scott Title of Research: Transcribing Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli for Orchestral Ensemble Research Question: Can creating orchestral transcriptions of this piano piece confirm or change current perceptions of its character and meaning; and can studying the relationship between the orchestral and piano duo versions of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances help inform my arrangements of his Variations? Summary of Results: This research paper focuses on the process and effects of creating orchestral transcriptions of Sergei Rachmaninoff's piano work Variations on a Theme of Corelli. The goal of this research has been to build more than one orchestral version of some of these variations in order to help piano students (as well as myself) arrive at more than one interpretation of the piece. In order to explore this idea of interpretive multiplicity and flexibility in the Variations, I based my transcription process on Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances: a work that the composer produced first for orchestra and afterwards for piano duo. During my analysis of the Symphonic Dances I tried to understand the composer's view of the relationship between orchestral and pianistic timbres so that I could then apply similar characteristics to my own transcriptions. As pianists we are frequently asked to think and play orchestrally, but sometimes we do not have the inspiration or tools to experiment with new sonorities and modes of sound production. In making these transcriptions, I have been able to explore and expand my own relationship with this work, while also opening up my mind to the interpretive possibilities inherent in other familiar piano works. In my presentation I will highlight elements of my analysis and transcription process before demonstrating their effects on my interpretation of Rachmaninoff's Variations at the piano. Biography: Raquel Garzás was born in Spain in 1992. After finishing her Bachelor Degree in Zaragoza, Spain, she continued her studies by pursuing a Master's Degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag with David Kuyken. Raquel has a special affinity for chamber and contemporary repertoires, and is a member of the chamber group Camus Trio. In recent years she has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including the "Chamber Music Orchestra Andrés Segovia" together with the "Orfeón Donostiarra" in the National Auditorium of Madrid.

Name: Claudio Jr De Rosa Main Subject: Jazz Saxophone Research Supervisor: Patrick Schenkius Title of Research: The Sound of the Big Band: Between evolution and continuity Research Question: How can I define the essential characteristics of the voicings in the writing of Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, and Maria Schneider? How can I internalize them and make them part of my arranging vocabulary? Summary of Results: The main goal of this thesis is outlining the fundamental elements of the style of three jazz masters of Big Band arranging: Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, and Maria Schneider, focusing on their voicings through a deep analysis of some of their works. The second part, however, is intended to be more practical and personal. Knowing the elements that characterize the style of these writers, I will show some components that stood out in the previous analysis included in some of the 13 arrangements I did during my Master. Biography: Saxophonist, composer, arranger, award winner, Claudio Jr De Rosa is a rising personality in the European Jazz scene. After a Master in Classical Saxophone, he is concluding the Master in Jazz under the guidance of J. Ruocco, H. Huizinga, and P. Schenkius. He recorded jazz CDs with his trio Zadeno Trio and with the CJDR Jazz 4et, and toured extensively in Europe and Asia. As an arranger, he wrote for the NSJO, KC Big Band, CvA Big Band, and CJDR Jazz Ensemble. He won the “Louis van Dick Arranging Jazz Award 2016” and his music was performed by the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw.

Abstract Title of Research: Violin education in middle childhood. Research Question: How can an optimal musical and violinistic development be achieved in the teaching of children in middle childhood? Summary of Results: In middle childhood (7-11/12 years) enter a new phase in the development of their cognitive functions, their motor skills and social behaviour. In this research I investigate how these developments should be understood from the perspective of violin teaching to children in this age group and how these developments can be used by the teacher to the benefit of their education to become all-round violinists and musicians. For this research I studied the relevant literature in the field of development psychology and the training of young talents and I compared the scholarly theories and insights with my personal experience as a violin and violin methodology teacher of more than 20 years. In this thesis I describe the great potential that violin teaching to children in middle childhood offers, provided that the teacher has a good understanding of the learning process of the child, a clear vision and long-term strategy for the teaching and tremendous patience. Central elements of this vision should be a clear overview and balanced approach of all the different elements that make an expert violinist and all-round musician, the flexibility to respond and adapt to the specific abilities and needs of each individual pupil and an approach that fully involves the child in his/her own learning process.

Name: Yotam Gaton Main Subject: Baroque Violin Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Writing a text to music to be performed as done in Melodramas Research Question: What are the different ways in which text and music are put together in the Romantic Melodramas? Summary of Results: I use examples from compositions of the early Romantics until those of the end of the 19th century. Ways to treat the fusion of text and music, as can be seen from the literature, are presented in the story that I wrote, a story that is meant to be narrated with early Romantic music. The Melodrama that developed in the 70s' of the 18th century, although disregarded by some critics, became - mostly in the Germanic countries, a popular genre, used by composers from Benda through Mozart and Beethoven, to Liszt and Humperdinck. In a world that constantly looked for musical innovations, melodrama gave a new meaning for that primary connection of music and text. So how is this text-music relation kept? Are there clear principals in composing music to recited text as can be learned from Melodramas in the Romantic period? Representative melodramas by early and late romantic composers are discussed. The Melodrama developed due to changes in the artistic approach to the fusion of music and text. From its early days of Rousseau and Benda and the autonomy they sought to give to each art, to the complete immersion and fusion of the two in the Melodramas of Schuman, Liszt and Humperdinck, highlighting the qualities of both arts. The core of this work is my own intake on Melodrama. I brought examples from the story that I wrote for different fusions of recited text and music. Unlike Melodramas where music is written to text, here the process is reversed and text was written to music. Biography: Yotam Gaton was chamber music oriented from an early age, performing as concertmaster and principal second violin with Israel’s finest chamber ensembles.
Yotam joined the IDF and served as the leader and first violinist of the IDF string quartet where he wrote and performed series of lecture concerts.
Former member and concertmaster of the European Union Baroque Orchestra, Yotam played with renowned ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants and performed in Europe's most important Early Music festivals. Both as a soloist and a group member, he collaborated with some of the greatest Early Music artists such as Frans Brüggen, Masaaki Suzuki, William Christie, Lars Ulrik Mortensen and Rachel Podger.

Entwine – finding music within a poem. Exploring musical interpretations of Japanese Tanka by Yosano Akiko What can be the contemporary musical expressions of tanka poetry from a standpoint of an improvising jazz vocalist? What are the elements that constitute tanka’s character and can they trigger a vocal inspiration? What could be the place of Japanese poetry within other artistic disciplines? In my research I have explored Japanese aesthetic sensibilities and have tried to find their translations into my own musical experimentation. After initial study of the relevant literature and listening to the existing works of both classical Japanese music and Western contemporary compositions influenced by the Japanese arts, I have proceeded with my own vocal- instrumental Sketches in which I have experimented with improvised and written music. My source material was tanka of an early 20th century poet Yosano Akiko. The improvisations and compositional sketches are based on some specifically chosen elements: the imagery and meaning of the tanka poem, layered Ukiyo-e printing technique, sound associations derived from the paintings, Japanese language sonority, Japanese scales and harmony used in the traditional gagaku ensemble and other inspirations. The final research document contains audio examples of the recordings that led to the final audio-visual presentation and an extensive paper documenting the process of discovery.

Name: Jonathan Bonny Main Subject: Classical Percussion Research Supervisors: Gerard Bouwhuis, Fedor Teunisse Title of Research: IN – the creation of an immersive music performance Research Question: How can immersive performance concepts be used to create a better connection between a musician and his audience? Summary of Results: In my research, I reflected on several aspects of a concert and how I want to communicate with my audience. Throughout the research I realised that finding ways to immerse an audience is easier said than done. My belief in immersion as a tool to guide listeners towards a certain atmosphere, attitude or interpretation is nevertheless still as strong as before. More than ever, I am convinced that this is the way for me to perform. This is particularly the case for contemporary music where inexperienced listeners might appreciate some guidance. This paper aims to inform (performing) readers of the possible (positive and negative) consequences of creating an immersive performance. Creating an immersive performance is difficult. It takes a lot of time, something musicians often do not have. In addition to learning the music, the performer needs time to brainstorm about the kind of immersion that supports the musical idea and does not distract from it. The line between the two is very thin. Once the immersion concept is established it often takes a lot of preparation to execute it. To bring elaborate ideas to fruition musicians will need the help of technicians, engineers, other artists etc. This explains why immersive performances are often organised by ensembles that rely on a bigger production team and budget. The danger here lies in the fact that those teams are often too far removed from the actual content of the music. Realising this made me think about other ways to connect with an audience. I concluded that besides immersion, also attitude and mindset are very powerful tools to decrease the distance between a performer and the audience. Low-tech solutions like literally performing very close to or surrounded by them are very effective to emotionally connect with the audience. Because of the reflective character of the topic I chose to write my dissertation in the form of an essay. My goal is not to present 'the ultimate truth' but to inspire myself and other musicians to create a personal (contemporary) performing identity. Biography: Jonathan Bonny (°1992, Bruges) studied classical percussion at the School of Arts in Ghent, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. He is actively building towards a music culture that knows no distinction between genres and he is consistently looking for innovative ways to present contemporary arts to a bigger audience. He co-founded Headliner (adventurous music collective), Kunstenfestival PLAN B (contemporary arts festival) and IHEART (band).

Name: Mariëlle Heidekamp Main Subject: Music education in the Teacher Training College Research Supervisor(s): Suzanne Konings, Renee Jonker Title of Research: Music education in the Teacher Training College Research Question: What content has to be included in the first-year module for the Gouda Teacher Training College (TTC) to give students the experience, knowledge, skills and confidence required to experience joy in making music with children and to enable them to teach good and joyful music lessons in primary schools? Summary of the Results: “There will be good music education in the schools only when we educate good teachers” This quote from Kodály inspired me to start this research. In the Teacher Training College (TTC) there are quite a lot of students who, after completing the two year music module, do not feel confident enough to organise well-balanced music lessons in primary schools. Apart from this, music education is underappreciated in primary schools. By using the method of Practised-Based Research, I have examined how to change the music-modules in the TTC in order to profoundly motivate and equip students to provide well-balanced music lessons in primary schools. In this new music module the students will personally experience the joy and pleasure in music-making and they will be inspired to pass on this feeling of joy to the children. I will show you in my Research Paper and in the Presentation that the content of the new module, inspired by the SFM-model and the concept of the three P's, will give students the knowledge and skills necessary to feel confident enough to organise their music lessons. Biography: I am 34 years old. I am class teacher in primary school for 13 years and music teacher in the Teacher Training College in Gouda for 5 years. I have studied on the Teacher Training College from 2000-2003, on the KC Bachelor Music Education from 2011-2013, on the course 'Muziek als Vak' in 2014. In my free time I am a conductor of a children's choir and a mixed choir. I play the flute and sing in choir as a soprano.

Name: Wiesje van Eersel Main Subject: Music Education According to the Kodály Concept Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Perspectives on Kodály Cello Teaching Research Question: In which way can the Kodály concept form an integrated part of a cello teaching curriculum for children? Summary of Results: In search of a suitable method to educate my pupils towards comprehensive cello playing, I came across the Kodály concept. My first encounter was promising and I decided to pursue this further. My research investigates possible ways to integrate the Kodály concept in cello teaching for children. In my research paper, first the Kodály concept is defined, and on that basis, existing methods and practices are analysed and examined. In addition to the study of the written sources I have also observed lessons and experimented with the materials myself. Alongside this investigation I have been integrating the Kodály concept in my own teaching for three years. The reflection on that experience, together with my findings from the existing methods results in the conclusion that there are many possible ways to integrate (elements of) the Kodály concept in cello teaching. In the analysed methods, and in my own teaching, choices on how to integrate the concept depend on several factors. The initial perception of the concept is of influence, but also the practical reality of a particular teaching practice. I came to the conclusion that a structural, full implementation of the concept would have implications for the practical arrangement of my teaching. In my presentation I want to show the different perspectives, give practical examples and share my thoughts on a possible way to realise the concept in my teaching practice. Biography Wiesje van Eersel is cello teacher at the PI, Junior and Young Talent Department of the Royal Conservatoire, where she teaches children between 5 and 12 years old. She also teaches cello methodology at the Royal Conservatoire and the Conservatoire of Amsterdam, and teaches in a public music school.

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.

Name: João Pedro Almeida Lucas Main Subject: Classical Double Bass Research Supervisor: Margaret Urquhart Title of Research: Double bass homemade recordings Research Question: How to get the pure sound of the double bass in a homemade recording? Summary of Results: Often, musicians are required to send out a recording for a competition, an audition or simply for self-promotion. Unfortunately, not everybody can afford a studio and qualified technicians to have a good final result. However, nowadays, there is low budget equipment (microphones, sound cards, hand recorders, among others) that, when used in a proper way, can provide good results. Being fascinated by the recording and studio worlds, I began to take interest in this particular matter. During the past year and a half, I have focused on recording bass players, with different approaches to the instrument and repertoire. There are some factors to take into consideration regarding my experiences: each player was using their own instrument; the recordings were made in different environments (except the ones used for comparison); the same mic settings were used, in order to make a more precise comparison between two different instruments; and all the recordings were made in solo context, with no other instruments involved. The focus was only on capturing the sound (without editing). In conclusion, I believe that a double bass recording can improve significantly even with low cost equipment, when used in a proper way. My main goal with this research was to gather my experiences and recommendations into an accessible guide for double bass home recordings. Biography: João Pedro Almeida Lucas began his double bass studies in 2006 with Romeu Santos at EPABI (Professional Music School of Beira Interior), Covilhã, Portugal. In 2011, João was invited by his current teacher, Quirijn van Regteren Altena to become his student at the Koninklijk Conservatorium. On 2013, João Participated in “KarrKamp”, a summer camp with the world leading soloist Gary Karr in Victoria, Canada. He is a member of Ciconia Consort Orkest, a string orchestra in The Hague; Salad Ensemble, improvised music project, in Portugal; João is a regular guest in The Residentie BachOrkest and in the Rietveld Ensemble.

Name: Vasileios Filippou Main Subject: Composition Title of Research: Ottoman music as a source of inspiration for today’s composers Subtitle: Applying aspects of Ottoman Classical music within current compositional practice Research Question: How can I, as a composer, understand the rich tradition of Ottoman Classical music and as a result, inform my compositional work? Summary of Results: By outlining and critically evaluating my compositional process, this research paper aims to suggest methods of composing that are influenced by, and arise from a deep understanding of Ottoman Classical music. The purpose of this research is to show ways in which Ottoman Classical music can provide compositional tools for today’s composers (especially those with a European Classical background). The paper and the composition examples will illustrate possible ways in which Ottoman Classical music can be used. The important results of this research are presented in the form of compositions, accompanied by their analyses, where the ways I approached the research question are demonstrated. A diagram has been devised, which can be used as a method of drawing inspiration from various musical elements whilst reflecting on them. The points discussed on the use of Ottoman Classical music in today’s practice and the two opposing views on this matter are key to these results as they have informed the study. This is a practice as research approach where composition, which is my artistic practice, becomes both my subject and my tool of research. It is an area not extensively studied in the past and it is free of pre-defined methods and open to new interpretations. This paper can be an introduction to composers who have not yet studied or practiced this kind of music. Biography: Vasileios Filippou (b. Cyprus, 1991) is currently a master student at Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag studying composition with Yannis Kyriakides and Calliope Tsoupaki. He holds a master degree with a scholarship fromTrinity Laban conservatoire and a bachelor degree from Royal Holloway, London. His music has been performed in The United Kingdom, Netherlands, Greece, Spain and Cyprus, broadcasted from BBC Radio 3 (UK) and RIK Radio (CY) and also presented in Aldeburgh and Cheltenham music festivals. Latest major performances include a piece for Orkest de Ereprijs in Appeldoorn and a piece for Ives ensemble and Slagwerk Den Haag in Amsterdam.

Name: Cody Takacs Main Subject: Classical Double Bass Research Supervisor: Maggie Urquhart Title of Research: Developing Vocal Techniques in Contemporary Solo Double Bass Repertoire: A pedagogical approach to developing vocal techniques and coordination in Western classical-contemporary solo double bass repertoire Research Question: How can double bassists efficiently learn contemporary solo double bass repertoire requiring the simultaneous use of their voice and playing their instrument? Summary of Results: Due to an exponentially growing number of compositions and a complete lack of pedagogical material regarding simultaneously using the voice and playing the double bass, I have written a method book titled The Double Bass-Voice: A How-To Guide. For this book I have collected, adapted, and organized information from double bass pedagogical resources, vocal pedagogical resources, musical scores, and reflections on past experiences with this repertoire. The book is intended to develop the technique and coordination necessary to effectively prepare solo double bass-voice repertoire. The book is divided into four main sections: “Using the Voice as a Practice Aid,” “Vocal Tools and Techniques,” “Etudes and Exercises,” and “Notation Examples” as well as a database of the solo double bass-voice repertoire. By incorporating the voice as a tool into individual practice, understanding an efficient practice process and fundamental vocal technique, having access to simple etudes to develop double bass-voice technique and coordination in musical contexts, and knowing what to expect in notation, double bassists will be better prepared in learning works for double bass-voice more efficiently. These results will be presented via PowerPoint presentation with musical examples from the method book and select double bass-voice works. Biography: Cody Takacs is a classically trained American double bassist currently residing in The Hague. An avid performer of new music, he has performed with Ensemble Klang, De Nieuwe European Ensemble, Het Metropole Orkest, and the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra and has appeared in the Gaudeamus Muziekweek, Venice Biennale, and Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival. He has given contemporary solo performances at the Rotterdam Contemporary Art Fair, Carnegie Hall, several universities and conservatories across the U.S. and Europe, and a lecture/performance on Iannis Xenakis at the International Society of Bassists convention.

Name: Maryse Gagnon-Legault Main Subject: Historical Clarinet Research Supervisor: Wouter Verschuren Title of Research: Josef Beer - The complete clarinet virtuoso Research Question: What was the importance of the 18th century clarinetist Josef Beer and what made him stand out as the first international virtuoso on the clarinet? Summary of Results: The history of music is punctuated by the rise of crucial players who, by force of skills, influenced the work of composers, brought their instrument to technical improvement, pushed the boundaries of musical possibilities or just popularized a specific way of playing. One player did all those things at the end of the 18th century with the use of his instrument, the clarinet. Although mentioned in all history books about the clarinet, today’s scholars have done little research on Josef Beer. However, when looking closer at Beer’s life, repertoire and works, we notice how much he had the chance to be at the right place at the right moment. A known teacher of many of the greatest clarinet virtuosi, such as Michel Yost and Heinrich Baermann, he had influenced a generation of young musicians, popularizing his instrument all over Europe with his extensive tours. But what do we really know about Josef Beer and what made him stand out to become such an influential musician? This research is about the life and works written for and by this intriguing man, as well as a reflection on the general implication of the soloist in clarinet concerti and how the music he played became extremely personal, by the addition of unique ornamentation and variations of the “skeleton” - the score - made by the composer. Mainly biographical and historical, this work aims also to approach Beer through the performances of works by composers gravitating around him, including his own compositions. Biography: Maryse Legault is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag in historical clarinets in the class of Eric Hoeprich. During her studies in the Netherlands, Maryse has had the opportunity to perform with many ensembles as a soloist, as well as an orchestral and chamber musician, in various countries including France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Russia. Curious to approach different repertoires, she focuses her research around the role of late 18th-century clarinet soloists and the birth of the pre-romantic German school of clarinet playing. Maryse holds a bachelor degree from McGill University in Montreal and plans to pursue doctoral studies next year in order to deepen her research experience.

Name: Gorka Catediano Andrade Main Subject: Classical Percussion Research Supervisor: Karst de Jong Title of Research: John Cage´s Bacchanale - A reconstruction for percussion ensemble Research Question: John Cage's piece Bacchanale (1940) was written for prepared piano. However, this was likely because of logistical restraints. Is there an instrumentation for percussion ensemble possible, and if so, how would it sound? Summary of Results: After researching about different prepared piano pieces by John Cage, we can realise that Bacchanale is the most suitable to be rewritten for percussion instruments due to its sonority and circumstances of composition. The piece was conceived for percussion instruments but there was not enough room in the theater to set up all these instruments. Therefore, Cage composed Bacchanale for a piano with different found objects placed into strings. For this research, a set of percussion instruments, similar to the ones that Cage´s ensemble had, imitates the prepared piano´s sonority. All the original sounds have been distributed in its corresponding drums and the composition has been transcribed to be played by four percussionists. During the presentation, both the reconstruction procedure and video recordings of the transcription will be shown to the audience. In this way, the audience will be able to understand why this piece can be perfectly played in a concert using percussion instruments, how can we came up with this result and what is its sonority. Biography: Gorka was born in 1992 in Miranda de Ebro (Spain), where he started his music studies. He continued developing his knowledge in the Conservatory of Vitoria- Gasteiz, “Jesús Guridi”. Later, he graduated from the Music Conservatory of the Basque Country (with prof. Javier Alonso, Lorenzo Ferrandiz, José Trigueros and Antonio Domingo). He is currently completing a master in percussion at Koninklijk Conservatorium (The Hague, The Netherlands) with Hans Zonderop, Theum van Niewburg, Pepe García, Niels Mefieste and Rob Verhagen. He has collaborated with many instrumental groups including Symphony Orchestra of The Basque Country, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Slagwerk Den Haag and AskoSchoenberg among others. He has also won prizes in different competitions, as the 2º prize in the Italy Percussion Competition in 2014 and he has played as soloist in prestigious festivals as “Quincena Musical Donostiarra”. Chamber music is an essential aspect in his professional career. He is part of IKKO percussion quartet and Trio ZUKAN (percussion, txistu and accordion). Both ensembles collaborate with several contemporary music composers.

Name: Enrico Ruggieri Main Subject: Choral Conducting Research Supervisors: Charles Toet, Ricardo Bernardes Title of Research: The Lamentações para a Semana Santa by José Joaquim dos Santos and Luciano Xavier dos Santos and the music for two violas, voices concertate and low instruments Research Question: What are the main features of the viola in this specific repertoire and consequently, what becomes its main function? Summary of Results: In 18th-century Portugal, a particular instrumental setting was used in the music composed for a specific Roman Catholic rite called the officium tenebrarum, performed during the Holy Week. This particular instrumentation consists of a standard vocal ensemble, 4 voices concertate, accompanied by a group of string instruments: 2 violas, a cello (or 2 celli) and a double bass. José Joquim dos Santos and Luciano Xavier dos Santos are the composers who exploited this instrumentation best, covering all the needs for music in the Officium tenebrarum. An analysis of two Lamentations by José Joaquim dos Santos and Luciano Xavier dos Santos explores the relation between music and rhetorical tools and how the viola relates to them. Besides being a precious rhetorical tool itself, the analysis discloses that the violas and the low string instruments become a practical replacement for the harmonic instruments. In a liturgy where the organ was officially forbidden there is a need for an instrument or several instruments that could absolve that crucial function. Thanks to his ability in blending with and supporting the voices and, at the same time, respecting the solemnity and the sobriety of the liturgy, the viola became the best organ replacement. Biography: Enrico Ruggieri was born in 1982, graduated in piano, studying with Paolo Russo and Rachele Marchegiani. After a Bachelor in Architecture, there followed a Bachelor degree in Choir Conducting from Pescara Conservatory, a Master degree in Choral Music and Choir Conducting in Bologna Conservatory and a Bachelor degree in Choral Conducting from the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague. He has attended masterclasses with many different musicians specialising in choral conducting and Early Music, such as: Tonu Kalijuste, Peter Phillips, David Lawrence, Julian Wilkins, Walter Marzilli, Marco Berrini, Annibale Cetrangolo, Maurizio Less, and vocal technique with: Ghislaine Morgan, Sandro Naglia, Elisa Turlà (Voicecraft), Federica Fedele (Alexander Technique). He has conducted many amateur choirs with varied repertoire: church music, folk music, early music, mixed choral repertoire. Presently, he is conducting “Lassus Consort” an Early Music vocal ensemble in Amsterdam and the “Quod Libet Kamerkoor” in The Hague.

Name: Mieke van Dael Main Subject: Music Education According to the Kodály Concept Research Supervisor: Renee Jonker Title of Research: Integrating aspects of the Kodály philosophy and methodology into instrumental education. Research Question: How can aspects of the Kodály philosophy and methodology be integrated into instrumental education? Summary of Results: I started this Master's study and Research while searching for tools which would allow me to develop my students' inner hearing, and while also being aware that instrumental education has remained the same for a long time even though the world around us is changing. In addition, I realised that during my career as a performing bassoonist I have seen changes which I did not understand. My study has opened the door to a wide range of possibilities and follow-up steps for me to take. I now understand why I found a number of things difficult in classical music performance. As far as I am concerned that is closely related to the fact that I was trained to reproduce music from notation, whereas I think that making music is much more than merely reproducing something. Splendid masterworks have been composed throughout musical history and I can thoroughly enjoy them if I am given the chance to play them. However, for me, that is not the only way to make my musical voice heard. I also need to speak a living musical language with my pupils and colleague musicians. If self-expression is an important part of the new learning, then I think that it is essential I develop musical expression with my pupils in order to speak a living musical language. It would be extremely interesting in a follow-up study to investigate how the language develops and then to see what is necessary to develop a living musical language-one in which you learn to listen, speak, read, write and interpret. By doing this research I have come to understand how aspects from the Kodály philosophy and methodology can be integrated into instrumental education and I can see that this is enriching. It has given me many insights and a broad palette of tools which I can use to work in the profession in a more creative and innovative manner. Biography: I studied bassoon, contrabassoon and chamber music at the conservatories of Maastricht and Amsterdam at the end of the 1980s. I began my career in the Dutch musical landscape at the start of the 1990s. I have been a bassoonist and contrabassoonist for more than 20 years and have given concerts in the Netherlands and abroad, including a number of years intensive involvement with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. My career as a bassoon teacher has also covered more than 20 years, and is nowadays at Scholen in de Kunst in Amersfoort and at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.

Name: Noyuri Hazama Main Subject: Baroque Violin Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Vibrato in the Time of Mendelssohn Research Question: How would vibrato have been played in Mendelssohn’s violin music, specifically his concerto? Summary of Results: The usage of vibrato in Mendelssohn's time was much different than what we use today in historical performance practice. Players were using different techniques for it, creating a different effect, and there was a system and common knowledge of when and how vibrato should be used. In this period, there was a rejection of ornaments in general, vibrato being one of them, and it was emphasized that it should not be over-used. I have used Mendelssohn's violin concerto as a piece to apply these rules, and came to conclusions based on historical evidence and my own experimentation. Biography:  Violinist Noyuri Hazama has won recognition throughout Europe and Japan for both modern and historical performance. She received top prizes in the Premio Bonporti International Baroque Violin Composition and the Japan-German Exchange Festival. Noyuri has performed with Bach Collegium Japan, the Orchestra of the 18th Century, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Netherlands Bach Society, and Werner Hink with other principal members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also a founding member of the Goldfinch Ensemble, which has won international recognition in festivals and competitions. She will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto for the conservatoire project with the Orchestra of the 18th Century in May 2017.

Name: Nuno Galego Marques Atalaia Rodrigues Main Subject: Recorder Research Coaches: Paul Scheepers and Rebecca Stewart Title of Research: Ganassi as researcher, Practice based research and new horizons for HIP Research Question: What changes when I start reading treatises of the past as the result of a practice based research not unlike my own? Research process: The following questions have guided my research and relationship with the XVII century recorder treatise La Fontegara: Was Ganassi an artistic researcher? Can his 1535 treatise, La Fontegara, be thought of as the result of sixteenth century practice based research? What will change in our relationship to documents of the past once we look at them as analogous to our own artistic concerns? What could this understanding of artistic research as a trans-historic event mean for Early Music in particular? My research and thesis leads me to a close reading of Ganassi’s recorder and diminution treatise La Fontegara, trying to go beyond the text and its possible literal meanings and tracing the lost instrumental practice of diminution. With this first treatise of its kind, Ganassi inaugurates an age of instrumental literacy, which has irrevocably shaped our perception of musical practice. By linking the document to its biographical, social, theoretical and practical roots I try to sketch out the possible influences and projects (both political and artistic), which took part in making this work possible, helping to understand the trans-historic significance of research in defining a place for the artist within broader society. Also, I take the chance to reflect how this critical intimacy I establish with the work changes the very core of my identity as a recorder player by shaping my practice as a dialogue with a distant and mostly silent past. Summary of Results: The goal of this research is to stress the importance of research in the arts in redefining the role of the musician within society and of opening up a new wave of debate with which to vitalize the historically informed performance movement. Ganassi’s La Fontegara is a document that holds a far greater importance than that of a simple recorder tutor, which positioned it as the first document in the project of emancipation of instrumentalists and their music. Furthermore, the document should be seen as a vital part of the XVII century propaganda project of diffusing the myth of Venice through its use of speculative music tropes such as the theory of proportions. FInally, I wish to rethink our present relationship to these documents as performers. They were not musical cookbooks but rather crystallizations of a continuous struggle between the performer’s knowledge and his need to describe it. To read La Fontegara, is to go beyond the treatise and speculate on the oral practice from which it stems.

Even though the idea that “space and spatial experience as aesthetically central” regarding its sonic attributes is a central topic in acousmatic music, it is also of interest for orchestral composers, especially from 20th century onwards. The sound of the 20th century is so broad that gives today’s composers the potential of exploring a vast richness of “first heard” structures, that came as a result of the experiments and achievements of the past, and consequently to form their personal voice which can be relevant to it and capable to converse with it. A greater level of abstraction is needed in order to manage to condense what this knowledge offers to us and the consideration of space during the composition procedure seems to provide us a good starting point since many of the attributes of contemporary music could be included in it. Additionally it seems that a greater level of abstraction would not necessarily make the music less accessible to the audiences if such systems of abstraction take into account research into human physiology and considers the every-day environment. Regarding space in a macro structural level can provide us with the appropriate means to create an experience based on its phenomenology while contemplating its micro structure can lead us to results which are unifying sound qualities that otherwise could be considered to belong in different scopes.

Pedal points and drones are present in almost all musical genres and styles. Although they appear in a whole variety of ways, and can have very diverse effects, music analysis rarely pays attention to these differences. The reason is, perhaps, that there are no defined concepts that would provide vocabulary to both describe and understand the power of sustained notes. My first research question addresses the ‘working’ of pedals and drones: How can we explain the perceptual difference among instances of pedal tones and drones? In searching for the right perspective to tackle this question I have come to two concepts that inspired the further research. The first is the concept of expectation. It is mostly promoted by the writings of Leonard B. Meyer (in the more recent time it is researched and developed by others), which I take as conceptual frame. The second is the concept of interactions that defines and organizes the musical events. The inspiration for the latter came from the social studies. The two concepts are interrelated: the expectation is a product of interactions of musical elements, and the expectations are also involved in interactions, thereby influencing the perception and understanding of a musical piece. My following research questions are: Could the concept of musical expectation and the concept of interaction help explain the power of long notes? If yes, in which ways can these processes influence the perception of pedals and drones? In the process of research, I have concluded that there are several categories of pedals/drones that are not labeled in music theory but are recognizable by many music theorists and musicians. Pointing at these categories and defining them could provide us with more words in pedal/drone-vocabulary. On the other hand, in case these models are recognizable as such, they have the potential to engage in various interactions with the other musical events in the piece, influencing the listener’s understanding of it. From this perspective, it is relevant to examine them. The current research aims at pointing at a number of such models. To define them, I have used the concepts of expectations and interactions. Music analysis of the chosen models and a number of musical fragments are so presenting the practical application of my theoretical research.

Abstract Name: Peter Primus Frosch Main Subject: Jazz Drums Research supervisor: Patrick Schenkius Title of Research: Jazz Drummer Elvin Jones – His Musical Heritage Research Question: What are the methods of Elvin Jones' playing and how did famous jazz drummers deal with his heritage? Summary of Results: The American jazz drummer Elvin Jones is one of the most famous musicians in jazz history. Nevertheless due to the writers' lack of ability to play the drums the existing research is very unsatisfying from a jazz drummer's perspective. Based on a wide array of transcriptions I put together several methods and concepts for accompaniment as well as drum solos developed by Elvin Jones. I also identified two predecessors to specfic stylistic approaches. The second chapter is about Jack Dejohnette, Jeff 'Tain' Watts and Brian Blade and how they dealt with his heritage. My main conclusion is that aspects of Elvin's style especially the method of 'play the drum set as one instrument' completely changed the approach of playing the drums in Jazz. Specific characteristics can be found in the better part of contemporary jazz drummers and therefore it is essential to deal with his concepts and ideas. This research helped me to increase my awareness of various stylistics of modern jazz drum set playing and at the same time I got an idea on how to apply those methods. CV: Peter Primus Frosch (drums) born on the 11.12.1990 He started playing drums at age 5. After school in 2010 he enrolled at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität studying with the likes of Mario Gonzi and Walter Grassmann. Since fall 2014 he is now continuing his master studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where he is under the guidance of the great dutch jazz drummer Eric Ineke. Awards: Fidelio competition finalist in 2012 and 2013, winner of the audience award in 2012; Most promising award“ by Marianne Mendt Jazznachwuchsförderung; winner of „New faces of Slovak Jazz“ 2014 best drummer at Generations International Jazzfestival Frauenfeld (Switzerland) - Jury: Lewis Nash, Seamus Blake, Don Friedman 2015: Winner of the Herbert Schedlmayer Jazz Stipendium workshops with Louis Hayes, Jimmy Cobb, Lewis Nash, David Hazeltine, Don Friedman, Seamus Blake among others; played with: Roman Schwaller, Clemens Salesny, Stephan Plecher, Jure Pukl, Daniel Nösig, Oliver Kent, Franz Hautzinger, Adrian Mears, Peter Herbert, Reinhard Micko, Klaus Gesing etc.

Name: Nicholas Prince Main Subject: Classical Bass Trombone Research Supervisor: Pete Saunders Title of Research: The brass player’s stutter Research Question: The brass players stutter, what is it, what are the causes and how can it be alleviated? Summary of Results: This paper deals with what is known as the brass player’s stutter, a very common but under researched issue. It occurs as the player inhales a breath to play but cannot exhale and produce the note on demand. The breath is just held in, thus giving a stutter effect. Many well-known professional brass musicians have suffered with these problems at some point in their careers. The author himself is one of the trombonists who has had to deal with this issue. Research was done through a series of interviews with different professional trombonists who have dealt with this problem to get their own opinions on this unusual issue and what they did to alleviate the problems. A questionnaire was also sent to trombone students in The Netherlands to find out if younger students are aware of such issues and if it can be avoided in the future. The results will provide a greater understanding of this problem and how I and others can find a solution to this obscure technical issue.  Biography: Nick Prince is a Bass Trombonist from the UK. After finishing his Bachelor degree with Roger Argente and Graham Lee at Trinity College of Music London, he moved to the Netherlands to do his master degree with Brandt Attema. His keen interest in orchestral music has led to playing with many orchestras including the RPO and Southbank Sinfonia. He also has a keen interest in brass chamber music, being a founding member of the Gianni Brass ensemble, which still performs numerous concerts per year and takes part in many education projects in the London area.

This research is an exploration in how other performing arts disciplines, namely Dance/Movement and Theater, can be used and implemented in a jazz performance to possibly create a interdisciplinary performance.

Name: Emma Jones Main Subject: Classical Saxophone Research Supervisor: Pete Saunders Research Title: Learning the altissimo register of the saxophone. Research Questions: What are the different approaches to teaching the saxophones altissimo register? Can a combination of these approaches lead to a confident and comfortable use of this register? Summary: This paper looks at how the altissimo register is taught by a number of performing saxophonists and teachers and how advice from lots of different voices can lead to the moment of understanding with the altissimo register. Several method books exist to help access the register but there are few resources for the initial stages of its performance. A collection of short studies based on selected standard repertoire have been composed as a resource for students who are approaching works that demand the use of the altissimo register. A recording of the study and the excerpt of the original material accompanies a small pedagogical text to help the reader towards success. Biography: Emma Jones is a British classical saxophonist. She graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire with a 1st class honours in 2015 studying under Naomi Sullivan and is in her final year at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She aspires to perform regularly as an orchestral saxophonist and makes up half of the Element Duo who released their debut album in 2015.

Name: Ines Serrano Diogo Main Subject: Classical Trumpet Research coach: Susan Williams Title of research: Playing By Heart Research question: Is the application of the Playing by Heart memorization model useful for learning and performing trumpet orchestral excerpts? Summary of the results: The main objective while undergoing this research was to put the PbH memorization model to test in a real life situation. However, this endeavor resulted in many secondary realizations. Firstly, the very concept of “playing from memory” has evolved from being a process that pursues the interiorization of the rhythmic and melodic figures that compose what we call music (playing without any physical memory aid) to a much more emotional, even spiritual involvement of one’s consciousness with the message the particular music tries to convey, its content and not just its form. This it to say that to know the very essence of what a musical excerpt stands for as well as its context is a much more powerful method than to simply learn it by memory: it is playing it by heart. Although the PbH memorization model was designed to improve performance, the obtained results revealed that while this method sharply boosts such traits as focus and accuracy y (which make for better music), it may have damaged other aspects of performing that require an external; awareness, like a performer’s presence on stage for example. Another interesting effect of this research was its lack of selectivity. This means that although the performer tried to apply the PbH memorization model to a select number of excerpts, the method’s nature (as well as the performer’s brain’s nature) made it impossible to avoid some of its principles to bleed into other excerpts, which were not meant to be affected. The Playing by Heart memorization model is considered applicable and useful in learning and performing trumpet orchestral excerpts. Biography: Ines Serrano Diogo was born in Portimao, Portugal, and started playing the trumpet by the age of 8. She finished her trumpet bachelor degree in Escola Superior de Musica de Lisboa (Portugal) in 2012, and is currently finishing her master degree with orchestra specialization at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.

Name: Kristen Huebner Main Subject: Traverso Research Coaches: Inês de Avena Braga and Jacques Ogg Title of Research: Comparisons of Perspective in the Empfindsamer Stil: How the music of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach represents a microcosm of an emerging cultural initiative Research Question: What are the musical tools available to musicians which can be used to unlock the complex understanding of the Empfindsamer Stil? Research Process: My research process has been the result of years working and performing the 1788 Quartets for Keyboard, Flute and Viola by Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach. Besides a deep musical analysis of these three works, the main body of my research has dealt with the developing style which is commonly associated with this music, that of Empfindsamkeit or Empfindsamer Stil. The English translation equating to “sensitive style” is often associated with the Sturm und Drang, a highly influential literary movement of the 1770s. After reading much of the actual literature of the Sturm und Drang, including Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, I set out to draw a distinction between the terms Empfindsamkeit and Sturm und Drang. Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach’s ersuch ber die ahre rt das lavier u spielen provided the springboard for my musical analysis of the Quartets and a subsequent categorization of three distinct musical characteristics used to describe the music of the Empfindsamkeit. Summary of Results: Having its origins in literature, the Sturm und Drang aimed to represent an artistic struggle showing the depths and extremes of the human experience, working most often in contradiction with the mainstream Enlightenment ideology of the time, which was founded and based on man’s ability to reason. Breaking away from this restrictive model, the Sturm und Drang influence crept further into cross-disciplines of poetry, theater and painting, yet striking deepest in the most ambiguous and indefinable of arenas, music. The Quartets of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach surprised and demanded a more explicit and contemplative attitude in order to perform with any real consciousness or effect. In addition to shifting roles in instrumentation with the keyboard asserting dominance over the supporting flute and viola, I have explored rhythmic manipulation and surprise, in addition to dynamic juxtaposition. Perhaps most taxing for the performer of these Quartets is the abruptness with which one must make changes in mood and character; drastic intervallic leaps, modulation to strange keys and an intentional disruption of the rhythmic pulse all contribute to a sense of impulsiveness, the suggestion of something that cannot be predicted and should be performed with an equal amount of surprise. The presentation will take the form of an informative demonstration combining live musical examples with visual representations of paintings and portraits of key figures in a PowerPoint presentation.

Abstract Name: Barbara Bekhof Main Subject: Viola Research Coach: Susan Williams Title of Research: How to use feedback, advice and judgement after an exam Research Question: How can feedback, advice and judgement be used in such a way, that it contributes to the learning process of the students? Summary of Results: This research paper is to conclude the study at the Royal Conservatory. This paper answers the question of how to use feedback, advice and judgments during an exam, and during the preparation of it. Feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to reach a goal. Important when giving feedback is that the learner is aware of receiving the feedback, and that the comments are objective. Advice is an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action. Important when giving advice is that the person receiving the advice is willing to receive advice and understands on what feedback the advice is based. A value judgment is a judgment of the rightness or wrongness of something or someone, or of the usefulness of something or someone, based on a comparison or other relativity. Judgement is an important part of an exam. For students it is important to know what the criteria are, and towards what they have to work to. To understand more of the learning process, different aspects of playing a string instrument are discussed in the fifth chapter. These aspects are technical facility, musicality and performance quality. The different phases in a musician’s preparation are discussed in the sixth chapter. From learning the score till mastering a piece. In this research all those aspects are combined to offer a guideline for juries and guideline for teachers during the preparation. Recommended for the examinations of the Royal Conservatoire would be to draw up a set of criteria, which are clear for the students and for the teachers who will grade the students. Biography: Barbara Bekhof (1991) first started playing the violin at age 6. From age 12 she attended the external preliminary program of the Royal Conservatoire, where she was taught by Koosje van Haeringen and from 2008 viola with Liesbeth Steffens. After graduating from the gymnasium, she went on to study Building Engineering at the TU Delft, while simultaneously continuing the viola. In 2013 she received her bachelor diplomas for both Building Engineering as Viola. Her masters at the Royal Conservatoire enabled her to go on exchange to the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne, where she studied under the renowned violist Alexander Zemtsov. After her return, she continued her master with Michael Zemtsov, as well as the master Urbanism at the TU Delft.

Name: Jean-Loup Gagnon Main Subject: Harpsichord Research Supervisors: Bert Mooiman, Peter Van Heyghen Title of Research: To beat or not to beat: reflections on musical leadership practices in the 18th century Research Question: What did musical leadership mean in the 18th century? Summary of Results: In the last century, historically informed performance practice has gained more and more popularity within the musical scene. In fact, musicians have being increasingly interested in historical articulation, phrasing, instrumentation, ornamentation, tempi, etc. Surprisingly, historical conducting practices have not been significantly investigated and hardly ever in a practical way. It may be the reason why there is a lack of experimentation in this domain, why even Early Music ensembles are using the modern way of conducting, which is to have an interpretative conductor that stands in front of the group. Would it not also be relevant to know how composers like Mozart, Handel or Bach would have “conducted” their works? Did Mozart conduct his wind serenade “Gran partita” by making gestures like we can see in Forman's movie Amadeus? Can we learn from their practical experience? This research demystifies conducting practices in the 18th century and brings a practical to the subject. Biography: Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in maestro al cembalo at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, Jean-Loup Gagnon studies improvisation and leadership from the harpsichord with Patrick Ayrton and harpsichord performance with Fabio Bonizzoni. His researches focus on leadership practices in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and on stylistic streams like the Mannheim School and the Galant Style, which constituted the musical grammar for genius composers such as Mozart.

Name: Johan Smeulders Main Subject: Wind Orchestra Conducting (HaFaBra) Research Supervisor: Suzan Overmeer Title of Research: The success of a symphonic transcription Research Question: What makes a symphonic transcription (for Concert band, Fanfare and Brass band) of one of the Great Masters from the 19th century successful? Summary of Results: The success of a chosen key in a symphonic transcription depends on several thoughts from arrangers and composers. It is possible to choose any kind of key for a symphonic transcription but the choice always has consequences. For example, the chosen key has consequences for the amount of sharps and flats in the individual parts for the different instruments. Another very important consequence, while a different key is chosen, is the choice for the solo parts in a transcription. Every instrument has its limitations within a chosen key because of the “limited” register for a particular solo instrument. The hard part in my research is the question: “What is success”? And how is it possible to define “success”? When a different key, another key than what is written in the original composition is chosen, some people will say the “colour” of the composition has also changed. Some people say they can feel and hear it but as we all know a lot of thoughts in music are subjective. So how can we define its success when a lot of things are subjective? What is good, better or wrong? Luckily, I have found some measurable facts to define the success of a symphonic transcription. My main conclusion, at this moment, is that the success of a symphonic transcription is based on several choices. First you will need to choose a key for the transcription that fits the ensemble in a natural way. When this key is chosen with knowledge about the limitations of the ensemble the transcription has to be instrumented in a high level of craftsmanship. Biography: Johan Smeulders finished his first Bachelor degree in 2011 as a euphonium player at the Fontys Conservatoire in Tilburg. He finished his Bachelor degree of Conducting arts studying at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague in 2015. He is the principal conductor of two fanfare bands and two concert bands in the south of the Netherlands. He also works as an arranger and as a professional euphonium player.

Name: Ryuko Reid Main Subject: Baroque Violin Research Supervisor: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Apollo’s Banquet for Children: Teaching baroque music to the young violinist Research Question: How can the baroque “rules” being used today in the field of historically informed performance practice be taught at a young age? Summary of Results: The purpose of this study is to investigate what aspects of the musical language of the baroque era can be experienced from twenty songs found in John Playford’s Apollo’s Banquet. This is a collection of country-dances, broad street ballads, theatre tunes, tunes from Morris dancing, Scottish tunes and French dances, that were published for the amateur violinist in 1670. In this study, these songs were taught to students between the ages of 5 and 10 with activities designed to create awareness of gestures, bar hierarchy, light cadences and other important baroque features, in a fun and approachable way. Videos and observations of the lessons show that the repertoire was well received and the paper shows that the use of the songs provided an effective initial stage in experiencing baroque music However the students would need to be exposed to many more examples of these baroque elements before they become consciously learned. This paper also concludes that other elements of baroque music not included in this study, such as rhetorical devices and improvisation could be investigated, and exploring folk music repertoire of the seventeenth century would provide our students with a richer experience of the baroque style. Biography: Ryuko Reid is a baroque violinist specialising in historically informed performance practice and is the artist director and leader of Amsterdam Corelli Collective. Ryuko works as a violin teacher in Muziekschool Amstelveen and studied the Kodály method at Koninklijk Conservatorium. She came to study baroque violin with Sophie Gent at Conservatorium van Amsterdam and is currently finishing her masters at Koninklijk Conservatorium, with Kati Debretzeni and Walter Reiter. Before moving to Amsterdam, she studied modern violin with Jan Repko, taught at Chetham’s School of Music and studied Dalcroze method in Manchester, UK.

Name: Alistair Sung Main Subject: Classical Cello Research Coaches: Gerard Bouwhuis, Renee Jonker Title of Research: Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century Research Question: Can a reconsideration of presentation, programming and audience relationship influence the response to classical music? Summary of Results: The financial and cultural climate of the past 50 years has changed the way in which classical music is perceived. Where once it was valued as a crucial part of a healthy society, it has now grown isolated from mainstream culture and has been relegated to the periphery of modern cultural life. This paper will examine how these recent cultural and social developments occurred and focus on their effects on the performance of classical music in the 21st century. Through an analysis of new and existing approaches to performance, a framework will be established which will form the basis of a test concert. Data gained from this concert will then be analysed in order to explore the possibility of altering existing concert conventions to respond to the problems facing the performance of classical music. Research will be presented in the form of a research paper. Biography: Alistair began learning the cello in Sydney Australia with Marcus Hartstein and David Pereira. After attending Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Alistair completed his Bachelor Music (honours I)/Bachelor Arts (philosophy) at the University of New South Wales in 2010. On graduating, Alistair was awarded the university medal and his honours thesis, ‘Variety in Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Recorded Performances of Bach’s Sixth Suite for Solo Cello’ was co-published in the Empirical Musicology Review (Ohio State University). Alistair is currently completing a Masters degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague with Larissa Groeneveld.

Name: Sandra P. Pérez Romero Main Subject: Historical Clarinet Research Supervisor: Inês de Avena Braga Title of Research: The Voice of the Chalumeau: A historical study of music for various sizes of chalumeaux and voice in the Holy Roman Empire and the Republic of Venice 1703-1767 Research Question: What was the importance of the chalumeau in XVIII century vocal music in the Holy Roman Empire and the Republic of Venice? Summary of Results: The chalumeau is a single reed woodwind instrument whose development lies between the recorder and the clarinet. It was used extensively as an obbligato instrument in vocal repertoire throughout the eighteenth century, when it was a highly popular instrument in the major courts in Europe. The vocal repertoire that included chalumeau from this time period – as this work aimed to illustrate – is quite large and diverse. It accounts for several hundreds of pieces and it encompasses a wide range of genres, all with unique instrumentation. The development of the repertoire for chalumeau was directly linked to three Holy Roman Emperors and the political milieu in the Hofkapelle in Vienna during the first half of the eighteenth century. Besides Vienna, the chalumeau was extremely popular in other courts such as Dresden, Hamburg and Darmstadt; the latter proved to be an extremely fertile land for chalumeau writing with Johann Christoph Graupner, who included parts for different sizes of chalumeaux in more than eighty cantatas. Other prolific composers for chalumeau include Atilio Ariosti, the brothers Giovanni and Antonio Maria Bononcini, Antonio Caldara, Francesco Bartolomeo Conti, Johann Joseph Fux, Johann Adolph Hasse, Johann David Heinichen, Giovanni Alberto Ristori, Johann Franz Strall, Georg Philipp Telemann, Antonio Vivaldi, among others. After a thorough search through RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales) and other online library catalogues, a total of 203 vocal works that include one or more parts for chalumeaux is presented in this thesis. Performance practice and general considerations on the style of this repertoire are addressed as well, with emphasis on the genres of Cantata, Opera, Oratorio and Serenata, but also Antiphonies, Hymns, Litanies, Masses, Psalms and other sacred works that employed the instrument as well. In addition, this research has resulted in several world premiere recordings of music by Hasse and Caldara. Finally, considerations on the “gloom” color often associated with the chalumeau in secondary sources are contrasted with the descriptions of the instrument in primary sources and the evidence present in the works composed outside Vienna. Biography: Sandra Pérez Romero (b.1992) is a Mexican born historical clarinetist. In 2015, she graduated Cum Laude from the Music Bachelor in Universidad Veracruzana (Mexico), under the supervision of Juan Manuel Solís (clarinet) and Ricardo Miranda (Musicology). She has collaborated with several orchestras in Mexico both as an active member and as a soloist and she has participated in clarinet and chamber music festivals in North America and Europe.

Name: Anne-Linde Visser Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Supervisor: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Seventeenth century (Italian) cello playing, focusing mainly on bow technique Research Question: How can we regain seventeenth century bow-technique for cello repertoire? Summary of Results: My aim for this research was to find out more about 17th century cello playing, with the focus on bow technique. The first cello treatise was not written until 1741 (Corette) and therefore most cellists will play this repertoire with a late 18th century (bow) technique. Repertoire which is written especially for the violoncello starts in the late 17th century, but a lot of this repertoire was still composed in the old style. In short, my research contains the following elements: the bow, the bow-hold, bow-technique and other sources on articulation. The sources used include mainly treatises and iconography (taking into account that not all iconography is appropriate). Iconography shows us that there are a lot of possibilities to play the cello. In terms of bow hold, underhand bow hold is seen the most, but also overhand bow hold can be seen towards the end of the 17th century. The treatises by Sylvestre Ganassi, Riccardo Rognioni and Francesco Frognoni, were my main sources for bow-technique. Ganassi (16th century) already gives some very important ‘rules’ on string-playing that are still applicable today. Written in even greater detail concerning articulation, are the treatises for wind instruments. In my opinion, those treatises are not only valuable for 17th century repertoire, but could be also a source of inspiration for any other repertoire. Biography: Anne-Linde Visser (The Netherlands, 1992) studies baroque cello with Lucia Swarts. Last year she studied with Jonathan Manson at the Royal Academy of Music in London (Erasmus Exchange). Anne-Linde is ‘Young Bach Fellow’ of the Nederlandse Bachvereniging and member of the Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra (Italy). Besides that, she regularly performs with the Laurenscantorij, Ars Musica and the Dutch Baroque Orchestra. With the Castello Consort she was recently accepted to take part in the Eeemerging-programme. She especially enjoys playing basso continuo, which has been described as ‘excellent’ (Early Music Reviews) and ‘impressive: unobtrusive yet decisive’ (Opera Today).

The use of metaphor is often a catalyst and manifestation of pianists' musical intentions in performance. It conveys how a piece of music might be understood—what it might 'tell' of. In a more practical sense however, these metaphors guide pianists' physical gestures—their tactile connection to the instrument—as they use metaphorical imagery to achieve the desired atmosphere of a musical work. For pianists, tone and touch are key to bringing their musical intentions to life. This research exposition thus investigates the complex connection between metaphor and pianistic touch through a series of experiments in Brahms's Intermezzo Op. 117 no. 1. Here, various metaphors derived from research into the background of the work and its creator were applied, resulting in multiple and differing interpretations—each with its own approach to tone and touch. By examining these varying approaches in light of scientific studies into the connection between metaphor and pianistic touch, we can conclude that metaphors do influence pianists' physical interaction with their instruments, that this interaction is complex but concrete and demonstrable, and that manipulations of this interaction can result in divergent interpretations of a single work. These findings should encourage pianists to develop different approaches to well-known works by experimenting with the application of various metaphors. This would not only expand their expressive and technical capabilities, but also push them to think outside the box and to move away from rigid assumptions about how musical works 'should' sound—which would ultimately contribute to their creative growth as musicians.

Names: Babylon Quartet: Kellen McDaniel, Danielle Daoukayeva, William McCleish, Leonid Nikishin Main Subject: Chamber Music Research Supervisors: Renee Jonker, Liesbeth Ackermans Title of Research: Babylon Quartet: Ghosts, Mirrors, and The River: A case study in performance and compositional practices of modern electro acoustic music Research Question: What are some of the important challenges faced in creating and performing works which utilize electronics, and what kinds of performance practices and compositional approaches can be used to mitigate and overcome these challenges? Summary of Results: The use of electronics in music composition and performance continues to expand, both in commercially mainstream and artistically niche genres of music. This presents a growing set of demands on classically trained musicians who wish to perform music which uses electronics. This paper is mainly a primary source documentation of performance techniques, challenges and solutions presented by the members of Babylon Quartet in their preparation and performance of an original work for string quartet involving electronics. The piece was written by violist Kellen McDaniel and his brother Marshall McDaniel. It consists of first hand accounts of all four players as well as the two composers, detailing the process of first premiering the work, and then subsequently revising and adapting the work for future performances, as well as relevant technical explanation and documentation. The goal of this research is to provide insight and practical solutions on how some core challenges of electro-acoustic performance can be overcome from both compositional and performance perspectives. Biography: Babylon Quartet is a string quartet based in The Hague. Playing together for the past three years, they have been honored as recipients of Het Kersjesfonds Strijkkwartetstipendium as well as winning first place De Grote Kammermusik Prijs - De Doelen. They consist of violinists Leonid Nikishin (Russia) and Danielle Daoukayeva (Netherlands), violist Kellen McDaniel (USA), and Cellist William McCleish (Canada). Kellen McDaniel and his brother Marshall McDaniel are a composing duo from Los Angeles, California. They have composed works for the concert hall and theater, as well as film and television.

The abstract for this exposition is unfortunately missing.

Name: May Kristin Svanholm Hegvold Main Subject: Early Music Singing Research Supervisor: Inês de Avena Braga Title of Research: Madness in music Research Question: How can one, convincingly, portray madness in a musical performance without being considered in a state of madness? Summary of Results: In the 17th century, madness was a relatively common theme in entertainment such as poetry, theatre, and music. There was something that fascinated the people of that time with the uncontrollable nature of madness. Henry Purcell and Thomas d’Urfey was among the many writers and composers who dealt with this subject, and a selection of their mad songs and texts are the main focus of my research. Feelings such as love, hate, envy, sadness and happiness are feelings most of us have felt in our life, but madness is perhaps a state that is exclusive to some people. Is it then possible to portray this state of mind convincingly in a performance of the music? To answer this question, I have examined how madness was portrayed by Purcell and d’Urfey, and generally how people that were considered mad was treated and viewed by the society. After researching the madness of the 17th century and what we today view as madness through music, text, historical documents and other forms of entertainment, I have come to the conclusion that it is possible to portray madness convincingly, but that madness is something completely different than the feelings previously mentioned. One person can view something as madness while someone else sees it as completely normal. Biography: May Kristin Svanholm Hegvold is a soprano from Norway. She did her bachelor's degree at the Conservatoire in Trondheim with professor Elisabeth Meyer-Topsøe, and is now studying for a master's degree in the early music department at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, with Rita Dams. May Kristin has participated as a soloist in many productions, including the premieres of two new operas by Norwegian composers, “Pappapermisjon” by Bertil Palmar Johansen and “Kommentarfeltet” by Trygve Brøske. She has also, among other things, been the soloist in Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” and sung the roles of Dido, 2nd Woman and 1st Witch from the opera “Dido and Aeneas”. Her latest roles involve Pamina from the opera “Die Zauberflöte” and Piacere from Händels “Il Trionfo del Tempo”.

Name: Eva Euwe Main Subject: Violone Research Supervisor: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Hearing Double Research Question: Was the double bass used in the VI Concerti Armonici by Unico Wilhelm Van Wassenaer, and if so, how was it used? Summary of Results: As far as we know, the VI Concerti Armonici by Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer were written for a chamber music setting with one instrument per part. We do not know which basso continuo instrumentation was intended or preferred by the composer, but it could have been possible that a double bass was to be used. At that time in the Netherlands, double basses and bassists were around and it is not unlikely that they also played in relatively small settings such as chamber music. If the double bass played the basso continuo line in this piece, there are many reasons that it was used in a different way than the more usual 'concerto grosso' style of playing the continuo line. It is also likely that instead of a double bass, a smaller bass instrument in the 8 foot register was used to double the continuo line with. This would be an instrument that is perhaps bigger than most baroque cellos and close to a basse de violon or a G-violone.
To illustrate these possibilities, I have recorded several versions of the same Concerto with different basso continuo instrumentations. Biography: Eva Euwe (Amsterdam, 1988) studies historical double bass and violone with Margaret Urquhart at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. She received her Bachelor’s diploma from the Utrecht Conservatory where she studied modern double bass with Quirijn van Regteren Altena. She received masterclasses from world-class bassists such as Joel Quarrington and Edicson Ruiz. 
Alongside her studies, Eva works as a freelance bassist with several ensembles such as De Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht, BarokOpera Amsterdam and Música Temprana. She also performs with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment as a participant of the OAE Experience 2018.

Name: Marios Spyrou Main Subject: Jazz Drums Research Supervisor: Jarmo Hoogendijk Title of Research: The Philly Joe Jones Rudimental Soloing Style Research Question: How can classical exercises be incorporated into jazz improvisations and still sound spontaneous, creative and true to the jazz drumming idiom?  Summary of Results: Before starting this research at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, I was not so aware as how to express myself and phrase on the drum set. By studying the history of the instrument, I have found out that all the great jazz drummers have adopted and incorporated the 26 American drum rudiments in their playing, which include several sticking patterns “borrowed” from the classical music and the Swiss Army drum corps. These rudiments are like scales for melodic – instrument players, who have to practice and know them very well in order to gain technique and express themselves on their instruments. The same applies to drummers using these 26 sticking patterns. While I was listening to the great jazz drummers, I discovered that a perfect example for this is Philly Joe Jones. You can clearly hear in his soloing that he is using these rudiments in his own unique way, making them sound swinging and therefore adopting them into the bebop drumming. I therefore decided to take Philly Joe as my main “model” for this research. I started transcribing his solos and analyzing his phrasing, making my own variations and phrases based on this rudimental approach. My final result is that I can know phrase on the drums and express myself freely whenever I have to take a solo, without copying or playing standard phrases from jazz drummers like I used to do in the past, while still sounding authentic and true to the jazz drumming style. Biography: Marios Spyrou was born in Nicosia in 1990. He was inspired by from an early age by his father, who is also a jazz drummer. At the age of 19 he enrolled in University of Nicosia from where he graduated. There he met the great Cypriot saxophonist Charis Ioannou and started being interested in Jazz music. He attended the Bicommunal Jazz Program seminars in Cyprus led by the great New York Jazz virtuosos Ari Roland, Chris Byars and other well-known Jazz musicians. While attending these seminars, Marios was influenced by the jazz drummer Keith Balla who introduced him into the world of bebop style. In 2015 he moved to The Hague, where he is currently studying with the legendary jazz drummer Eric Ineke. On May 2015 he won the second price of the 1st Apollon Jazz competition in Greece with the Cypriot jazz band BopCy.

Name: Rachel Mills

Main Subject: Classical Cello

Research Supervisor: Stefan Petrovic

 Title of Research: Intentional Listening

 Research Question: How does listening to recordings while learning a piece affect one’s artistic interpretation?

Summary of Results:
 Since beginning my masters, I have been intrigued with the concept of finding personal interpretations for the pieces I play. However, I found that when confronted with a standard take on a piece, I would doubt the legitimacy and usefulness of my own ideas. As a result, my research aimed to discover ways for myself and other studying musicians to find individuality in their music. Because the ease of access to recordings is such an important influence for musicians, this research focuses on how students can refer to recordings without allowing them to override personal creativity.
The resulting research emphasizes the importance of intention, both in consulting recordings and in creating takes that one believes in. I have identified five ways to use recordings to help one determine a reason for consulting them. In addition, I have discovered a process of recording myself and intentionally listening to these recordings with a focus on my interpretation’s effectiveness. It is my hope that these processes will also work as a suggestion for other advance music students working towards discovering their artistic identity.

 Biography:
 Rachel Mills is pursuing a master degree at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague where she studies with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss. A native of New York State, she received her bachelors from Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio under Amir Eldan. While at Oberlin, Mills performed both as a soloist and with her quartet on multiple honors recitals and collaborated on recording projects with the Contemporary Music Ensemble, Oberlin Orchestra, and Sinfoniette. She has frequently sat principle cellist in student ensembles, including the New York State All-State Orchestra and on the Oberlin Orchestra’s most recent tour to Chicago’s Symphony Center.  Mills has also participated in advanced and fellowship chamber music programs across the United States. In addition to her studies, Mills is passionate about finding ways to inspire young people to engage with classical music. In doing so, she thrice traveled to Panama to teach and perform in connection with the National Music Association there.

Sound and Movement: Performing Der Kleine Harlekin by Karlheinz Stockhausen I would like to discuss my approach studying this composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen. The piece requires a long period of preparation and the development of new peculiar skills in order to be performed. The paper is divided in two parts. In the first chapter I analyze the piece taking into consideration relevant issues which came across during the preparation of the piece: how to read the score, learn the movements, memorize in its global architecture and where to find space for personal interpretation. I also elaborate on the figure of ‘Arlecchino’ in the Italian Commedia Dell’ Arte, the early professional theater that inspired the figure of Stockhausen’s Harlekin. The second part of my research paper is dedicated to external references. I Interviewed some clarinetists who performed the piece in two different moments in the past 40 years and had the chance to develop it according to a historically informed practice. At the end I analyze articles about the piece.

Name: Anabela Marcos Main Subject: Singing Research supervisors: Johannes Boer and Erwin Roebroeks Title of Research: Monteverdi and the architecture of emotions Research Question: In what way could the formal and the expressive elements in Monteverdi's music be related to painting and architecture of his contemporaries? Summary of results: In the preface of his Eighth Book of Madrigals, Madrigali Guerrieri et Amorosi, Claudio Monteverdi announced one of the fundaments of his musical construction: the power of the contrasting passions. The humanist theme, that inspired not only musicians but also poets, painters and architects of the time, into a common goal; the expression of the human emotions. The research “Architecture of emotions”, is centred in Monteverdi’s music in the period starting from his Lamento d’ Arianna (1608) to the Lamento della Ninfa included in the Eight Book of Madrigals (1638) - the same time, thirty years, that it takes Francesco Borromini to finish the small church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome, in what will be his first (the interior) and his last commission (the façade). Inspired in this extraordinary building, which is both a guide and structure to the musical ideas presented, and supported by a selection of Caravaggio’s paintings to be the visual counterpart to Monteverdi’s music, this research aims to be a possible and personal interpretation to the vast question of the relation between music, painting and architecture in the context of the humanist environment in the transition from Renaissance to Baroque in Italy. Biography: After working as an architect for several years, the Portuguese Soprano Anabela Marcos, was granted a full scholarship from the Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon to study Singing and Opera at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague, the Netherlands, with Rita Dams, Diane Forlano and Marius van Altena. Her opera repertoire includes Pamina (Die Zauberflöte, Mozart), Suzanna (Le Nozze de Figaro, Mozart), Zerlina (Don Giovanni, Mozart), Titania (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Britten), Clori (L’Egisto, Cavalli), Venus and Cupid (King Arthur, Purcell), Daphne (Apollo and Daphne, Händel), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas, Purcell). As a soloist, Anabela has worked with conductors such as Ton Koopman, Jos van Veldhoven, Sigiswald Kuyken, Michel Corboz and she is a member of the Baroque ensemble La Primavera. Among her future projects is the new program “Architecture of emotions”, included in the 25th jubilee of this ensemble and based on her two year research around Monteverdi’s music.

Name: José Benjamín Falces Vaquero Main Subject: Classical Saxophone Research Supervisor: Jarmo Hoogendijk Title of Research: Baroque Violin Pieces on Soprano Saxophone; Transcription of Caprice No. 26 for Violin Solo by Pietro Locatelli Research Question: How should a baroque violin piece be transcribed and played on a soprano saxophone? Summary of Results: There are so many baroque pieces for violin which have been transcribed for soprano saxophone, but there are even more performances of these pieces by almost all classical saxophonists. The reason is that saxophonists often need to improve their repertoire and that these pieces were already frequently transcribed during the period which were made. Also, there have been many saxophonists who have thought that this instrument can give something special to these kinds of works. Based on interviews, questionnaires, comparison of baroque transcriptions and my own experience documented through the whole process of a transcription, this research investigates what is the best way to transcribe and play violin baroque pieces for soprano saxophone. My main conclusion is when writing for these arrangements it is allowed to make many modifications from the original version but always depending on the characteristics of the instrument and the baroque transcription criteria and keeping the original intention of the composer. These results will give the saxophone world more sources of how to transcribe and play these pieces, keeping in mind the original idea of the composer in the baroque style and making it more useful for the instrument. Biography: José Benjamín Falces Vaquero has had lessons with teachers like Vincent David, Ensemble Squillante, Berlage Saxophone Quartet, Arno Bornkamp and others. He won national prizes in Torrent, Xativa and Lliria. He now collaborates with a few Young Orchestras: JOGV, IYPO and ORSAXCOVA. In 2017 he received a Scholarship from the Government of Valencia. As a jazz performer he has had lessons with teachers such as Perico Sambeat, Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Mintzer, Gregory Fritze, and recorded a CD with Big Band Talleres Sedajazz.

Integrated musical experiences have long existed, previous to and outside of the traditional concert music setting. Interdisciplinary approaches to performance creation are becoming more accepted and more common in academic music contexts. This research asks the question "How does the concept of embodiment serve the creation of interdisciplinary work within a musical context?", examined through the lens of definitions of embodiment, spinning, technology, community, and inter/multidisciplinary vs. intermediality and expanded through case studies of two of the author's recent performance works.

Abstract This research aims to explore and develop an updated approach to "open form" in music. "Open form" is traditionally referred to as "aleatoric music": a score is provided but the composer has left some choices open. The term "aleatoric" music implies that chance determines how to fill the open spaces. The renewed approach in this research however aims to provide a score in which a performer as an improviser or co-composer is invited to shape the music according to his own opinion. The score provides a plan and context for improvised content and, in doing so, invites the performer to co-create the piece. The research developed in three phases. In the first phase, improvisation was used as a learning tool in music theory classes. Different approaches to improvisation were studied and practiced. In the second phase, one group of musicians evolved from an improvisation course and went on a tour of five concerts. For them an open form score was created in order to provide context to the improvisations of the musicians. This composition is called View from a high mountain, a composition in six parts that allows improvisation at several moments. In the third phase, findings from the outcome and performance of View from a high mountain caused a renewal of the approach in the classroom. Through this renewal the boundary between education and musical production became a thinner line that allowed several cross-overs. Instead of a handbook containing a method or exercises or a new open form score The Improvisation Tree was created. The Improvisation Tree is a model that can be used as a help for creating, analyzing, categorizing and comparing open form scores.

I have had the enormous privilege to meet the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in 1982 at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. In the context of a month-long festival around his music I had, at the time being a first-year piano student, the opportunity to play his first four Klavierstücke for him, and this, apart from being a very inspiring experience for me, resulted in a close cooperation that lasted for 20 years. During these years I worked with him on all his piano works, including Mantra, and performed them many times on different occasions, almost always in the presence of Stockhausen himself. In 1997–1998 I recorded all the solo piano pieces on the composer’s label. During those years I was asked quite a few times, either by someone from the audience or by students that I taught during masterclasses, if I expected these pieces to become part of the “canon of piano music” in fifty years from then. At that time, being so involved in the piano pieces and probably not having the necessary distance to reflect on this question, I always answered the question in the affirmative. So, it came as quite a shock to me when I started to notice a change by myself in relation to the piano pieces, at least to some of them. Normally, the more and longer I work on a piece the more I get attached to it, but now I started to realise that I got more and more detached from some of the pieces, up until the point that I didn’t want to play them anymore. However, other piano pieces remained very dear to me, and this up until today. In short, it seemed that within 20 years I had unconsciously made my own ‘canon’ with regard to Stockhausen’s piano pieces. What I find intriguing about this experience is to find out what the reason is for this enormous difference in appreciation for the works of one composer. Why am I sure that some piano works of Stockhausen will still be played many years from now while, in my opinion, other works will fade? Can I put a finger on differences between the pieces which can justify this? And if I can find something to justify this for Stockhausen’s Klavierstücke, could this also be valid for works by other composers?

Name: Talitha Cumi Witmer Main Subject: Lute/Theorbo Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: The Can of Norms: Expanding the Modern Lute Plucking Technique Research Question: Can “Thumb-out,” a historical lute technique in common use following the late Renaissance period, become favored by lutenists today? Summary of Results: After its revival in the 20th century, much has been discovered about the lute and its technique. One issue that is recently placed on the agenda of lutenists is the plucking technique applied on lutes. It is a known fact that Thumb-out was the technique applied most commonly for lute playing. Yet, very few lutenists adopt this Thumb-out technique today. Modern lute tutors tend to advise to avoid Thumb-out. If not, they advise to pluck around the rossete, and position their thumb close to the index finger. In paintings and treatises, however, we see Thumb-out hand with thumb positioned away from the index while the hand is placed around the bridge, and Thumb-out hand placed around the rosette, the former more often. I delved into this technique for 3 years and have come to understand that this “forgotten Thumb-out” is as matter of fact a technique that can be very beneficial for lute players, opening new, colorful, historical and healthy possibilities. Biography: The American-Korean lutenist, Talitha Cumi Witmer, started her musical studies at age 4 with church choir and piano. When she was 9 she heard a lute on a CD and immediately fell in love with its sound. Her dream to study the lute was then realized at the age of 13, when she began her formal studies on the instrument in Tokyo. Since 2011 she studies the lute under Joachim Held, and the theorbo under Mike Fentross since 2012. She performs both as a continuo player and a soloist, in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, and Portugal.

Name: Gregor Dešman Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Anna Scott Title of Research: Adapting Live Classical Music Performance for Different Venues Research Question: In what ways can a musician adjust his or her performance approach by taking into account the characteristics of a specific type of venue? Summary of Results: Each performance is unique, and depends on many factors including a performer’s physical and psychological condition, their connection to the repertoire, and most importantly, the conditions presented by a given venue. In this research project I have concentrated primarily on the latter, and have sought to determine the particular challenges and possibilities presented by varying types of venues, and how such knowledge can be used to guide the conscious decisions performers make in order to adapt their performances accordingly. My methodology first involved carrying out background research, using relevant academic literature as well as my own experiences as a pianist. By focusing on three types of venues (concert halls, music clubs, and private homes), I was then able to compile a list of the advantages and challenges presented by each type of performance space. From this list I then prepared three different interpretations of Ferruccio Busoni's transcription of the Chaconne from J. S. Bach's Partita in D Minor, with each interpretation being specially adapted to the limitatons and possibilities presented by each of the three venue types. I then tested each interpretation by performing it in its respective venue, the results of which I documented via audio and video recordings. I was then able to analyse the effectiveness of my venue-specific interpretative decisions in these recordings, after which I compiled a table that can function as a guide for adjusting one's performances to specific venues. By carrying out this research project, I have found that in order to better communicate with their audiences, musicians can and should adjust their performances to specific types of venues. While musicians make many smaller adjustments instinctively, as related to voicing or phrasing for example, learning the logic and mechanics behind such modifications emboldens one to make larger changes as related to tempo and even character – an interpretive flexibility towards which all musicians should strive. Biography: Pianist Gregor Dešman studies with Prof. Naum Grubert at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. He completed postgraduate studies with Prof. Ruben Dalibaltayan in Zagreb and graduate studies in Ljubljana with Prof. Hinko Haas. Gregor has successfully competed in many international competitions and as a soloist has performed with the Ljubljana Opera and Ballet Orchestra and with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Gregor performs across Europe with internationally successful musicians such as Tibor Molnar and Joachim Eijlander, and with the GUD Piano Trio, who have an international career and have studied with Prof. Tomaž Lorenz and Trio di Parma in Duino, Italy.

The French composer Charles Valentin Alkan (1813-1888) was a major pianist and composer. Alkan’s life was characterized by long periods of isolation and, when combined with his modest and rather shy nature, is probably the reason why his music, right up to the present day, has never gained much recognition. I chose to conduct my research using the longest and most challenging piece he wrote for piano as regards musicality and technique: the Concerto Op. 39, étude 8 from The Twelve Etudes in Minor Keys. The main question I asked in my research was: how can I best perform this piece? 
Alkan narrowly missed being appointed head of the piano department of the Conservatoire in Paris and, although he had many private pupils, very little remained about how his work should be performed. The objective of my research is twofold. 
First, I wanted to study the piece, and I also wanted to perform it. I have submitted my registration of a performance of the piece as part of this research. 
The second objective was to devise something akin to a ‘manual’, which could help other students learning how to play this piece, and which would give insight into the way I approached playing it. The manual shows the score in its entirety with annotations visible in certain places, which contain relevant information. This information consist of audio recordings, video clips, texts or exemplary notes and is related to everything in the context of the performance.


Name: Patricia Wisse Main Subject: Music Education according to the Kodály Concept Research Supervisors: Suzanne Konings & Ab Schaap Title of Research: The Mental Effect of the (Temporary) Tonic: a study of tones in jazz tunes through John Curwen's Tonic Sol-fa Research Supervisor: Suzanne Konings, Ab Schaap Research Question: How can Tonic Sol-fa be used in dealing with (temporary) tonics in short musical forms, such as the 32-bar jazz standard? Summary of Results:: In general, the level of musicianship of (jazz) singers is considered to lag far behind that of their instrumentalist classmates. Are singers somehow not as musical? Or not as interested? Is something different in the approach? Or is the approach not different enough? Looking at what is really needed to be able to improvise in a jazz context, and approaching this through John Curwen¹s Tonic Sol-fa method, this research is an exploration of a vocal and mental alternative to the pianistic approach of vocal improvisation, that is true to our musical experience. Biography: Patricia Wisse studied Theology in Leiden, and then Jazz Voice at Codarts Rotterdam. In 2015 she started her studies at the Royal Conservatoire: Music Education according to the Kodály Concept. Through studying the work of John Curwen, she has developed her own approach in studying and teaching jazz. She has also developed a new music learning tool, the Movable Do Disc, and is continuously developing ideas and methods around it.

Name: Klaske de Haan Main Subject: Master Music Education According to the Kodály concept. Research Supervisors: Suzanne Konings and Herman Jeurissen Title of research: From Aural Teaching to Musical Literacy in the Elementary Horn Class First steps to a Kodály inspired horn method. Research Question: How to develop a methodology for the beginning horn player, from an aural approach to musical literacy? Summary of Results: The Netherlands and Germany are almost the only countries where children start playing the B flat horn instead of the F horn because of the rich culture of wind bans. There are almost no horn methods based on the harmonics of the B flat horn. The traditional instrumental music lesson is mainly based on reproducing: a certain image on paper matches a fitting fingering thus producing the matching sound. When the sound is not matching the image than the teacher corrects this sound. I noticed that the children could play well when playing by themselves, but when they played together with other instruments they could easily play the whole phrase on the wrong pitch (wrong harmonics) but with the right fingerings. The horn is an instrument based on harmonic overtone series. Finding the logical steps on the valves of the horn is very difficult. Woodwind players have a logical system on the instrument playing diatonic series like do re mi. For the horn, with 3 valves, there is not a logical sequence playing diatonic series. This made me realize that some changes in the methodology are necessary for the horn to make an aural approach more logical for the beginning horn player. It also did me realize how extremely important it is for the young horn player to develop the inner hearing very well and make the logical steps from sound to symbol. My research paper investigates the possibilities to develop musical literacy in the horn lesson but also in the instrumental group lesson with transposing instruments. My main conclusion is that it is very important to make singing and moving a part of the horn lesson in order to develop inner hearing in relation to the horn. In that way the music will be understand and musical literacy can be developed. Biography: Klaske de Haan studied horn at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and at the Fontys Conservatoire in Tilburg with Herman Jeurissen. She graduated in 2000 for her diploma Uitvoerend Musicus. As a free lance horn player Klaske worked with several professional orchestras in the Netherlands for example The Residentie Orchestra. Klaske is a horn teacher at the Music school, Scholen in de Kunst, in Amersfoort and she works at the Royal Conservatoire at The Hague with BASIS. A new music program for young wind players. From 2014 Klaske specializes in Music education and pedagogy by attending several course such as “muziek als vak”.

ABSTRACT Main subject: Violin Research Supervisors: Kathryn Cok Martine van der Loo Title of Research: The Art of Auditioning Research Question: What aspects should be considered in preparation for a successful violin audition? Summary of Results: An orchestral audition, and specifically to this paper, a violin audition, is possibly the least musically satisfying experience of one’s life. However, it is a necessary part of the path leading to a fulfilling life as an orchestral musician. The preparation for an audition certainly has specific aspects which need to be considered. This paper discusses these aspects, based in large part on my experiences as a Principal in The Hague Philharmonic and as a committee member at auditions for many years. As a violin and chamber music teacher as well as the teacher of the orchestral classes at the conservatoires in The Hague and Amsterdam, I have collected a wealth of experience training students to be successful at auditions. Besides the aspects of how to apply for an orchestral audition, which repertoire needs to be prepared, (including many orchestral excerpts which I have bowed and provided with fingerings myself), how to prepare effectively and what to expect on the actual audition day, there is a large section devoted to the research I have performed concerning mental and physical preparation. Developing mental skills to withstand the stress associated with auditions is an important part of audition preparation. Finally, I have researched, by means of a series of questions online and live and Skype interviews, how experts and candidates experience auditions. This has put me in contact with leaders of orchestras from around the world. How the two groups have responded to similar questions has put me in the position to draw some conclusions as to what committees expect at auditions and how this differs from the candidates’ viewpoints. In analyzing this research, and recognizing similarities in what I written from my own research and personal experience, I am able to draw some conclusions and make recommendations about how candidates could prepare better and be more successful at auditions. Biography: Janet Krause is Principal Second Violinist in The Hague Philharmonic and also a violin, chamber music and orchestral studies teacher at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She is also teaching orchestral studies at the Conservatoire in Amsterdam. Born in Canada, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Toronto, having studied with Lorand Fenyves. Moving to the Netherlands, she completed her solo-diploma at the Conservatory in Amsterdam, studying with Davina van Wely. She was a member of the Salzburger Solisten for many years and. primarius of the Dufy Quartet. Presently she is also Principal of the Solistes Européens in Luxembourg.

Before the flute's ascension to rival the violin and harpsichord in repertoire and expressive character, its first defined soloistic role emanated from music in the reign of Louis XIV. Iconography and collections of allegories, circulated in Europe since Cesare Ripa's Iconologia´s first edition in 1590, depicted the flute with two distinct figures. In the first, the flute symbolises the sweetening of the human voice in vital persuasion, while the second related to the art of pleasing. These artistic representations influenced the composer's choices for the flute, from keys and tempi to specific technical requirements. It must follow, then, that there is a strong link between the dramatic or allegoric content of the pieces in question and the technical and expressive identity of the late Sixteenth Century and early Eighteenth Century flute. This paper addresses this phenomenon through the French Cantate, with a primary focus on A. Camprá and N. Clérambault, in addition to further context of stylistic influence in subsequent compositions.

Name: Hugo Rodríguez Arteaga Main Subject: Baroque Bassoon Research Supervisor: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Investigating smaller bassoons from the XVIII and XIX centuries, with practical performance on a Baroque fagottino Research Question: Is there a (lost) tradition using these instruments in the XVIII and XIX centuries? What are the musical and technical advantages and disadvantages of performing a piece with fagottino? Summary of Results: The idea of this study was to collect information about smaller-sized bassoons found in the XVIII and XIX centuries. Berlioz talks about the "quint bassoon", and other "fagottino" in his treatise about orchestration, and smaller bassoons called "tenor", "octave", and "quart" are described in James Kopp's book, The Bassoon. Today the modern "fagottino" is used to teach children, as the modern bassoon is too big and too heavy, but historical models have been strangely ignored in early music performance practice. Is there a (lost) tradition using these instruments in the XVIII and XIX centuries? What are the musical and technical advantages and disadvantages of performing a piece with fagottino? This research project is a mixed work: the written part has background information about instruments, titles and performers. A description of practical experimentation approaching one work with fagottino, as well as the observation of a young player’s first confrontation with the instrument is included. Biography: Hugo Rodríguez Arteaga began studying bassoon in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, in 1999 with Prof. Maximiano Vera. In 2007 he started studies at the Conservatorio Superior de Canarias with Ana Sánchez Clemente and finished with honors. He has played in ensembles as Orchestra of the 18th Century, Die Kölner Akademie, MusicAEterna, Capella Cracoviensis, Lutherse Bach Orchester, Les Vents Atlantiques, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Vox Luminis and more several groups. He has worked together with such conductors as Frans Brüggen, Teodor Currentzis, James Coonlon, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Alfredo Bernardini, Marcus Creed, Kenneth Montgomery, Alessandro de Marchi, Michael Alexander Willems and Pietro Rizzo. Currently he is studying historical bassoons at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague with Donna Agrell, as well as orchestral conducting with Kenneth Montgomery, Alex Schillings and Jac van Steen. He is active as a historical and modern bassoonist with different period and symphony orchestras all over Europe.

The purpose of this research is to define methods of applying extra-musical and data-based systems in multimedia music works. The first part of the paper concentrates on the outline of the motivation and reasoning for using extra-musical systems from a composer's or sound artist's perspective and gives a historical precedent context. Parallels are drawn together with contemporary art and art critique examples. The second part of the research outlines the possible modes of the data-based systems application by analysing multiple multimedia works by composers or sound artists written in the last two decades including a piece by the author of the paper. The types of multimedia and its connection to sound are discussed, the conceptual deconstruction and its semiotic implications of the data used are analysed. The given conceptual and semantic context is applied for analysing the musical parameters and data's usage in sound control. Each of the pieces discussed outlines a particular mode of the conceptuality towards the extra-musical system usage and functions as a primal device for further conclusions drawn. The final part of the research consists of the general overview of the conclusions drawn and attempts to establish a general outline of the motivation and the resulting outcome behind the usage of the extra-musical systems in multimedia works.

Name: Alexandra López Arca Main Subject: Classical Violin Research supervisor: Liesbeth Ackermans Title of Research: To bow, or not to bow. Modern bow vs. baroque bow: comparisons and inspirations Research Questions: To what extent do the shape and construction of the bow affect the violinist’s sound and to what extent do her/his use of the bow and musical choices influence the sound? What can a modern violinist learn from experimenting with a baroque bow? What are aspects of the evolution of the violin bow, its use and the evolution of right hand technique from the 18th century until now that are essential to be aware of when playing with both modern and baroque bow? Summary of Results: The bow is the soul of the violin. Playing with different bows alters our sound. Their shape and construction affect the articulation that we naturally get with them. This fact tells us a lot about the music for which they were built, and we can learn from it in a natural way. But when a violinist is only familiarised with a modern bow, the learning process with an old bow can hardly take place. It is better to know what the characteristics of each bow are and experimenting with them in order to get used to them. After having this experience, different attacks, articulations and nuances will emerge and facilitate the music for which every bow was thought. It is interesting to see how the sources from those times show us the musical value of the different possibilities of the old bow. Nevertheless, if the musical idea the violinist has in mind does not match the old bow’s natural behavior and the indications made for its use, using it would not bring any advantage. After an overview of the evolution of the bow and its relation with the right hand technique, I will explore the possibility of combining a modern instrument with an old bow as well as the benefits of using it for playing, especially when used following the indications the sources of that period reveal. Biography: Born in Santiago de Compostela, she finished her bachelor’s degree at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya before moving to The Hague, where she studies with Vera Beths. Since her years in Barcelona, she has developed a special interest for early music performance practice, stimulated by her lessons with Alba Roca and Lorenzo Coppola, and with Walter Reiter in the Royal Conservatoire.

In what ways can a musician use reflexivity and reflection to situate her personal values in her artistic practice? To answer this question and put the results into practice, the author combined archival and digital research, interviews, and fieldwork. By combining new and found materials inspired by Appalachian folk music and the state of West Virginia, the connected auto-ethnographic case study is a reflective attempt of the author to engage critically with her personal values of empathy, inclusion, and equity in her artistic practice. Using the reflective lenses of the author’s autobiography as an artist, the audience’s reactions, fellow artists comments, and literature review, she was better able to reflexively see her own assumptions and missteps, better allowing her to situate her personal values within her artistic practice. Besides creating a reflective framework by which other artists could consider their own artistic practice, she also found that by taking on new roles outside that of the traditional classically trained performer, she had a greater agency to influence and understand performance elements such as design and form, materials, context, audience, and production process.

Name: Renata Oliveira Main Subject: Wind Band Conducting Research Supervisors: Anna Scott, André Granjo Title of Research: European Female Wind Band Composers and Their Works Research Question: Can shedding new light on women composers’ contributions to the wind band and ensemble repertoire via the creation of a catalogue, the preparation of a critical edition, and the commission of a new work, help to encourage more Portuguese women to compose for this medium? Summary of Results: In Portugal, as far as it is possible to assess, only two established women composers have written works for wind band or large wind ensemble: Berta Alves de Sousa, who composed Porto Heróico in 1943, and Maria de Lourdes Martins, who composed Rapsódia de Natal, Rondó and Suite de Danças Tradicionais Portuguesas in 1978. In a country with an important tradition of wind band musical practice, it seems strange that so few women composers have used this medium to convey their musical ideas. In order to put the production of female composers for this medium in perspective, I researched relevant works from as many European female composers as possible. Ultimately, the hope was to better understand their outputs for wind band, to promote their works, and to make way for a new composition for wind band from a female Portuguese composer. This project has three main outcomes: 1) an online and physical catalogue of virtually all European female composers who have written for wind ensemble, including biographical data, a list of their works, and statistical analyses of their personal data (by age, country, type of ensemble); 2) a critical edition of Berta Alves de Sousa's Porto Heróico manuscript; and 3) my commissioned work for wind band O Soldado da Misarela by Anne Victorino d’Almeida. At the end of this project I can answer yes to the question of whether shedding new light on this field can encourage more female Portuguese composers to write for wind band. Biography: Renata Oliveira is a Portuguese conductor. She began her orchestra conducting studies with Jean-Marc Burfin and later with Jean-Sebastien Béreau. In conducting masterclasses Renata has worked with: Jose Pascual-Vilaplana, Kenneth Kiesler, Jean-Sebastien Béreau, Ernst Schelle, Robert Houlihan, Felix Hauswirth, Jan Cober and Douglas Bostock. She holds a Masters in Psychology and a Masters in Orchestra Conducting. She is conductor of two Portuguese wind bands, and is responsible for their associated music schools. Renata simultaneously studies Wind Band Conducting with Alex Schillings at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and a Masters in Music Teaching (Wind Band Conducting specialisation) at the University of Aveiro.

Name: Isa Goldschmeding Main subject: Violin Research supervisor: Dr. Anna Scott Title: Dancing About Music Research Question: How does consciously moving while playing help to interpret and communicate a piece of music? Summary of Results: Using movement is the most natural and direct way with which people express themselves. Elaborate research has been done on the connection between movement (gesture) and intention (meaning) in spoken language. The same principles and findings in these studies can be applied to movement and its connection to music. The method described in my case study, in which I studied Lera Auerbach’s Lonely Suite for violin solo while focusing on my body’s impulses, makes use of this instinctual way of showing what we feel, and therefore leads to a sincere and convincing interpretation. In so doing, this process can be very clarifying for a performer. Based on my research into the available background literature I can conclude that there is much to be gained by using conscious movement while learning and performing a piece of music. Indeed, various authors repeatedly emphasize the importance of this subject for musicians, and their hope that it will be further researched and developed within the context of musical performance. By way of my case study, I have indeed found that using movement provides a new approach to learning a piece of music and to developing a personal, sincere, and honest interpretation. Emerging from the unconscious, I strongly believe that an interpretation that has been reached through movement will translate strongest to a given audience. The background sources surveyed have also proven the value of a movement-based approach for audiences. In addition to the obvious benefits for the performer as related to musical meaning and expression, benefits that are then shared by the audience, there is also the visual aspect of this approach to performing music with conscious movements: an aspect that is of great value when connecting, sharing, and communicating with audiences. Biography: Isa Goldschmeding studied with Axel Strauss at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and with Theodora Geraets and Ilona Sie Dhian Ho at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She participated in masterclasses with Theo Olof, Philippe Graffin, Stephan Picard, Isabelle van Keulen and the Osiris Trio. Isa enjoys playing chamber music, and has a special interest in contemporary music. In 2014 she was one of the instrumental soloists in Vivier’s opera Kopernikus with the Dutch National Opera. She played with Asko|Schönberg, Ensemble Klang, Rosa Ensemble, Residentie Orkest and Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht and is a member of the young, The Hague based ensemble Kluster5.

Name: Jacob Gramit Main Subject: Early Music Singing Research Supervisor: Kathryn Cok Title of Research: The Music of Johann Rudolph Ahle: Editorial and Performance Issues Surrounding the 1658 Neu-Gepflanzter Thüringischer Lustgarten Research Question: How can creating a critical-performance edition of the music of Johann Rudolph Ahle impact my performance of his music? Summary of Results: Having always been drawn to German Music of the seventeenth century, I found a collection of music from Johann Rudolph Ahle (1623-1673) that was largely unknown and unperformed. This enabled me to start from nothing when creating an edition and researching Ahle's life and music; meaning I could see what effect the process would have on my performance. By doing detailed research into a specific collection, looking at both his compositional style and his use of pre-existing texts and music, I discovered Ahle's seeming fascination with personal spirituality, leading to new ideas for the performance of his music. Biography: Originally from Edmonton Canada, Jacob Gramit is currently living in the Netherlands, pursuing a Master’s Degree in The Hague, studying with Pascal Bertin, Peter Kooij, Dorothee Mields, Robin Blaze, and Lenie van den Heuvel. Recently, he both prepared the edition and performed in Michael Chance’s production of Cavalli’s Giasone, and upcoming projects include Handel’s Dixit Dominus with Holland Baroque and Cappella Amsterdam. Before moving abroad, Jacob lived in Vancouver, where he still performs - most recently he performed in the 2017 Vancouver Bach Festival, and coordinated the Summer Festival of Sacred Music at Christ Church Cathedral, which he will return to run in 2018. He attended the University of British Columbia (BMus, 2012), and sang for three seasons with musica intima, a professional and self-directed vocal ensemble.

Name: Martje van Damme Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Stefan Petrovic Title of Research: Deliver the meaning – Performance expression in a physical shape Research Question: How are physical movements related to the expression in music?   Summary of Results: During a performance I am aware of the meaning and ideas of the music and as a pianist I aim to deliver that meaning to the audience. The physical movements of the performer also have a strong influence on the way that meaning is perceived by the listeners. One of my main aims is to achieve a unity between my physical movements and expression, as well as a certain freedom and flexibility of my physical approach to piano playing. Over the course of this research I conducted experiments with various excerpts of the pieces I play, all of which represent a significant transition within the piece. These experiments gave me a good overview of what the influence of the physical movement is in relation to the expression and perception of a performance. What I observed from these experiments, reflecting on my aims, is that moving out of my comfort zone and expressing the meaning of the music, also by more exaggerated physical movements, made me feel free. It helped me discover new possibilities of playing and interpreting the music. Secondly, I realised that, by embedding musical ideas in my physical movements, technically challenging passages were not that difficult anymore. They became subservient to the musical ideas and character of the music. Thirdly, the exaggeration of physical movements sometimes created breathing space on very different spots compared to my usual way of playing. In these moments, I suddenly became more flexible. Finally, this process made me aware of the fact that my personal experience and the perception of the audience often differ widely. As a result of this inquiry, I am now more aware of the opportunities to express ideas that lead to a convincing performance. Biography: Martje van Damme was born in Kampen, the Netherlands. She began her piano studies at the age of nine. In 2006, she enrolled into the “Academie voor Muzikaal Talent” in Utrecht, studying with Henk Ekkel. She took part in the Sommercourse Musik Zentral in Bad Aussee, Austria, several times. In 2011 she was participant during the Perpetuum Mobile Competition in Hilversum, where she won the second prize. She has participated in masterclasses from Martyn van den Hoek, David Kuyken, Klára Würtz, Andreas Woyke, Kamilla Bystrova, Helen Grizos and Dmitri Paperno. She has completed her BMus, studying with Paolo Giacometti at the Robert Schumann Musikhochschule in Düsseldorf. Together with the mezzo-soprano Eva Marti, she twice won the third prize during the Schmolz und Bickenbach Chambermusic Competition. She participated during the URIM (liedduo masterclasses) in Brussels and received lessons from Anne Sofie von Otter, Christianne Stotijn, Eildert Beeftink and Julius Drake. Currently she is pursuing her master’s degree with David Kuyken at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.

Name: Georgi Sztojanov Main Subject: Classical Singing Research Supervisor: Anna Scott, Yannis Kyriakides Title of Research: Building a Bridge Between the Contemporary Composer and Classically-Trained Singer Research Question: How can the aesthetic oxymoron between the wishes of modern composers and the needs of singers be mediated or resolved, and what changes could be made on both sides in order to achieve a more fruitful relationship, resulting in compositions that are both singable and that explore the voice's potential beyond its Classical boundaries? Summary of Results: As a case study, I document the process of learning the tenor solo in Louis Andriessen's De Materie, and discuss how my classical training helped me to sing this demanding part even though it is not meant to be sung with a Romantic sound. After discussing two further projects in which I acted as a mediator between composers and singers, I found my initial suspicions to be true: many composers do not receive enough education in composing for the voice, meaning that they do not respect its physical limitations, they often misjudge the combination of ranges, dynamics and colors possible, and they believe that any singer can reproduce any sound (regardless of culture, style, or tradition). Clearly, studying these elements while working closely with singers would be one solution, as would choosing a more performer-centric notational system including expression markings and other indications that invite singers to find the intention or subtext behind the music—all of which can help the singer's instrument work more effectively. For their part, singers need more training in music theory, solfege and score reading skills, and while they need to master their classical technique, they must also be openminded and flexible enough to experiment beyond that training—while staying within the healthy limits of their sound production, and knowing how to communicate in order to preserve these boundaries. This study helped me to successfully mediate between composer-singer collaborators, and I hope to turn my findings into a booklet for those looking to create beautiful and exciting new vocal works together—not in spite of one another. Biography: Georgi Sztojanov has two MAs in composition from the Liszt Academy in Budapest and The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. He obtained his BA in singing in 2016 with Sasja Hunnego. As both singer and composer he has broad experience with vocal premieres, multidisciplinary collaborative works, and leading ensembles and festivals. He received the Tenso Young Composers Award in 2014. As a composer he has a wide spectrum of works, and as a singer his activities are equally diverse, ranging from opera to lied, numerous premieres, staged productions, and ensemble singing (recently as a member of Groot Omroepkoor).

The influence of publishers on the interpretation of contemporary violin performance practise. This research will show us how publishers profile themselves in the world of music. Besides it learns us about violinists' habits when choosing an edition to play from. Based on questionnaires and interviews from different point of views, this research will come with a conclusion provided with ideas and insights that are usable when the moment is there that you need a new score.

Student name and number: Aurore Montaulieu, 3048780 Main subject: Cello Research supervisor: Dr. Anna Scott Research Paper Title: How Adrien-François Servais (1807-1866) Improved the Cello Technique During the 19th Century Research Question: With particular focus on his scores, how did Adrien-François Servais advance cello technique in the middle of the 19th century, and with what implications for modern performers? Summary of Results: Widely considered to have been the 'Paganini of the Cello,' Adrien-François Servais (1807 - 1866) was one of the most famous cellists of the 19th century, and is best known today for his 6 Caprices Op. 11. Many modern performers however are unaware of Servais’s numerous and important contributions to the history of cello construction, playing style, and technique. After a brief overview of notable cellists (including Duport, Romberg, and Dotzauer) and playing techniques (including vibrato, portamento, and bow-holds) that coexisted at the beginning of the 19th century, this research paper goes on to examine Servais’s life and work as an independent concert artist. While Servais did not leave behind any methods or treatises, a close study of contemporaneous accounts of his playing style, technique, instrument preferences, concert programs, and his association with many of the leading composers of his day reveals his enduring contributions to the rise of the cello as a vehicle for the new Romantic virtuoso style. Most notable among these contributions were his standardization of the use of the endpin, his wide-ranging and successful career as a touring performer, and the invaluable impression he left on the younger generation of cellist-composers (including Davidov and Popper). It is however an in-depth analysis of his Fantaisie 'Souvenir de Saint-Pétersbourg' Op. 15 that ultimately reveals the most revolutionary and innovative aspects of his technique and playing style: from his fingering, shifting, and use of harmonics, to his bowing, phrasing, articulation, arpeggiation, use of thumb position, and extroverted approach - elements that have all gone on to form the basis of modern cello playing. During my presentation I intend to provide an overview of these findings, and to demonstrate evidence of Servais's technical and stylistic achievements as revealed by his Fantaisie Op. 15 on my own instrument. Biography: Aurore Montaulieu is a French cellist. Born in Cannes, she started her musical studies at the age of 4. In 2012, she graduated with her Bachelors degree from the Pôle Supérieur of Paris-Boulogne-Billancourt in Hélène Dautry’s class. Aurore is currently in the Orchestra Masters program at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in Michel Strauss and Jan-Ype Nota’s class. She has had the opportunity to receive guidance from great musicians such as F. Helmerson, G. Hoffman, P. Wispelway and D. Geringas. In 2012, she joined the Orchestre de Paris’s Academy and is a member of the Gustav Mahler JugendOrchester since 2014. Aurore Montaulieu plays a Roberto Masini cello built for her in 2010.

Name: Adrianna van Leeuwen-Steghaus Main Subject: Historical Clarinet Research Supervisor: Inês de Avena Braga Title of Research: Emancipation of the Clarinet 1720-1760 The transforming role of the two and three keyed clarinet in Sacred Music of the Late Baroque Period Research Question: Can we trace the Baroque Clarinet's role in Sacred Music and is there an obvious progression in the way composers wrote for the instrument beginning in the early 18th century to the instruments demise in the mid 18th century? What was the Baroque Clarinet's role in Sacred Music? Did composers intentioanlly use this instrument and if so for what purpose? Summary of Results: When speaking about the clarinet, the first period of music we naturally associate with it is the Classical. However, few realise that the history of the clarinet begins much earlier in the Baroque, with an instrument that we would today describe as ‘primitive’. The Baroque clarinet was developed around 1700 in Germany. It's repertoire and legacy is confined to about 50 years of music history. Colloquially called the 'Mock Trumpet', the Baroque Clarinet is characterized by a bright and brilliant sound. Some research has been done on the instrument already, particularily on its general history and repertoire. However what remains missing is uncovering the Baroque Clarinet's role in sacred music. Sacred music, particularily cantatas dominated musical life in the 18th century. Cantatas were performed every Sunday as well as on special feasts throughout the ecclesiastical calendar. Over the past two years, I have discovered a trove of cantatas containing parts specifically written for the Baroque Clarinet, some by well-known composers such as Telemann and Graupner and others unknown until now, such as Seibert and Kurz. Coincidentally, most of the composers are of German origin, employed by various cities and/or courts across the German-speaking lands. This research examines the repertoire and attempts to find a progression in the clarinet's use and role. The instruments characteristic timbre meant it shared a symbiotic relationship with the trumpet, but did it ever shed its trumpet association and find its own voice? Through analysis of the various cantata parts, I uncover that the clarinet was in some ways the 'perfect compromise'; able to sound brassy and brilliant when required, while also able to produce a sweet and singing tone. The clarinet was also techinically more capable then its trumpet counterpart, because it was less confined to the harmonic series and able to play quicker notes melodically with more stepwise intervals. In November 2017, the Royal Consrvatorie's Early Music Department premiered two of Telemann's cantatas with clarient parts; Lobet den Herrn TWV 1:1061 and Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg TWV 1:320. Biography: Adrianna van Leeuwen-Steghaus, is a Canadian clarinettist specialising in historical instrument performance. She is a member of two successful chamber ensembles, the Swedish based trio Boxwood & Bows and the Dutch based duo The Küffner Gals. Adrianna graduated with distinction from the University Of Calgary (CAN), obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in modern clarinet performance. She moved to the Netherlands in 2012, to complete a second Bachelor’s degree in Historical Clarinet and Chalumeaux at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag. Currently, she is busy completing her Master’s degree and thesis under the tutelage of Professor Eric Hoeprich in the Netherlands.

My initial plan was to do research and catalogue the available existing method books for Jazz bass education. But during the process I realized that matters were more complex than I had foreseen. Jazz (bass) methods were often based on classical music methods but Jazz education demands a different skillset and approach. I reexamined the fundamental building blocks necessary to successfully teach Jazz double bass. For this I designed a graphic theoretical framework that helped me analyze the existing methods. With this information I built a data base and webpage that offers analytical information about the available methods. Methods not limited to the traditional books but also on line learning programs and other methodical teaching material. Furthermore I examined the influence of the technological developments that the computer, smartphones, tablets and the internet have to offer. Teaching Jazz in the 21st century has proven to be much more of a modulair approach than the traditional linear approach.

Name: Koske Nozaki Main Subject: Recorder Research Supervisors: Inês de Avena Braga and Peter Van Heyghen Title of Research: A practical exploration of the historical fingerings of Baroque Recorders in England, France and Germany Research Question: What is “historical fingering” for Baroque recorders, and how does it work and affect our modern recorder performance practice. Summary of Results: The recorder was an important instrument in the Early Music revival, partly due to its large repertoire of Baroque music. However, most recorder players today do not use the instruments that were most commonly used in the Baroque period, i.e. those with historical fingering systems. Instead, we normally use instruments with “modern fingering,” a slight modification that simplifies fingerings and homogenizes notes. With our modern instruments and their different fingering systems, several notes and trills do not work with the existing fingering charts for Baroque recorders. The Investigation of this research, on 7 actual original 18th century recorders from England, Germany, and France, and 40 fingering charts from historical methods shows us; it is a very logical system. The people at the time were playing the recorders in a different way, with differently tuned instruments. Fingerings on the recorder have always been found by trial and error, by players, with their own comfort and ease in mind. Though it is clearly not possible to know how the people in the Baroque period were choosing their fingerings; the best approximation is to have the same instrument tuned in the same system from the time. Historical tutors allow us to realize how their system of thought was different, which helps us to get closer to them. A bit of effort to accept the valuable tips from centuries past, with a taste for authenticity on the Baroque-fingered recorder, is a necessity. Biography: Koske Nozaki (Tokyo, 1988) began playing recorder at the age of 9. He loved the friendliness of such a simple flute with so many possibilities, and had a lot of curiosity for repertoire and the instrument itself. His school life at a beautiful seaside was focused on the recorder ensemble with his friends, which taught him a lot of basic musical knowledge. In his high school life, on a mountain this time, he learned not only recorder, but cello in the school orchestra as well. He studied recorder and Early Music performance at The National Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, where he obtained his Bachelor degree. After three years of working as a recorder player and teacher in Japan, he moved to The Netherlands in 2014. He is currently completing his Master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where he studies recorder and baroque flute.

Name: Pauls Pokratnieks Main subject: Jazz Drums Research Coach: Yvonne Smeets Title of Research: “Art of drumming within jazz piano trio” Research Question: How can I through historical and stylistic understanding of jazz drummers in significant piano trios during jazz history, improve my skill as an interactive trio member? What are the differences and similarities in drummers playing within significant jazz piano trios during the history of jazz? What are the characteristics of these great jazz piano trios? How can understanding of these differences, similarities and characteristics help me to react appropriately in different musical situations and combinations? Summary of Results: As I remember myself jazz piano trio was always my favorite band format in jazz music. I like the simplicity of it and in the same time the magic how great players could get it to sound like an orchestra. Especially in this band format we can see how great musicians are as listeners and supportive players, there is a much bigger role and responsibility for everyone to make the music interesting and happening than in bigger settings. Individual levels are equally important because every one of the musicians can choose directions where the music will go. Music is really about collective improvisation and truly listening to each other. This “platform” is great to explore dynamics, interaction and to become as a one – a great rhythm section. After listening to all these albums and analyzing what the drummer chooses to play I understood that it’s not just the drummer’s personality that counts, but big impact to drummers decisions are what the other two band members are doing and suggesting in music. One needs always listen to each other and go one way musically. One’s job within jazz trio setting is to make other musicians sound good and make their job easier and more comfortable. This setting is really fragile and it can work only if each member of trio is working towards the same goal. In different jazz styles the basic fundament of drummer is the same – to keep music going with nice feel and energy. During my presentation I will show and explain how I applied specific exercises/concepts in my playing and I will perform with my own jazz piano trio to show different ways, approaches to play within this setting in different styles, with knowledge gained from this research. Biography: Pauls Pokratnieks is jazz and other improvised music style drummer and composer. Up until the age of 18 he actively performed in various local and international orchestras as a classical percussion player and took first prizes in competitions. At the age of 16 Pauls began to play a drum set and first developed an interest in jazz music. At the age of 18 he enrolled in the Riga Dome Choir School (RDCS) in the Jazz department, and there started to deeply study drums, jazz theory, harmony, bass, composition and other subjects. After graduating RDCS in 2009 Pauls decided to continue his music studies in Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands. Now he is doing Master studies in Royal Conservatory in The Hague and working as freelance musician and teacher.

Name: Patrick van Deurzen Main subject: Theory of Music Research coach: Marcel Cobussen Title of research: Referential Networks, Composing and the “Outside World” Research question: How does a new composition relate to the existing body of (art)works: the “outside world”? Summary of results: One aspect of composing is making countless connections, consciously and unconsciously, to other works. Of these countless connections, those created consciously form what I call a Referential Network. The works to which these connections are made, form the “Outside World”. In this research, I describe three of my compositions as three different Referential Networks. I analyse the compositions and show how the chosen references influence the compositional process and outcome. Performers (and listeners) also use references to access a composition. To understand this, I look at how we can understand a text and what the relation of author and observer is to a text. In relation to this, I have asked various performers for feedback to see to what extent my Referential Networks are noticed and if they play a role in interpreting them. To put my composing and this research in a historical context, I look at certain aspects of European composed art music after World War II to show two different views on tradition and the past. My concluding remarks include conclusions about the artistic result, i.e. the compositions, the performer's perspective, and some philosophical implications. Biography Patrick van Deurzen is a Dutch Composer and teaches Music Theory, Instrumentation and Arranging at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and the Rotterdam Conservatoire of Music.

HOW DO I COMPOSE MUSIC BASED ON GAME RULES? Transforming the emotions of a game into music

Name: Shanti Nachtergaele Main Subject: Violone Research Coach: Anna Scott Title of Research: Examination of Mid-Nineteenth Century Double Bass Playing Based on A. Müller and F.C. Franke’s Discourse in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, 1848 – 1851: With a discussion of the relevance of historical techniques to modern conventional and historically informed (‘HIP’) performance practices Research Questions: • Should historical double bass techniques be incorporated into historically informed performance (‘HIP’) practices today, and how can historical techniques be used to enhance modern performances? • Who was F.C. Franke, what insights can he and August Müller provide about the state of double bass playing c. 1850, and which of their ideas can be applied by double bassists today? • Can Müller’s and Franke’s contrasting ideas be combined, and what benefits does this integration offer to both ‘HIP’ and mainstream modern performers? Summary of Results: In the period 1849 - 1851, a collection of articles by A. Müller and F.C. Franke appeared in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, which discussed various aspects of double bass playing. The two double bassists agreed on some points, including that the double bass has a very important role in the orchestra, that there was a lack of good double bass players at the time, and the general characteristics of a good instrument; but they debated other subjects, such as playing stance, left hand technique, bow technique, the components of daily practice, and the common practice of simplifying double bass parts. Their discussion on these topics has implications for historically informed performance, especially in regards to the performance of orchestral works. During my presentation I will briefly discuss the historical background of my research, including biographical information, the state of double bass playing in the mid-nineteenth century. Using recorded audio and video examples and live demonstrations, I will then discuss the practical components of this artistic research: Franke’s and Müller’s opposing fingering methods, and Müller’s suggested modifications of the double bass parts of Beethoven's symphonies. Biography: Shanti Nachtergaele grew up in California (USA), and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Double Bass Performance from Shenandoah Conservatory, where she studied with Donovan Stokes. She currently studies historic double bass and 8’ violone with Maggie Urquhart, and is interested in exploring historical perspectives of bass pedagogy and technique. Her research won the student division of the 2014 International Society of Bassists Research Competition, and she has been invited to present at the ISB’s 2015 convention.

Name Isabella Mercuri Main Subject Recorder Research supervisors Inês de Avena Braga and Frédérique Thouvenot Title of Research Music as an artificial language - an annotated collection of early music sources mentioning the relationship between instrumental music, singing, and speaking, questioning their relevance for today’s performers Research Question What do treatises of the Renaissance and Baroque period mention about the relationship between instrumental music, singing, and speaking and how can I use those indications in my playing? Summary of Results The collection of sources from the beginning of the sixteenth century until the middle of the eighteenth century showed that the indications given by the authors are often very similar to each other, although being written in a completely different time and environment. The following three main ideas appear in several treatises and were therefore examined more in detail: - Imitation of the human voice or of a specific instrument - Following a speech and using the means of rhetoric - Underlying instrumental music with text The practical application of those three ideas led to an enrichment of my palette of sound colours, to an improvement in making clear phrasings and gave me some inspiration to find the appropriate affections to communicate to the listeners. This research paper and the included collection of sources might also be a starting point for further research exploring for instance more in detail one of the three main ideas mentioned above. Biography Isabella Mercuri was born in Switzerland, where she started studying the recorder with Kees Boeke and Matthias Weilenmann and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Music at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in 2013. She then moved to the Netherlands to continue her studies with Daniël Brüggen at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where she also studies the baroque oboe with Frank de Bruine. Isabella Mercuri is active as a recorder teacher for children and adults and regularly performs in different chamber music settings in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Serbia and Spain.

Name: Mikaela Oberg Main Subject: Historical Flutes Research Coaches: Wouter Verschuren Title of Research: The Place of Modern Methods used to acquire Technique on Period Instruments, within Historically Informed Performance Practice. Research Question: How has the way we acquire technique on the flute developed since 1700 and to what extent can the use of instructional methods intended for Boehm system flutes within historically informed performance practice be deemed valid? Research Process: The information for my research has come from a collection of over fifty treatises, methods and technical workbooks written between 1700 and 2013. My historical overview was based on a more in-depth analysis of just over thirty of these and I also interviewed twenty-seven historical flute players, of various ages and levels to acquire an understanding of the current approach towards technical development. Summary of Results: By examining a large variety of flute instructional methods written across three hundred years I have discovered that there is a continuous relationship in ideologies associated with the development of sound, articulation and finger technique on the flute. This continuity of ideas, combined with the results of my interviews with current student and professional historical flute players has brought me to the conclusion that it is quite valid for historical flute players to include methods intended for Boehm system flutes as part of their practice material. I have found evidence supporting the fact that eighteenth century flute players included technical exercises as part of a daily practice routine, apart from their repertoire practice. I have also found that the most popular and enduring exercises in use today, many of which us flute players know from our modern flute studies, have their foundations in material found in eighteenth and early nineteenth century method books. In my power point presentation I will offer various examples from my research material highlighting the development of technical material from 1700 to the present. This will display the links that exist between the old and the new as well as offer several often over-looked suggestions for flute players looking to expand their practice resources.

Name: Andrea Vasi Main Subject: Piano Research Coach: Theo Verbey Title of Research: The influence of some characteristics of Romanian folk music on the Romanian Rhapsody no. 1 opus 11 by George Enescu – An arrangement for 2 pianos Research Question: What is the nicest way to make an arrangement for 2 pianos of the first Romanian Rhapsody opus 11 no. 1 by George Enescu, and how has this piece been influenced by Romanian folk music? Research Process: My (Romanian) father, who is also a professional musician, helped me in the sense that he told me his views on what Romanian folk music was, which I took as a starting point. Throughout my childhood, I listened to Romanian folk music a lot (every week, we went to a café in The Hague where Romanians would play their music), so I have quite much personal experience with it as well (I sometimes played along, and had my own ‘gypsy’ ensemble). Only one valuable book on Enescu has been published in the west, in 1990, namely ‘George Enescu: His Life and Music’ by N. Malcolm. A lot of biographical and musicological information on Enescu I could find in here, but I really needed my father to translate the Romanian sources I had collected. I had the chance to quote Enescu himself, because he did some extensive interviews with B. Gavoty. As for the arrangement, I am a pianist myself, and played and studied a lot two piano-pieces in the past. With the help of my coach, composer Theo Verbey, I made my own arrangement for two pianos of Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody no. 1 opus 11. Summary of Results: First of all, one can find the arrangement I made of the Romanian Rhapsody no. 1 opus 11 by George Enescu in the Appendix. I make clear how I made this arrangement for two pianos, and why I made it like this. The main goals were to keep the material as much intact as possible, but while doing this, I wanted to make sure both piano parts were very ‘playable’, very ‘pianistic’. Secondly, I wanted to know how this piece has been influenced by Romanian folk music. In order to be able to do this, I had to determine what ‘Romanian folk music’ actually is. So I tried to narrow it down to the most distinct and prominent characteristics. I did this in chapter three, in which I started by quoting Enescu himself on the subject. According to him, the music of his country is full of ‘dor’ (‘Sehnsucht’), and there is ‘sadness even in the midst of happiness’. Shifting between major and minor also occurs frequently, I noticed. When I started analyzing songs I knew from my childhood, and started looking for characteristics on the internet, in chapter four, I deminstrated that there are some elements which appear in most of Romania’s folk music, concerning instruments, scales and modes, meter and rhythm, ornamentation, ‘doina’ and gypsies.

Name: Martin van Hees Main Subject: Guitar Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: A Musicians’ view on cooperating with composers Research Question: What is the influence of a composer on the performance practice of a performer when playing the composers’ composition? Research Process: An introduction and short analysis of five compositions will be presented in the research process. A meeting with the composer will take place and issues regarding musical ideas and technical difficulties will be discussed. Before meeting the composer a thorough analysis regarding the way of performing the composition will be made. All the important decisions, musically and technically will be mentioned. A sound recording of the composition will be made in this stage. During the meeting with the composer the composition will be played, recorded and reviewed. There will be an interview held with questions regarding the composition and with questions regarding the opinion of the composer concerning the performance practice. After meeting the composer, an analysis of the interview will be made. A reconsideration of the interpretation of the composition will be made. The composition will be recorded again. A comprehensive analysis of the cooperation will be made and a conclusion will be drawn. Summary of Results: Throughout the research I discovered that it is helpful to play the composers composition in advance to them, before actually performing it. When a performer has sincere affection with a certain composition it is worth to share this affection with its creator. A performer has to be aware that a composition is a changeable piece of art, so a composer can always change the performer his opinion on the piece, even if the performer disagrees, both parties should come to a common solution. As regarding the changes that are made before and after the meeting with the composer, they are audible on the sound recordings at https://soundcloud.com/martinvanhees

Name: João Guimarães Rival Main Subject: Harpsichord Research Coaches: Inês de Avena Braga and Patrick Ayrton Title of Research: Keyboard transcriptions of orchestral works by M. Marais and J. Ph. Rameau Research Questions: How did French Baroque composers adapt orchestral works for the harpsichord? What needs to be observed when making new transcriptions based on historical examples? Research Process: Often, as a harpsichordist, one needs to transcribe or adapt an orchestral piece for keyboard, either when accompanying or even if only to understand it more deeply for continuo playing. The motivations of playing orchestral excerpts that were not yet transcribed, or which are currently known nowadays is perhaps the main point of my research. It relies on the analysis of the examples of transcriptions realized by Jean-Henri D’Anglebert (1629- 1691) from several works by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), the 1693 Anonymous transcriptions from Alcide by Marin Marais (1656-1728), and Jean-Philippe Rameau’s (1683-1764) Les Indes Galantes (1735). In order to apply the results of these analyses, I transcribed a few instrumental excerpts from the operas Sémélé (1709) and Les Boréades (1764) by Marais and Rameau respectively, and will present a report on how the transcriptional process was made. Summary of Results: I believe that the results of my research have opened up new perspectives in this field, and provided new historically informed transcriptions for solo performance. With the examples analyzed, the present study detailed important aspects of the transcriptional process and unraveled many of its issues, concerning compositional techniques involved on translating an orchestral piece to harpsichord in two different periods of French music. As mentioned above, it is extremely important for a harpsichordist to identify which tools were used to idiomatically translate an orchestral writing to a keyboard one, if only for a better understanding compositional practices, the solo repertoire and for the development of a more historically informed accompaniment. My research aimed to identify more clearly what could be considered a “French harpsichord language”, considering its sound qualities and different possibilities of interpretation, and how it was used in two major periods of French music, symbolized in this context by Marais and Rameau, and their impact on the musical life of nearly a century. The presentation will be focused on the process of transcription with live music examples enhanced by a PowerPoint presentation.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the different ways of articulating fast passagework on the dulcian in repertoire spanning the period ca.1550 until ca.1700. Prior to 1787, when Etienne Ozi published his first edition of the Nouvelle Methode de Basson, there are no sources known that specifically discuss articulation or (double) tonguing on bass double reed instruments. When we perform music from this era, we are in the dark as how to articulate highly virtuosic passages. What is preferable: Two-by-two slurring? Slurs over more notes, or maybe the use of some kind of double tongue-stroke? During this research I will focus on primary sources that deal with articulation on various non-reed wind instruments of the period in question, such as the recorder, the cornetto and the trumpet. By studying the indications and recommendations given by masters of the past we can deduce their musical intensions. When we accept these authors as our guides, they may be able to help us imagining what articulation on a double-reed instrument could sound like. The moment we envision this concept, we can start to translate their instructions into articulation on reed instruments. The output is threefold: 1. A paper describing the different ways on how to articulate fast passagework on the dulcian and on the bassoon in a way that matches the souplesse and speed of non-reed instruments. 2. Two compositions written for the dulcian, with added articulation-markings by the author. 3. Video examples clarifying some musical examples. With this project I hope to shed light on practical issues of the performance of highly virtuosic repertoire for dulcian and bassoon from the sixteenth and seventeenth century.

Name: Vera Marijt Main Subject: Jazz Piano Research Coach: Jarmo Hoogendijk Title of Research: Barry Harris: Exploring the Diminished Research Question: How can the transcriptions I made of Barry Harris' workshops and recordings be incorporated in my playing, in order to develop myself in a bebop style? Research Process: I transcribed two DVD boxes containing 8 discs of over 8 hours of workshops by pianist Barry Harris that were recorded and published by Howard Rees. Furthermore, I transcribed about 54 video's of Barry Harris that were published on the website, www.franselsen.com, and several solo's of him. This resulted in about 35 pages of transcribed material, that I sorted and practiced during my Master studies. Summary of Results: Barry Harris talks in his workshops a lot about one important chord; the diminished. He explained how chords are related to the diminished and how we can use the diminished to connect chords and create 'movement'. Two important scales are the major and minor 6 diminished scales. Exercises I got out of the transcriptions and experimenting with this, opened a new world of sounds, voicings, harmonic knowledge and ideas for improvisational lines for me. I apply the material to existing pieces and wrote a composition in which these techniques are used. In the presentation I will explain about the major and minor 6th diminished scales and how they can be applied to tunes.

Name: Emilie Bastens Main Subject: Harp Research Coaches: Enno Voorhorst and Anton Sie Title of Research: Use your personal learning style for playing by heart Research Question: How can you find the most efficient way, which fits the best with you, for playing by heart?” Research Process: Much of my research has come from interaction with colleagues and my personal experience with playing by heart on a harp. I started with the head. I read more about the brain and the memory. After that, I took a deeper look at the instrument. I started to analyze the problems, which comes with playing by heart on a harp. Because studying by heart is very close to learning, I searched for more information about this topic. This is how I read more about differences in learning styles. I asked myself how my personal learning style could help me with playing by heart on the harp. With the research tool Belbin, Mr. J. Boogaars helped me to discover my personal learning style. I analyzed how I could use my positive and negative sides the best for playing by heart. Because I read more about learning styles, I started reading more books about management. Because of this I used helpful thoughts for playing by heart on a harp. Based on my experiences I made a plan with 7 steps, which can be used by other harpists for playing by heart. Summary of Results: This research is about the effect of knowing your personal learning style, on playing by heart on a harp. The research tool Belbin, which is based on the archetypes described by Carl Gustav Jung, shows differences in learning styles. There is a look at the difficulties of studying and playing by heart on a harp. On this basis, I searched for the influence of knowing your personal learning style on this studying. Helpful thoughts can help to reach your goal faster and easier. On this bases there is made a plan with 7 steps, which can be used for more efficient studying. Those 7 steps are useful for different learning styles and provide a guide for the possible difficulties that may be experienced with playing by heart on a harp. The presentation will include a deeper look at the difficulties of the instrument, differences in learning styles and a personal analyze of how to use your personal learning style in the best way for playing by heart.

Name: Eva Lymenstull Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Coach: Johannes Boer Title of Research: Chordal Continuo Realization on the Violoncello: A look at the practice of chordal accompaniment by cellists over the course of two centuries, with a focus on recitative accompaniment practices between 1774 and 1832 Research Question: What was the practice of chordal continuo realization by cellists in the eighteenth century? What historical precedence exists, in what musical contexts would the practice be used, and how does this realization sound when used in performance? Summary of Results: The cello was used as a continuo instrument from the earliest days of basso continuo through the early nineteenth century. In addition to the cello being used as a single-voice continuo instrument, evidence exists that some cellists realized their continuo lines, creating multi-voice chordal accompaniments. Accounts of performances in which cellists played chordal continuo realizations exist, though very sporadically, ranging from 1657 to 1834. Despite arguments from a number of scholars and performers that the use of chordal continuo realizations by cellists was widespread during the eighteenth century, there is insufficient evidence, much of which is highly circumstantial, that the practice was common before 1774. Several treatises were published between 1774 and 1834, however, that give clear and detailed instructions, including examples of execution, for the use of chordal continuo realizations on the cello in secco recitatives in opera. The use of this practice at that time sheds an interesting light on the role of the cello, the development of cello technique, and about the virtuosity required for this type of accompaniment. The presentation will include a discussion of the various sides of the debate over chordal continuo practices in the Baroque, live demonstrations by myself and colleagues of the chordal recitative techniques outlined in the treatises I have examined, and a power point presentation.

Name: Anna Walker Main Subject: Classical Singing Research Coaches: Yvonne Smeets and Ami Shamir Title of Research: Craniosacral Therapy and Singing Research Question: How can craniosacral therapy be relevant in helping singers free up their voices and overcome physical obstructions to make them better performers? Research Process: My goal was to understand more about why craniosacral therapy (CST) has helped my singing so much and to find out whether it could also help other singers become freer artists on stage. Studying literature by osteopaths and CST therapists such as John Upledger, Michael Shea, David McFarland and Michael Kern has given me insight about the nature of CST, its background in osteopathy and some basic knowledge of anatomy. In addition to the theoretical background I used my own journey with CST as an example and looked closely at how CST has helped me. I interviewed my singing teachers Gerda van Zelm and Rita Dams and my osteopath Ami Shamir about my technical and artistic progress and wrote about my own perception of the development. To understand more about how CST and singing could work together I interviewed Hamburg-based singer, singing teacher and CST therapist Stefanie Hoffmann. Summary of Results: CST, which has its roots in osteopathy, uses gentle manual techniques to detect and release restrictions that occur in the body as a reaction to trauma (injury, surgery, illness). The rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid that flows around the brain and the spinal cord, called craniosacral wave, is a stable motion that is not influenced by heart rate or breathing. It is palpable because its waves are transmitted through membranes enveloping all structures of the body (fascia) and can therefore be used to detect areas of restricted movement. Some areas of the body are frequently places of restricted craniosacral movement, e.g. all major transverse/horizontal structures such as diaphragm, pelvic floor, cranial base and thoracic inlet. These areas happen to be crucial for singing as well. For example a free diaphragm is very important for a singer’s breath support or a free jaw and neck (connected to cranial base and thoracic inlet) are crucial for flexible articulation. CST’s techniques for release of the transverse structures can therefore be highly beneficial for a singer. The body’s numerous functional connections can produce symptoms as a sort of chain reaction in various parts of the body after trauma. CST can help find the cause of the problem and help release the tension by facilitating the body’s own motion. My development as a singer has been greatly supported by CST, because CST was the therapy form which addressed my initial problem (difficult birth, vacuum delivery: pressure on head, neck and spine) at its core, at the level of the nervous system. My body reacted to this treatment with (lasting) structural changes, which have made breathing, articulating and resonating easier for me. CST is certainly a good tool for a singer to become more aware of his/her body. It can also help a singer whose development is impaired by physical obstacles that pure functional voice training cannot solve.

Name: Carlos Leal Cardín Main Subject: Violoncello Research Coach: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Luigi Boccherini. Patronage and musical life in Madrid between 1768 and 1805. Research Question: How was Boccherini’s work determined by its social function and his musical environment? Was the musical scene in Madrid comparable to the one in other European capitals? Research Process: I have tried to reconstruct the musical landscape in which Boccherini lived and worked for almost 40 years in Spain by analyzing several aspects of the musical life: concert life, musical institutions, patronage and music printing and trade. It is therefore a historical research based on available bibliography as well as in sources of the period. Summary of Results: Luigi Boccherini lived in Madrid or near for almost 40 years. Throughout of the 18th century there were many attempts in Spain to modernize the society, the economy and of course the culture, trying to get a closer position to the leading nations of that time. In music this resulted in the development of public concerts and opera performances, very much in the line of the spirit of the Enlightenment. But at the same time there was a lack of dissemination of printed music due to the absence of a strong musical press. That’s why Boccherini published his works outside Spain where the middleclass amateur players were much more abundant. During 10 of his years in Spain Boccherini enjoyed the patronage of the infante don Luis under such favorable terms that can be compared to the situation of Haydn with the Prince Eszterhazy. We could say that even being so far from the big musical centers -Viena, Paris and London- the circumstances in which he developed his career were not so different from other composers of the time.

Name: Danny Teong Main Subject: Trumpet, Early Music Performance Research supervisors: Wouter Verschuren, Susan Williams Title of Research: Breathtaking: An alternative approach to breathing for trumpeters Research Question: Breathing simultaneously through the nose and mouth: What are the benefits for trumpet playing? How can this technique be learned? Summary of Results: Breathing in trumpet pedagogy is a controversial area. Trumpet method books contain seemingly conflicting instructions, and breathing through the mouth and focusing on low abdomen breathing dominates conventional brass pedagogy. This research attempts to explore the teachings of Willem van der Vliet, a retired trumpet teacher, who presents an alternative approach of including the nose in the inhalation process. I have used interviews, surveys, and investigated scientific and esoteric sources to attempt to explain the breathing mechanism and to understand how and why Willem’s approach to breathing works, and how it can be learnt. Biography: Danny started playing the natural trumpet since 2011, and has freelanced with early music groups in the Netherlands and Germany. He is intrigued by the limitless rhetorical possibilities of early music and enjoys the portrayal of a singing trumpet via variations in articulation and sound colour. Danny is currently doing his master’s degree with Susan Williams in Koninklijk Conservatorium, with support from Adriana Jacoba Fonds.

The purpose of my Research is to explore why at the beginning of the XX° century wind orchestras in different Countries in Europe sounded so singular and why nowadays the sound is so similar one to the other. Haven’t found any book which speaks about this specific topic I decided to research about the subject hoping it will maybe be useful or interesting not only for my development as conductor/musician but also to other people, be they conductors, composers, musicians or just wind orchestra music lovers. Above historical issues I will also include some artistic material such as examples, audio samples and scores which support the development of my Research. Special focus will be given to the analysis of a couple of significant original scores from the first decade of the XX° century which will be the guide line throughout my research.

Name: Samuel Tirado Villaescusa Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Nights in the Spanish Gardens: Meaning and inspiration Research Question: Which are the most important sources of inspiration in the piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens and how all of them affect the performance of the soloist and the orchestra? Summary of Results: Manuel de Falla's piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens has become popular during the last twenty years. Several of the greatest performers have recorded it achieving impressive results. However, the piece presents key aspects from the Spanish folklore and French impressionism that, usually, are not taken into account. Searching information for my research, I discovered that the most important sources of inspiration come from »cante jondo« (a Spanish primitive chant), the Spanish guitar and the music of Claude Debussy. Thus, I found several examples that prove the connection and help the performer to make the interpretation as coherent as possible. The research process changed my vision about topics such as the role of the soloist, the interpretation of ornaments, melodic lines and rubato as well as the imitation of the guitar in De Falla's music. Furthermore, this information could also help not only pianist performing Nights in the Spanish Gardens, but also any musician playing Manuel de Falla's music. Biography: Samuel Tirado begins his studies in Salamanca, where he completed a bachelor degree with Patrin Garcia Barredo. He has participated in masterclasses with teachers like Claudio Martinez Mehner, Ferenc Rados, Edith Fischer, Kennedy Moretti and Galina Eguiazarova among others. He has performed as a soloist and chamber music member and in places such as the national auditorium in Madrid, auditorium of Cuenca and theaters in Salamanca, Ciudad Real and Ávila. He has also played in countries such as Holland, France and Austria.

The Spanish cliché is an invention of the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. This exotic and romantic image of musical "Spanishness" had, and still has, an enormous influence on Spanish musicians and in the general approach to the interpretation of Spanish Music. Through history the political powers have tried to make used of the stereotypes at their own convenience. Franco’s regime urged composers to adhere to a formalistic aesthetic, full of Spanish nationalistic clichés, in a clear attempt to unify and control a country rich in different cultures and folklore. Within this context, the question of musical nationalism inevitably arises as well as the way in which it was faced, surrounded, transformed and solved by the composers of the time. Montsalvatge soon manifested a profound independence of criteria that took him away from falling into the Spanish cliché. He was the cultivator of a peculiar nationalism, at the same time far from Spanishism and Catalanism. Montsalvatge found in Antilleanism a sort of “secular post-nationalism", a personality of his own. The most famous example of this Antilleanism are his “Cinco Canciones Negras”

How should a trumpeter prepare for a staged performance of Luzifer's Tanz? Throughout this research I will document my journey of learning the music and embodying the role of Michael in Oberlippentanz. For a staged performance of this piece one not only has to learn and understand the music but also has to act, incorporate movements and embody the character of Michael all whilst performing with and against a massive orchestra. I wish to create a document outlining my process of learning and preparation for this piece that I will perform at The Holland Festival 2019. I will describe problems that I encountered, alongside solutions; examples of exercises I created or were suggested by teachers to assist me and thought processes for developing the character.

I have always felt curious about the time periods between composers such as Antonio Soler or Domenico Scarlatti, belonging to the first half of the 18th century, and others like Enrique Granados, Isaac Albeniz or Manuel de Falla, who were active between the end of the 19th-century and the first half of the 20th-century. During the last decades, research has been done about some of the most important composers of this period. Among all of them, Pedro Pérez de Albéniz (1795-1855) stands out. His importance as a composer and, above all, as a teacher was fundamental in creating a solid and successful piano school in Spain. His pianism is inspired, in order of increasing importance, by Spanish folklore, Italian opera and the pianistic writing and resources used in 19th-century Paris, and is influenced by two capital figures: Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785-1849) and Henri Herz (1803-1888). Finally, his fantasies are the most ambitious works of his catalog. They are the ones that best exhibit the characteristics of his pianistic language. They are essential to understanding where Pedro Albéniz can be placed within the Spanish piano literature and illustrate how deep Romanticism had come at this time in the context of the Spanish piano.

Student Number 3105008 Supervisor(s) Anna Scott, Jed Wentz Title Approaching a Rhetorical Performance of Late 18th Century Keyboard Music from the Methods of john Walker Research Question How can we apply declamatory principles from late 18th century English treatises to historical performance of late 18th century solo keyboard music? Summary There is no doubt that the art of classical rhetoric played an important role in the conception and performance of music in the 18th century. In order to better understand how to perform rhetorically in an historically informed manner, an understanding of declamation as it was understood in the late 18th century is key. This thesis uses the written methods of English actor-turned-elocutionist, John Walker, as the basis to proposing a rhetorical approach to late 18th century solo keyboard repertoire. Linguistic concepts of sense, structure, style, and delivery (acting) are likened to analogous concepts in galant music and supported with statements from musical treatises and examples from musical works. Two main performance case studies are considered for comparison: the first linguistic, being Walker’s 1787 annotated version of Edward IV’s speech from William Shakespeare’s "Richard III"; and the second musical, being the Adagio movement of Joseph Haydn’s 1794 Keyboard Sonata Hob. XVI:52. It is hoped that this investigation will not only expand the horizons of the author’s solo performances, but will also provide interesting and useful tools for other musicians. Short Bio Anders Muskens began modern piano studies at the age of 4 in Edmonton, Canada. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto under the tutelage of Dr. Irina Konovalov. He now studies fortepiano and harpsichord at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague with Dr. Bart van Oort, Petra Somlai, and Fabio Bonizzoni. He received numerous awards including: 1st place at the Early Music Young Ensemble Competition at the London Exhibition of Early Music 2018 in a duo with soprano Tinka Pypker; and the „Hofkapelle Elbe-Elster“ prize at the „Gebrüder Graun Prize“ 2018 with his ensemble Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester.

Student Number 3167720 Supervisor(s) Patrick van Deurzen Title The Art of Arpeggiation Research Question How many different ways of arpeggiation is it possible to think of and how is musical meaning created through them? Summary This research is about discovering the expressive possibilities of arpeggiation – may it be indicated by an arpeggio sign or added arbitrarily by a performer. For two reasons this question seems relevant: 1. In the past century, the idea that musical performance should be an exact reproduction of the score has become increasingly predominant and in consequence the idea of exact synchronity has evolved. Seeking for a more creative and less reproducing way to perform, breaking up this rigid synchronity provides us with an exciting "playground" yet to be explored. 2. Particularly on the classical guitar arpeggiation can frequently be heard – often for more technical than musical reasons. Especially on this instrument, a more reflected use is desirable. It was barely looked at the rules on what happens "inside" an arpeggiation. A reason for that might be, that everything inside an arpeggiation usually occurs very rapidly which makes it a lot harder to be analyzed. Besides that, often in arpeggiation the performer relies on "automatic" processes that are difficult to be modified consciously. I propose the idea, that arpeggiation consists of multiple layers of meaning that can be put together in any possible combination. The layers of arpeggiation span with increasing subtlety from habitual arpeggiation to a meticulously planned effect. In the presentation I will demonstrate this concept by showing different ways and meanings of arpeggiation in recordings and on my instrument. Short Bio Niels Pfeffer finished his harpsichord studies at the Stuttgart University of Music under Jörg Halubek and his guitar studies with Johannes Monno in 2017. He is studying in master with Robert Hill in Freiburg (harpsichord) and with Zoran Dukić in The Hague (guitar). With the guitar he won numerous prizes at renowned competitions. He is passionate about playing continuo on theorbo and harpsichord. With both instruments he took part in opera and orchestra performances. As member of different early music ensembles he has been regularly successful in competitions. At the University of Music Stuttgart he is teaching continuo and theorbo.

Research Question: How can the knowledge and practice of Baroque Dance improve our performances of Courantes in the Harpsichord?

This paper is first and foremost concerned with my methods for designing, constructing and composing with freeform electronic sound sculptures. It covers the topics of circuit modularity, network communication, interaction and sonification as a means to create nonlinear music, as well as architectural concepts that are either being utilized or that have been functioning as sources of inspiration toward the design of the sound sculptures. The reader will be guided largely through the perspective of my own work, but general ideas and concepts from similar artists will be discussed where applicable.

This research focuses on the guidance of students of piano methodology ("piano pedagogy") in acquiring didactic skills. More specifically, it aims to support them in understanding and applying research-based educational principles in their internship lessons. Recent scientific research on motor control and motor skill learning offers opportunities for evaluating current practices in piano pedagogy and coming up with innovative teaching approaches. Based on an extensive review of research results, I have formulated educational principles for achieving pianistic quality. I argue that mental auditory representations of intended musical outcomes ("musical intentions") iniate and steer musical motor control processes. Furthermore, I have summarized several research-supported teaching strategies that promote motor skill learning and presented examples of their practical application in piano pedagogy. I have applied several interventions aimed at enhancing conveyance of these educational principles to students of piano methodology. In the first place, I have created extensive study materials (booklets, videos, slide presentations) that both explain and show practical applications of these principles in piano pedagogy. Furthermore, I have introduced peer-to-peer learning: students observe and evaluate their own and each other's internship lessons. Results of this research show that further improvement of the methodology course is required in order to achieve its goals. Both the study material and the peer-learning opportunities have shown to be valuable additions. However, students still exhibit a lack of creativity in finding relevant teaching strategies within their internship lessons. I have formulated several additional interventions for further improvement.

Student Number 3111644 Supervisor(s) Stefan Petrovic and Jed Wentz Title Did They Throw Tomatoes? The Performer-Audience Relationship in 18-century England Research Question What was the nature of the performer-audience relationship in 18th-century England and how can this influence our relationship with audiences today? Summary With the explosion of the public concert in 18th-century England and the ensuing so called “rage for music”, it is clear that concerts were a vital part of the social life of England’s elite and burgeoning middle class. What created this experience? What roles did both audience and performers play? How did it differ from the ways in which we encounter classical music concerts in the 21st century? This research explores how 18th-century English music was publicly experienced in paid, secular concert settings. It was quite different from what we might now expect in the same setting, and therefore it engendered a vastly different performer-audience relationship than what we often have today. The concert spaces, audience makeup, and concert etiquette each were contributing factors in creating a varied and highly social experience for concertgoers. The aim of this research paper is to illuminate this experience and explore how something similar might be relevantly created in the 21st century. Short Bio Chloe Prendergast is a violinist originally from Denver, Colorado. She is the artistic director of the Beethoven Festival of the Hague, a member of Holland Baroque and the Butter Quartet, and has performed with groups including the Handel and Haydn Society, Pacific Musicworks, Henry Purcell Society of Boston, Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Luthers Bach Ensemble, Collegium Ad Mosam, and Arcadia Players. Chloe currently studies at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague with Kati Debretzeni and Walter Reiter. She holds a degree from Willamette University, where she was a Phil Hanni scholar and studied principally with Anthea Kreston and Daniel Rouslin.

This artistic research investigates the transcription process in improvisational musical landscapes. Particularly the transcription process of speeches and speech patterns for the main purpose of developing and furthering jazz language to communicate more effectively as a communicator-improviser. This research asks the question, how can musicians build improvisational musical language through the study of speech? Effective methods of transcribing practice with the goal of developing the musical ear are developed during this research. These are demonstrated with analysis, harmonisation, survey, additional experiments and a set of improvisations and compositions. A systematic approach to improvisation in a spoken style will be shaped and consequently, the ‘voice on the piano’ will be found. These outcomes will be presented with the aspiration to venture toward melodic and harmonic possibilities of functional harmony not yet established in improvisational vocabulary.

This research began with the realization that Schumann's idea of "humor" (which the title of his work implies) might be very different from our own, and should be understood within the cultural and philosophical context of his time. To this end, I decided to base my research on the writings of celebrated author Jean Paul Richter, whom Schumann idolized, and who devoted a large section of his "Introduction to Aesthetics" to the subject of humor; the profound psychological connections between Schumann and Jean Paul, which I point out, are also very revealing. I went on to summarize some concepts within Jean Paul's definition of humor which seemed the most naturally analogous with the act of musical interpretation, such as romantic irony, "the Absurd" and "humorous sensuousness". In the final part of the research I put these ideas to use by experimenting with the interpretation of different sections of the "Humoreske"; in the written exposition I provided recordings to demonstrate the different possibilities which arise from this analogy, as well as a written explanation of the thought process behind each one. For the presentation I will demonstrate this at the piano. These recordings are the "final" result of my research in the sense that they represent a clear answer to the research question. However, while the process of conscious experimentation was illuminating- and can be repeated with any other work by the composer!- I believe that the most important result of this research would be impossible to document or present here: that is, the more subtle, subconscious way in which understanding Schumann's connection with the spirit of his time will continue to influence my playing.

Name: Samuel Tirado Villaescusa Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Nights in the Spanish Gardens: Meaning and inspiration Research Question: Which are the most important sources of inspiration in the piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens and how all of them affect the performance of the soloist and the orchestra? Summary of Results: Manuel de Falla's piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens has become popular during the last twenty years. Several of the greatest performers have recorded it achieving impressive results. However, the piece presents key aspects from the Spanish folklore and French impressionism that, usually, are not taken into account. Searching information for my research, I discovered that the most important sources of inspiration come from »cante jondo« (a Spanish primitive chant), the Spanish guitar and the music of Claude Debussy. Thus, I found several examples that prove the connection and help the performer to make the interpretation as coherent as possible. The research process changed my vision about topics such as the role of the soloist, the interpretation of ornaments, melodic lines and rubato as well as the imitation of the guitar in De Falla's music. Furthermore, this information could also help not only pianist performing Nights in the Spanish Gardens, but also any musician playing Manuel de Falla's music. Biography: Samuel Tirado begins his studies in Salamanca, where he completed a bachelor degree with Patrin Garcia Barredo. He has participated in masterclasses with teachers like Claudio Martinez Mehner, Ferenc Rados, Edith Fischer, Kennedy Moretti and Galina Eguiazarova among others. He has performed as a soloist and chamber music member and in places such as the national auditorium in Madrid, auditorium of Cuenca and theaters in Salamanca, Ciudad Real and Ávila. He has also played in countries such as Holland, France and Austria.

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.

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.

Name: João Diogo Rosas Leitão Main Subject: Guitar Research Coach: Enno Voorhorst Title of Research: “Invocación y Danza – Homenaje a Manuel de Falla” - a new light on the piece brought by the manuscript Research Question: How to deal with the different editions and solve the problems in the manuscript in order to get a playable and faithful version of “Invocación y Danza – Homenaje a Manuel de Falla” by Joaquin Rodrigo? Research Process: Two main topics were focused on in my research: An understanding of Joaquin Rodrigo's life, both personal and musical, focusing on his relationship with the guitar and the details behind the composing process of “Invocación y Danza” and the appearance of the manuscript. A comparison of the different editions of the score and the manuscript, noticing where each one of them differs from the other and how and trying out the different possibilities and solutions for each problematic spot. Summary of Results: Although I could not prove without a doubt that the manuscript available is the one that was sent for the Paris competition, I gathered strong evidence that can support this theory. With this manuscript we can see that some of the original ideas are actually not possible to play in the guitar, since Rodrigo did not play the guitar, and there are some doubts regarding the handwriting and the fact that it was a handmade copy made in a hurry. Apparently this manuscript disappeared after the first edition and all the following editions, that were trying to solve some of the doubts and difficult passages of the piece, were based on that same first edition. By comparing all the different details in each score and by creating and trying out new options and solutions I managed to make a new edition that is a compromise between the original idea and musical intention from the manuscript and a technically comfortable and playable score.

Name: Charlotte Houberg Main Subject: Classical Singing Research Supervisor: Gerda van Zelm Title of Research: Body language of a singer on stage Research Question: How can a singer on stage use his body language to support his expression? Summary of Results: By the use of different research methods, there have been created ideas and strategies to become aware of your body language and how to use it in a confident way on stage. Body language is, next to singing, an equally important communication tool for singers on stage. It shows knowledge of the movements of the body and understanding of the role or character. The libretto can be translated into body language, so the audience can understand it without knowing exactly what text is sung. It can be concluded that all body parts can be chosen to show a certain mood which fits within the role or character. Gestures do not have to be over- exaggerated, because the audience is able to see and interpret small signs, even from a distance. Consciously chosen body language is easier to decode than spontaneous body language and can be more convincing, even though the singer is not in that certain mood. Body language is part of the luggage of a singer and a tool for showing his expression and intentions. I chose for the form of a research paper, because I would like to share new or expanded knowledge with my colleagues by doing an in-depth research. Biography: Charlotte (1991) takes part in Studio 32, an opera studio of her teacher Henny Diemer. She sang the roles Amor (Cadmus et Hermione), Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and Bess (Porgy and Bess). She had a tour with Sinfonia Rotterdam and sang solo with several Dutch orchestras. In Jordan she performed Miroir de Peine of Andriessen with the Amman Orchestra. She has been invited for chamber concerts and has given song recitals on several stages of the Netherlands. From the oratorio repertoire she sings regularly the Matthew Passion (Bach) and the requiem (Fauré and Mozart). She will sing the role First Witch in the new opera of Andriessen (The Theatre of the World) in LA and Amsterdam.

Name: Agnieszka Papierska Main subject: Baroque violin Title of research: Holding the violin and how it influences sound and playing in historical performance practice. Historical perspectives. Research coach: Margaret Urquhart Research questions: How much would the sound of the violin change with holding it in different position? Could this be a tool of expression? Does the way we hold the instrument influence other choices we make about performance practice e.g. regarding fingering, bowing? Could this knowledge be used in performance practice today? Summary of results: During the baroque and classical period many different ways of holding the violin existed, often at the same time. This paper investigates the way in which the different positions of holding the instrument could change the sound of it. After studying at sources and making experiments with different posture it can be confirmed that that the sound changes with different ways of holding the violin. The technique and interpretation are also affected. The main conclusion is that violin technique is not unchangeable. We can adjust it in order to develop sound that we desire. Biography: Agnieszka is an accomplished and experienced chamber music and orchestral musician. She started her professional career at a very early age. While still a student in Poland she collaborated with many professional orchestras where she worked with world-class conductors and soloists. After completing her Bachelor's diploma in modern violin an interest in historical performance practice let to her move to the Netherlands in order to study in the early music department of The Hague Royal Conservatory. In 2012 she also completed the master studies in Wroclaw Academy of Music in Poland. Currently she works with Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra in Italy and also performs with other groups in the Netherlands and abroad. She plays an anonymous 18th century violin from the Klingenthal region.

Modern jazz uses triad chords a lot. I would like to know all possible triad substitutions over seventh chords, so I will also examine this in my thesis. What I hear and what I transcribed from modern jazz musicians is that they know the main music systems and the possibilities very well. I will listen to and transcribe solos from my favourite artists and find out what kind of scales and triad combinations they use. I will then examine these systems to discover what kind of triad chords there are and how we can use them in an irregular way. So my main question is, how can I use the concept of triad pairs to express the sound that is in my head?

This Research Investigates the musical relation Between Researcher and Performer in the 18th Century and its philosophical assumptions

This paper explores the structure and performance of musical phrases according to sources from the second half of the eigtheenth century. As phrasing is such an essential part of music making it seems curious that there is not much written about it and its application usually taken for granted. This paper wants to address this from the assumption that a better understanding of structure (phrases) will enrich delivery in performance (phrasing). It is written from the viewpoint of a performer with a focus on the practical application of theory. Subjects include repose-moments, cadences, phrase-rhythm, punctuation, notation, skills in phrasing, breathing, and observations on Classical phrase structures and proportions in general. Case studies are provided to demonstrate and test the theory on practical use and extend into less obvious areas like writing song intro's and cadenzas.

Name: Leonie Freudenberger Main Subject: Jazz Saxophone Research Coach: Karst de Jong Title of Research: Approaching jazz composition through the music of Billy Strayhorn Research Question: What are the most important elements of Billy Strayhorn's compositions? How can I incorporate his compositional approach in my own writing? Billy Strayhorn (1915–1976) was a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, orchestrator and lyricist whose works have influenced the genre of jazz music until today. The research contains two phases: First, the analysis of his compositions. Second, the attempt to compose originals using the detected stylistic, harmonic, melodic and conceptional tools. Considering the enormous oeuvre that Strayhorn produced, it is inevitable to make a selection of songs to analyze. My criteria for this selection are the following: Which songs have become part of the standard repertoire in jazz, performed by various artists throughout the 20th (and 21st) century? Where can I find aural trademarks, which I recognize both as a listener and as a player and which contribute to my personal perception of the “Strayhorn sound”? Can the compositions be reduced to a lead sheet and performed by a small jazz combo without losing their essence? My final intention is not only to compose using Strayhorn-typical elements and tools, but also to write music for myself as a performer and for my group to play it. On longer terms, I hope that I can abstract this method further on and profit from it beyond the results of this research. Biography: Leonie Freudenberger, born 1988 in Baden-Baden (D), has played the alto saxophone since her childhood. She started her professional jazz education at the University of Music in Mannheim in 2008 and came to Den Haag in 2011, where she finished her Bachelor's degree. Apart from her Master studies, she writes music and performs with her own group and takes part in various projects, playing alto and baritone saxophone.

Name: Mariko Goto Main Subject: Fortepiano Research Supervisor: Bert Mooiman Title of Research: Forbidden Beauty: Performance Practice of un-notated arpeggio in fortepiano music in late 19th Century Research Question: Is it appropriate to arpeggiate a chord when it is not notated, especially in romantic repertory in second half of 19th century? If we can do it, where and how can we add arpeggio? Summary of Results: Modern pianism is quite skeptical to the addition of an arpeggio that is not written in the score. Pianists in the same generation as I am also may have had such the experience of hearing that their teacher say, “Don’t play arpeggio when the composer doesn’t indicate it” or “Don’t break your right and left hand”. Such a strict attitude to the un-notated arpeggio originates from the tendency that the musicology (and musicians) in the late 20th century considered the intentions of composers as the most important thing, and they attributed it to the authentic score like manuscripts, or a first edition. In such a mood, it was not “authentic” to add un-notated arpeggios. Playing un-notated arpeggios was a symbol of over romanticism, and sloppy playing. But there is much evidence that composers themselves added arpeggios, even if they show a strict attitude to the un-notated arpeggio in their remarks. If we look at the treaties, we can see that the un-notated arpeggio has a long tradition from the Baroque and Classical period. It is not a symbol of over-romanticism in the late 19th century, but a tactical tool to express character and affect of pieces. From the remarks of treaties, and early recordings of first half of 20th century, we can see that the character and affect of a piece is a very important element to decide, whether we can use arpeggio or not. Especially in the slow, expressive pieces or sections of a pieces we have many opportunities to add arpeggio. If we consider the tradition and usefulness of un-notated arpeggio, we should feel free to use it, especially on historical keyboard instruments. Biography: Born in Tokyo, Mariko Goto started her modern piano studies in her earliest childhood. She encountered early music, namely fortepiano and cembalo, at Tokyo University of the Arts. After completing her Master degree of Musicology at said university for her musical rhetoric studies about improvisation in Haydn’s works, she devoted herself to the performance of these instruments. Since 2014, she has been pursuing a master’s degree in fortepiano at the Royal Conservatoire of the The Hague under Bart van Oort.

Name: Juan Manuel Cisneros García Main Subject: Forte Piano Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Frozen improvisation: The Mozart piano variations as a model for improvisation on the Classical Style Summary of Results: The fourteen sets of piano variations composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are a sort of microcosmos of his whole pianistic output. Their complete composition covered practically his entire lifetime, from 1766 to 1791 and some of them were originated in actual improvisatory performances. Considering also the historically documented connections between the variation genre and the extemporization practices, this research is focused on their study as models for learning improvisation on the Classical style. With this purpose, I am using a concrete methodology that is being developed now in Spain (IEM methodology) that places the improvisation in the core of music education, with special emphasis in the use of patterns extracted from the musical sources. This has been combined with the historically informed performance practice in order to develop a repertory of exercises and proposals to be used as a guided practice for this learning process. Biography: Juan Manuel Cisneros (Málaga, Spain, 1978) is pianist, composer and teacher. He has a Bachelor´s degree on Piano (Conservatoire of Málaga), Phylosophy (University of Málaga) and Composition (Conservatoire of Granada). He completed his studies as composer and pianist in the Centre Acanthes (Metz, France), among other musical institutions. He is currently performing in several ensembles, from early music to jazz, in Spain, France, Holland, Italy and Romania. His passion for historic keyboard instruments led him to the fortepiano and the harpsichord in recent years. He is developing an extensive activity in the field of historic improvisation, with frequent lectures, concerts and workshops in Spain and abroad. He is composition and improvisation teacher at the Conservatoire of Granada and teacher member of the IEM (Music Education Institute) methodology.

ame: Zhou Feng Main Subject: Violone Research supervisor(s): Kate Clark Title of Research: Fingering of the Viennese Double Bass Research Question: What was the historical fingering of the Viennese double bass? Which different effects it would have on different fingerings? What’s the modern solution of fingerings and its influence? Summary of Results: The Viennese Double Bass was a dominant type of double bass used in the Classical Period in Vienna. It usually has 5 string, tuned in F1-A1-D-F#-A, with frets. Unfortunately, we can barely find any historical material that was written down on the fingering of this instrument. Through the analysis of the history of fingerings on various double basses documented in historical methods, I can find the pattern of fingering that is often related to the tuning intervals of the instrument. The Viennese double bass was possibly using a '1-2-4' fingering system. In my research paper, I give the suggestions of specific fingerings, including basic fingerings (scales, arpeggios), exception fingerings (chordal fingering, octave fingering). For octaves, I find the possible solutions by using basic, chordal, extension fingerings and shifting strategy. With excerpts of solo works and orchestral parts, I give further explanation of the fingerings. Finally, I try to point out that the modern tuning of the Viennese double bass could cause alteration of the historical fingerings. Furthermore, it would also change the timbre. Biography: Master student of Violone (Koninklijk Conservatorium, Den Haag) Artist Diploma of Double Bass (China Central Conservatory, Beijing) Master Degree of Journalism (Tsinghua University, Beijing)

Name: Samuel Terence Nolan Main Subject: Bass Trombone Research Supervisor: Pete Saunders Title of Research: The Electronic Trombone Research Question: What is the best way to create an Electronic Trombone capable of participating in the creation of electronic music across multiple genres? Summery of Results: By following the development of electronic music throughout history and analyzing its use in the present environment, my research paper outlines the artistic potential of an electronic trombone. Though interviews with leading electronic brass artists my paper then goes onto deconstruct the two main brass electronic interfaces, determine the benefits and weaknesses of each. These results are then collated and a new interface with the capability of working across all genres of electronic music is designed. This new interface gives Electronic Trombone artists a new tool which they can use to greatly enhances their creativity and the opportunity to create deeper emotional connections with their audiences. Biography: Sam Nolan is an Australian bass trombonist born in Brisbane. After graduating from the Queensland Conservatoire of Music, Sam became a member of Musica Viva’s Best of Brass quintet and a freelance musician working with ensembles and artists such as Jeff Mills, Natalie Cole, David Campbell, Bill Watrous and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Since moving to The Hague in 2014 Sam has spent his time between studying at the Royal Conservatoireworking as a bass trombone and bass sackbut player throughout the country with ensembles including the Residenti Orkest and the Orchestra of the 18th Century.

Name: Amaya Osés Main Subject: Piano Classical Reseach coaches: Andrew Wright Title of the Reseach: How different techniques bring diverse musical ways to play and teach the repeated chords of Prokofiev's Sarcasms op. 17 n15 Summary of results: Every piece of music can be approached in different ways. This papers examines a passage involving repeated chords from Prokofiev's Sarcasms by the application of several well-known piano methods both in the researcher’s own practice and in a pedagogical situation. This project gives a framework for comparison between the results of the different methods and reflection about the connection between technique and musicianship.

Name: Giovanni Bermudez Main Subject: Jazz Double Bass Research Coach: Jarmo Hoogendijk Title of Research: Poly-rhythmic Structures as Frameworks for Improvisation Research Question: How can poly-rhythmic structures be used as generators of form when composing for improvisation? Summary of Results: When thinking about the relationship between composition and improvisation, a composition can be seen as a set of predetermined musical structures that function as a sort of "map" for the improvisers to navigate, while at the same time providing a cohesive character or "vibe" for the musical performance. The improvisation then occurs in relation to these structures. I want to know how can rhythm be used as the guiding element in the construction of these structures. Particularly how poly-rhythms can provide structures that have a clear contour, alternating between moments of tension and release. For that, I have defined the following research question: How can poly-rhythmic structures be used as generators of form when composing for improvisation? In order to answer that question I have looked into the musical traditions of West Africa and Cuba, as well as the work of the saxophonist Steve Coleman. The final product of this research is a series of four compositions for small jazz ensemble in which I try to apply, in my own way, the ideas and concepts compiled during this process. Biography: Giovanni Bermudez is a jazz bass player born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Initially a self-taught rock musician, he eventually became attracted to the possibilities of improvisation and the rich tradition of Jazz. While studying in Quito, he worked as an independent bass player performing with numerous bands and soloists in jazz, Latin, and pop/rock music. In 2009, looking to develop further skills on the double bass and to challenge himself in a more competitive musical environment, he moved to the Netherlands to pursue studies at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. The international environment of the Netherlands gave him the opportunity to perform all over Europe.

Name: Bethany Shepherd Main Subject: Early Music Singing Research Supervisor: Charles Toet Title of Research: Subversive Climes: Exploring the role of exoticism in Les Indes Galantes Research Question: What is the role of exoticism in Les Indes Galantes? Summary of Results: Exoticism in Rameau’s opéra-ballet Les Indes Galantes has three primary functions. By setting the plots of the four independent entrées in real but geographically distant cultures, the librettist Louis Fuzelier was able to introduce new spectacles to the operatic stage, providing novelty for audiences jaded by the tradition of entertainment based on gods and mythology. This dramatic development in turn provided Rameau with the opportunity to manipulate and extend the musical conventions of the time in order to create a style of expression appropriate to depict these exotic characters and locales. A deeper understanding of the context in which Rameau and Fuzelier created this work was has further revealed that the libretto and Rameau’s musical depiction of the characters in Les Incas du Pérou and Les Sauvages reflect the practice in early Enlightenment literary and philosophical cirlces of idealising exotic cultures to criticise eighteenth century French society. These conclusions offer modern performers a wider range of interpretive options when approaching this work, allowing for a more nuanced performance which brings together the elements of drama, music, philosophy and entertainment in a cohesive manner. Biography: Australian soprano Bethany Shepherd studied Classical Singing at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, under renowned Wagnerian soprano Lisa Gasteen. After obtaining a Bachelor degree with distinction in Australia, Bethany moved to The Netherlands to undertake studies in Early Music at the Koninklijk Conservatorium. She is currently completing a Master of Early Music Singing, studying with Rita Dams, Jill Feldman, Peter Kooij, Michael Chance and Pascal Bertin.

Name: Ewan Gibson Subject: Music Theory Research Supervisor: Laszlo Némes Title of Research: Singing in the Music Theory Lesson - A model for how singing can be used as an effective teaching tool for a practical approach to the subject of music theory Abstract: In a typical music theory programme, the act of singing is often confined to the single skill of sight-reading prima vista. My background as a school teacher has taught me that singing can be used in a variety of ways to help children to learn skills such as reading and aural skills and so my wish is to investigate ways in which singing can be used in a music theory lesson at a conservatoire level. In the last few years at the Koninklijk Conservatorium (Royal Conservatoire of The Hague), the music theory department has been investigating ways in which skills can be transferred across disciplines. One change that has been made is that many music theory related subjects are now taught as a single subject. Teachers are now free to make connections where ever they are found. My own interest is on the use of singing as a tool to achieve these ends. My own investigation, as show in this research paper, will show models of lessons that can be created where singing is used as a core part of the lesson. A range of skills can be developed and theoretical concepts understood when singing activities are sequenced well and taught carefully. The result will be a model for other teachers to use and adapt for their own teaching. In addition, the result of the research has also produced a collection of vocal material for teachers to use in lesson in order to encourage singing with advise on how to use it within a lesson. Biography Ewan L. Gibson comes originally from Wales in the United Kingdom. His previous studies include Bachelor of Music (University of Exeter), Postgraduate Certificate of Education (Oxford Brookes University), and Master of Music (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). He has worked in the field of music education as a teacher in schools and conservatoires. As a qualified school teacher, Ewan has taught in a variety of schools in the U.K. and in international schools in The Netherlands. These have included everything from pre-school to 18 years old. In addition, he has worked for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, The National Youth Choir of Scotland and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as a musicianship teacher, choral conductor and singing teacher. He has also given many workshop shops to music teachers on the use of singing in schools and teaching music literacy skills to children.

The richness and variety of sound in field recordings has inspired numerous electro-acoustic and soundscape compositions, but what about the traditional composition realm? Is there a way to translate for and combine soundscapes with another medium? “How can field recordings be used as a source for instrumental compositions?” is the main research question under investigation here, which developed out of my creative pursuits in composing for instruments and field recordings. The first method I personally applied was to transcribe a field recording by ear for a mixed ensemble for Train, which simultaneously played the transcription with the original audio. The process and results of this piece prompted me to think and read more about mimesis in music, and how the two worlds of electro-acoustic/soundscape and instrumental music can combine. This research paper contains a short introduction to the historical context of mimesis in music (vocal/instrumental and electro-acoustic) to provide the connection of current trends to the past. To investigate the main approaches I proceeded to analyze and categorize music of field recordings with instruments. Using these analysis tools and categories, I investigated examples within roughly the past sixty years of pieces that use field recordings as source for instrumental music, be it for transcription, score, background, or for live interaction. The research results are detailed in four chapters, “Analysis Tools”, “Five Categories”, and two chapters on original compositions. The concepts of place and live versus pre-recorded sound were interesting to investigate as well.

Name: Claudia Hansen Main Subject: T.I.M.E. Research Coaches: Ines van der Scheer and Arnold Marinissen Title of Research: What is Music Theater? (A definition by a staging musician.) Research Question: What is the difference between Music Theater – the modern performance art form and sub-genre of Music Theater – and other hybrid art forms that include musical and theatrical elements grouped under the hypernym ‘Music Theater’? And, is it possible to construct a definition for Music Theater? Research Process: I used the word ‘music theater’ to describe the hypernym and the word ‘Music Theater’ to describe the subgenre. First, I researched the history and the evolution of the tendencies in Music Theater as hypernym genre and made a historical overview from the beginning of Music Theater up until the emergence of the subgenre ‘Music Theater’. I focused on the development of Music Theater as a subgenre. In order to find out what the essence of Music Theater is, I analyzed the three major components of Music Theater. I made an overview of challenges that a creator faces in Music Theater and proposed several solutions, which are based on reasoning and existing performances. I tried to see as many performances as possible, which in the widest sense could be considered to be Music Theater, in order to get a wide overview of present day streams and chose six performances that in my opinion are perfect examples to illustrate my concept of Music Theater, and analyzed the various components of these works (such as music, visuals and text) in detail. Finally, I worked towards a new definition of Music Theater. Summary of Results: Music Theater is a heterogeneous but symbiotic performance genre, which is constructed with a multitude of art forms. The name might suggest that the main focus lies on music and theater. However, any existing art form can be included. The art forms can be divided into three major categories called components: music, theater and visuals. Each art form is equally important as Music Theater is based on the structural equality of voices. Music Theater is constructed by first distilling four innate languages out of the art forms and then applying them to either the same art form or inducing them into another art form: musical language, verbal language, body language and visual language. Each language element has a valuable existence of its own and is an autonomous element of the performance that adds a particular atmosphere to the whole picture. The languages are either layered in the performance or the aspects of the performance, such as the protagonists (human or material) or the art forms themselves. Music Theater is a performance genre that rather focuses on the impact that it has on the audience than on the compositional art forms. It is outcome-based and not medium-based. This creates space for each audience member to have a completely personal experience and interpretation of the Music Theater performance.

Name: Paulina Ptak Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Coaches: Maggie Urquhart, Job ter Haar Title of Research: The violin-type fingering and oblique left hand position in the history of cello technique Research Question: what were the possible reasons for the application of diatonic fingerings and violin-like left hand position in the history of the cello technique? Summary of Results: Before 1800, cellists did not have a consistent manner for fingering scales with the left hand. From the origins of the instrument till the beginning of the nineteenth century different systems were used. One of the styles seemed to be more identified with the violin than with the cello technique. It was represented by fingering and left hand position, different than used today. By looking at the history of development of the cello fingering I will try to answer questions about possible reasons of applying violin-like fingering on the cello. I will examine methods employed on early bass instruments, much debated system proposed by Corrette, and Lanzetti’s and Baumgartner’s approach which transitions the diatonic and chromatic systems. I will see how Romberg and others, even though fingering had evolved to the final level, applied oblique violin-like, left hand position until the beginnings of twentieth century. Finally I will look at the examples from cello repertoire which contain fingerings, and I will analyze them in terms of the system used and possible ways of execution. Biography: Paulina Ptak embarked upon her musical education in two of the most important Polish musical centres – the city of Cracow and Wroclaw. After completing her Master’s degree, she decided to specialise in baroque, classical and early romantic repertoire performed on authentic instruments. Her motivation to a historically informed approach was inspired by the unique timbre of period instruments. Currently she studies baroque cello for a Master’s degree with Jaap ter Linden. Paulina is interested in the history of cello technique from eighteenth until twentieth century.

This research was based in an investigation over the life and importance of the Brazilian composer "Garoto" (Anibal Augusto Sardinha), as well in my personal experience with his work. My readings over this topic involved all the literature existing about this composer (which was not vast), as well as books, articles, thesis and encyclopedias that contained information of the period he lived and the context in which he worked. Other important sources for my research were Garoto’s recordings, score and manuscripts as well as interviews made with musicians that played with him, important musicians that were influenced by him and researchers of his life and work. Garoto was one of the most versatiles musicians that Brazil ever had, possessing an outstanding technique in eight different string instruments. He recorded and composed in several diferent styles, and his compositions were one of the firsts to introduce influences from jazz and classical music into the popular music from Brazil. His extremely innovative style inspired a whole generation of composer and was a decisive influence to the “Bossa Nova”, musical movement that emerged in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1950’s, just a few years after Garoto’s death. Garoto’s repertoire is mostly played by guitar players in it’s original arrangements, as a consequence of a solo guitar Song-Book made by Paulo Bellinati that is sold trough all the world. In this research I present eight arrangements proposing a new approach of his pieces, to be performed on the piano with different instrumentations: solo, duo with bass, piano trio, piano trio with saxophone and piano trio with an ensemble of seven clarinets. Due to the 100th birthday of Garoto next year (2015) I also engaged some different projects to promote his music and his name: a CD recording, a documentary and a Festival with recognized musicians performing Garoto’s works.

Name: Michaela Kouřilová Main Subject: Traverso Research Coaches: Inês de Avena Braga and Donna Agrell Title of Research: Jiří Čart (Georg Czarth) and his Flute Sonata in D minor Research Questions: What is the current status of research on the life of Jiří Čart as an émigré musician? Is it possible to establish bibliographic control of this research, and outline the major deficits in existing literature? By examining Čart's writing for flute, and in particular his D minor Sonata, is it possible to define the characteristics of his compositional style? Is there a further link between his output and his position in various European ensembles, suggesting a development in line with other composers? Research Process: Musical emigration was quite characteristic in Czech musical life in the eighteenth century, but was not a completely new phenomenon. Throughout history Czech emigrants, such as Jan Václav Stamic, František Benda or Josef Mysliveček, came to well-deserved fame, but others await a return to modern appreciation. This is surely the case when we consider the life and work of Jiří Čart (1708-c.1778). Despite the contemporary success and reputation, Čart’s name has fallen into insignificance. No thematic catalogue has ever been attempted, leaving performers with no basis for modern performance, and thus audiences with limited opportunities to hear and discover his music. This thesis is potentially a model for further extrapolation of his output and a beginning of a more developed research path. However, the scope of this current document is limited, and therefore centres on Čart’s flute Sonata in D minor. Summary of Results: This work provides detailed information about the professional life of the violinist, flutist and composer Jiří Čart, which has yet to be considered in English. This information is embedded in the historical context, providing an overall picture of the social situation in the eighteenth century for émigré musicians from the Czech lands such as Čart. The so- called ‘Czech Musical Emigration’ is a very important ingredient of European music history, which partly influenced the direction and the onset of classicism as we now see it. Čart spent his adult life following his musical talents and opportunities as an émigré. In doing so, he occupied several important posts in major European orchestras and establishments. New details about his life and compositions are uncovered in this work, which is accompanied by a critical edition of his ‘Solo à Flauto Traverso è embalo’ in D minor. This edition was prepared using several variant texts from the eighteenth century, as the sonata exists only in contemporary manuscript copies, as well as a transcription for violin. Disseminated throughout European libraries, the work shows a mature compositional style, with the idiomatic knowledge necessary to craft a showpiece for the flute, allowing the performer to engage with, and enlighten the audience.

Name: Radka Kubínová Main Subject: Traverso Research Coach: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Italian elements in French music for traverso by J.M. Leclair and M.Blavet Research Question: How did the Italian style influence French music for the traverso between 1699-1750 ́? Research Process: My research question arises while studying music by Blavet and Leclair and their contemporaries. Their music includes many Italian elements and in my research I would like to reach a deeper understanding of the stylistic mixture. For that I need to uncover the social circumstances and back ground of the life of these two composers. I have studied French contemporary sources, mostly books written by the end of 17th century and beginning of 18th century describing musical life in France and its main musical personage. The big advantage of studying the contemporary sources in their original language is the possibility of getting the whole picture of the period. Summary of Results: The end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century in France was a “golden age” for traverso marked by an intense interaction between French and Italian style. This interaction is reflected in all aspects of music: composition, forms, instruments and interpretation. The Italian style introduced many new features which were hardly accepted by a conservative society represented by aristocracy and absolutist monarch Louis XIV. Another section of the society, modern and open to anything, new was represented by very controversial and powerful person of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans who was the most important musical patron in France at that time. The best conclusion of the interaction between the two styles is “Les goûts réunïs” by François Couperin. In the preface of the book Couperin explains that the best solution is to take the best elements from each nation and put them together.

Name: Pieter Koster Main Subject: Wind band Conducting Research Supervisor: Paul Scheepers Title of Research: George Lloyd – Music for brass, from symphony to test-piece Research Questions: 1. Did George Lloyd change his way of composing from Symphony no. 10 via Royal Parks to Diversions on a Bass Theme? a. In what way does George Lloyd treat the following compositional elements in each piece? i. Structure ii.Harmony iii.Thematic material iv. Musical Tension b. In what way does the treatment of these elements differ in each piece? 2. Did George Lloyd succeed in combining his own views with the demands of the test-piece commissions, to write an appropriate test-piece? Summary of Results: Cornish symphonic and opera composer George Lloyd has written several compositions for brass, starting with a symphony for brass ensemble (Symphony no. 10) and then several test-pieces for brass band. The commission of test-pieces for brass band contests appears to be guided only by implicit criteria for these sort of compositions. Lloyd’s first test-piece, Royal Parks, apparently did not meet the criteria and his second test-piece, Diversions on a Bass Theme, did. This thesis investigates if George Lloyd changed his way of composing to write an appropriate test-piece, by a detailed analysis of Symphony no. 10, Royal Parks and Diversions on a Bass Theme. Besides that the thesis will try to answer the question if Lloyd was able to combine his own musical views with the demands of the test-piece commissions. The main findings are that Lloyd remained within his own musical language when writing the test-pieces, however he made some decisive choices regarding structure, form and thematic material that influenced the compositions significantly. He did partially succeed in combining his own views with the demands of the test-piece commissions. Biography: Pieter Koster (1985) completed his Bachelor’s Degrees at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague as a student of Ad van Zon on the trumpet, and Alex Schillings for conducting. In September 2016 he successfully completed his Master-exam concert with the Bundes Polizeiochester München. Pieter has participated in multiple conducting courses with renowned (professional) orchestras and teachers. Today he is professional conductor of the fanfare orchestras ‘Ons Genoegen’ Hattem, ‘Wilhelmina’ Volendam and the Koninklijke Brassband Utrecht. He is also a brass teacher for numerous students. Since 2014 he is secretary and member of the board of the Dutch Association of Wind band Conductors (Bond van Orkestdirigenten en Instructeurs).

Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Coach: Johannes Boer Research Question: What basso continuo instrumentation possibilities exist in baroque cello sonatas, and specifically in the works of Jean-Baptiste Barrière? Basso continuo is an essential part of baroque music, but the instrumentation of it is often ignored or dismissed. All too often, modern performers play with harpsichord and cello without considering the other options. This research paper investigates what the most common instrumentations for the basso continuo were in France and Italy, as well as what exceptions were made. The goal of the paper is to have a better understanding as to what instrument combinations can be added to baroque cello sonatas, and specifically to those of Jean-Baptiste Barrière. This composer was chosen because of the inventiveness, virtuosity, and unique nature of his music. Since there is little evidence relating directly to the cello, the continuo groups in orchestral, chamber, and solo music are investigated. The sources used include treatises and instrument manuals from the time, indications in the scores, records of basso continuo groups in concerts, and the opinions of present scholars on the subject. This information is then applied to practice through a series of instrumentation experiments on sonatas of Barrière, with a second cello, double bass, archlute, guitar, and harpsichord. Recorded samples of this process are supplied and discussed. The presentation will include an overview and discussion of the sources and evidence found, and live musical demonstrations will be presented by myself and colleagues.

Name: Jannelieke Schmidt Main Subject: Classical Singing Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Combining Coco, Arranging for “Het Coco Collectief” Research Question:How do I arrange from a market, artistic, voice technique and stylistic point of view mostly single-voiced by piano accompanied music for “Het Coco Collectief” which consists of five sopranos and one pianist? Research Process: In order to develop my skills, theoretic knowledge and insight in the process of making arrangements I studied sources concerning music theory and chord writing, I made several arrangements, I interviewed arrangers and singers, I had my fellow Coco colleagues answer questions about their preferences concerning singing in the ensemble and I analysed my arrangements. Summary of Results: My paper contains all the information I gathered over a two year research period. It has become a little handbook of tips, tricks and rules. I gained skill and knowledge mainly through trial and error, rehearsals with the ensemble and analysing my interviews and questionnaires. I arranged three pieces by Rossini (La pastorelle delle Alpi, La Danza, La legend de Marguerite) one piece by William Bomcom (Amor) one piece by Johannes Röntgen (Op een Kwal) and one piece by Bizet (Adieux de l’hotesse Arabe). I used La Danza en La legend de Marguerite as material to compare arrangements before and after my research in order to detect differences in choice making and using gained knowledge and skill. I used Op een Kwal en Adieux de l’hotesse Arabe in order to explain how a piece changes through a rehearsal process and adapting the piece for either stage of radio. Through talking to the arrangers and working on my pieces together with my coco colleagues and my research coach I found what I was looking for: skill. From the beginning of this research I was looking for justification of my choices. I found that for me to feel secure of my work I needed those two years of thinking that rules is all I needed. That if I could explain an idea by saying it there because of a style or historical context, from a voice technical of personality choice, from Coco’s image or other peoples opinion my arrangement would be good enough. If I could find arguments and explanations for why I did what I did, I should not have to justify why I dare to rearrange already ‘perfect’ repertoire. I created the handbook, containing tips tricks and rules: music theory, all the knowledge shared with me during interviews, Coco’s preferences, all the rules are there. Everything in order to be able to let go of them if it pleases me. My choices are still based on knowledge but now I can consciously use or not use the rules. I have developed a greater trust in my own artistic ideas about the pieces I arranged. I have developed a greater understanding of what it is to write for this ensemble, for these people. And as said before I have created a little booklet of rules for anyone who wants to arrange for voices and piano. During my presentation Het Coco Collectief will sing both La Danza and Adieux de l’hotesse Arabe.

Name: Mariana Andrade Pimenta Main Subject: Early Music Singing Research Coach: Inês de Avena Braga Title of Research: The technical principles of Bel Canto in the 18th and 19th centuries: an experimental case study on dynamic range Research Question: How did the vocal exercises from Bel Canto singing influence my singing technique, especially in the dynamic range associated with pitch? Summary of Results: The format chosen by the author for this investigation was the Research Paper, as this study required an investment on knowledge about Bel Canto singing technique and the application of the latest into her singing practice, which resulted into a deep reflection and reached new conclusions. The focus of the practical sessions of the author was on her dynamic range. The purpose was to increase flexibility in her dynamic range in the different registers of the voice. The research went through the following process: (1) an audio recording of G. F. Händel aria: “Se Pietà di me non senti”, from the opera Giulio Cesare; (2) in this same phase of the research, she used the software Voice Profiler 5.1 to record her Voice Range Profile (VRP), the same piece and the vowel /a/, throughout the vocal registers, exploring the complete dynamic range of her voice; (3) after three months of practicing specific exercises designed to train the dynamic range, the same recordings were made and also a comparison with the first ones. The results indicated that the training had an impact: An increase of flexibility in realizing Messa di Voce was verified in the author’s middle vocal register. This impact did not happen in the highest vocal register, where technical differences were not detected by the VRP recording. The latest result is also applicable in the Händel aria. This method has proved to be beneficial in the middle section of the author’s vocal range. The appliance of this method is a work in process, which the author believes that it should bring more beneficial results; it offered the author a much bigger awareness of the breathing system, which resulted in a better quality Messa di Voce. The knowledge gained from the sources from the 18th and 19th centuries, guided the practical study in this investigation. In future studies, the author wishes to further research Italian vocal technique and use this important knowledge of historical information by transferring it to her singing practice. The outcome of the present study is an interesting interdisciplinary fusion between Old Italian vocal pedagogy of Bel canto singing and advanced vocal technology. Biography: Mariana Pimenta is a soprano born in Madeira Island, Portugal. She graduated in Classical singing in Aveiro, Portugal in 2011 and started her specialization in Early Music Singing at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in 2012. As a performer Mariana has been performing as a soloist and in ensemble singing, in some countries, as The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and Ecuador.

After listing the different ways of shifting and looking for direct applications in the repertoire, my goal was to enhance the accuracy of my shifts. Looking for different approaches in order to raise accuracy brought me to three different conceptions about practicing. The first approach refers to have a clear idea of the body movement required to achieve the different types of position change. However, according to recent studies, this approach using an internal focus (focus directed to the movement itself) tends to be less effective than using an external focus (focus directed to the effect of the movement on the environment). Therefore the second approach consists in anticipating the sound as an external focus as well as developing the geography of the instrument. Nevertheless, anticipating the sound and knowing where a sound is located on the instrument does not include a musical context. Consequently the last approach is related to the goal conception as well as the practice of the musical intention. My main conclusion is that musical intention should be the main concern of the artist in his practice, which will lead to a more authentic approach in his artistic development. Besides, I encourage musicians to use goal setting in their daily practice to develop awareness of their intention, which will help to have a better view of what method to use to reach the desired result. The last approach which is motivated by the musical intention should encourage teachers to use instructions based on an external focus in order to help the student finding his own voice in music.

Name: Thomas Heimstad Main Subject: Classical Guitar Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Adapting Telemann’s unaccompanied violin fantasias to the guitar - an investigation of transcriptional methods Research Question: “Which considerations does a guitarist have to make when playing and transcribing G. P. Telemann’s 12 Fantasias for unaccompanied violin?” Research Summary: Transcription is a very important part of the classical guitar tradition, as most of the original repertoire for the guitar has been transcribed from the manuscript. This is because the composers did not always have complete mastery of the guitar. The transcriptions of early music provided guitarists in the early 20th century, with a valuable addition to an otherwise sparse repertoire. This contributed to bring the guitar into the classical limelight, and its recognition as a serious instrument ensued. One genre of music which has been, and still is, popular to adapt to the guitar, is the unaccompanied solo pieces from the Baroque era. The implied polyphony of the solo violin music is often possible to realise on the guitar. This research investigates the different aspects of the transcriptional methods, specifically when working with music for unaccompanied violin. By using Carlo Marchione’s transcription of G. P. Telemann’s first Fantasia as an example, an analysis of and a comparison with the urtext sheds light on the different decisions, which are involved in the process of making a functional version for the guitar. The presentation will include visual and auditory explanations of the different possibilities, excerpts from an interview with Marchione, and examples from the score analysis presented through PowerPoint. Biography: Thomas was born in 1989 in Bergen, Norway and started playing the guitar at the age of 7. His guitar lessons started with Tino Andersen, continued with professor Stein-Erik Olsen at the Griegacademy of Bergen, followed by one year of Erasmus exchange with professor Marco Socías at Musikene in San Sebastián, Spain, and finally he enrolled in the master class of professor Zoran Dukic at the Royal Conservatoire in Den Haag, The Netherlands.

ABSTRACT Title of Research: The advent of the transverse flute in Italy and its use in mixed consorts during the sixteenth and ear-ly seventeenth centuries Research Question: Which were the possible combinations of instruments that included flute and which occasions saw performances of these mixed consorts? Summary of results: The performance of vocal polyphony on instruments during the sixteenth century appears to be guided by two main ideas. On the one hand, musicians tried to imitate the a cappella choir with homogeneous instrumental consorts, or whole consorts, where the instruments belonged to the same family. On the other hand, they tried to maintain the polyphonic texture clear, letting instruments with a very different timbre play in a mixed choir, or mixed consort. Based on a wide array of sources (letters, chronicles, iconography, inventories, instruction treatises, and surviving instruments) my Research Paper investigates the possibilities of combining the flute with other instruments and with voices in mixed consort settings. My main conclusion is that whole and mixed consorts did not follow a completely separate development, but the two choirs would often overlap and integrate in many different combinations, with much freedom and invention. This consideration should encourage modern performers of secular Italian music of the sixteenth century to keep their mind open to the possibility of transforming a cappella compositions into colorful ensembles mixing voices and different instruments. Biography: Giuditta Isoldi studied at the Conservatory of Florence, where she graduated in Flute with Paolo Zampini. In 2010 she moved to the Netherlands where she focused her studies on Historical in-formed Performance Practice of the flute and she obtained a Bachelor in Traverso with Barthold Kuijken at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Next to Traverso, she studies baroque Oboe with Frank de Bruine. She is currently attending a Master in Traverso at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague with Barthold Kuijken, Kate Clark and Wilbert Hazelzet.

Name: Steven Willem Zwanink Main Subject: Jazz Double Bass Research Coach: Patrick Schenkius Title of Research: How do you Swing a Quarter Note? An Analysis of the Great Walking Bassists of the 1950s and 60s. Research Question: In theory, a bass player's walking quarter notes should not swing, as they are not syncopated like eighth notes are for example; syncopation being a necessary condition of what it is to swing, in that it allows for the long-short lilt that people identify with swing music. In practice however, it is evident that certain bassists are able to create a swing feeling, through a highly complex, and often idiosyncratic approach to quarter note placement within the 'big beat,' as well as to sound production and articulation. By using sonic visualization software such as Audacity, my goal is to shed light on the unique and often highly mysterious properties behind swinging bass lines: are there strategies in common between swinging bassists, or does each performer swing in their own inimitable way; do swinging bass lines rely on a temporal tension between bassist and drummer; and to what extent are the timbral properties of an instrument and the attack with which a string is engaged relevant? Research Process: My research process involves four phases: Firstly, selecting contrasting examples of swinging bass players from the 1950s and 1960s; secondly, studying selected examples using Audacity, creating a visual data set that will then be used to examine what the similarities and differences are between each bassist's approach to swinging quarter notes; thirdly, examining whether the push and pull of swinging quarter notes results from either tension or synchronicity between a bassist and a drummer, as well as what effect the tonal shape of the quarter notes the bassist plays, as related to timbre and attack, have on swing feel; and fourthly, examining my own instincts with regards to the spectrum and parameters of the various swinging quarter notes of each bassist studied. Summary of Results: I have recently discovered in my own playing, that regardless of which drummer with whom I am playing, that my time feel needs to remain strong and unchangeable by what it is they are doing. This allows me to swing immediately and consistently on my own, or with whomever I am playing, provided the drummer is competent. All of this together answers my initial questions of: Do swinging bass lines rely on a temporal tension between bassist and drummer? No. Can the bassist swing his quarter notes all on his own? Yes. To what extent are the timbral properties of an instrument and the attack with which a string is engaged relevant? Extremely. In undertaking this study I have had the opportunity to think critically about a major parameter of jazz bass performance that is highly ephemeral and rarely quantified, though at the end of this project I now realize that that major parameter, while reliant on time, is actually sound and articulation.

Today there is little doubt that the oboe was one of Bach's most favoured instruments, and that it was an instrument with which he was extremely familiar. Yet, in spite of this, Bach composed numerous works which includes notes that are not playable on the model of oboe that we know were used during his lifetime. Why did Bach write notes that are generally regarded today as unplayable, or perhaps rather ‘unperformable’ due to the quality of both sound and intonation when produced on a contemporary copy of a historical instrument? This is a problem which has been somewhat confined to the footnotes of Bach scholarship but it nonetheless poses very important and relevant questions for the historical oboist, and in fact potentially for the Bach musician and scholar at large.

Name: Raissa Fahlman Main Subject: Classical Clarinet Research Coach: Anna Scott Title of Research: A More Sincere Brahms: An Exploration of Widening Expressive Possibilities in the Opus 120 Clarinet Sonatas. Research Question: What might documentary and sounding evidence of the performing styles of Johannes Brahms and his contemporaries reveal to modern performers about amplifying expression via increased tempo flexibility in Brahms’s Opus 120 Clarinet Sonatas. Given this evidence, what ideological and practical factors might inhibit modern performers from incorporating this evidence in their own interpretations today? Summary of Results: The exploration of documentary and sounding evidence relating to the performance style of Johannes Brahms and his contemporaries reveals much to modern performers about the difference in performance styles between the nineteenth century and our own. The documentary and sounding evidence examined in this research project demonstrates that Brahms and his contemporaries played within a much wider spectrum of expressive possibilities, revealing more accelerandi, ritardandi, and independence between voices, than our controlled modern interpretation of Brahms would allow. Ideological and practical factors however discourage modern performers from implementing this evidence into their own performances: pressures of fidelity, authenticity, text-centricity, and the diminished role of performers as compared to composers have all contributed to the constant scrutiny of performers' interpretative choices, and have increased the risks associated with performances viewed as expressively licentious.  Practical application of this research via documented performance experiments however shows that modern performers can, when aware of the above historical evidence as well as the ideological pressures they face, implement stylistic tools from the past into modern interpretations of Brahms's works. For my own performances of the Brahms Opus 120 Sonatas, this research project has informed my interpretation, resulting in recordings of increased fluidity of phrasing, a more expansive range of expressive freedom, and an overall stylistic shift towards greater artistic freedom and a natural interpretive flow that is less hindered by societal pressures. My recordings also demonstrate that this research is not only relevant within the Opus 120 Sonatas, but transferrable across all of Brahms’s music. The goal of this research is not only to expand expressivity in my own performances, but to offer this evidence to other performers who may struggle with the question of expressivity when performing Brahms as well.  Biography: Raissa Fahlman is a devoted clarinet soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. She has participated in several world premieres as a member of chamber ensembles, large ensembles and as a featured soloist. Recent musical commitments have included two Long Term Creative Music Residencies at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, where she was an Artist in Residence. Raissa is an alumni of the University of Calgary where she graduated with distinction with a Bachelor of Music degree, and was awarded for excellence in her musical study by twice receiving the XL 103.1 Newcap Award in Music, as well as numerous scholarships for academic excellence. She is currently a masters student at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague. 

Name: Pieter van Loenen Main Subject: Violin Research supervisor: Stefan Petrovic Title of Research: Performing modern music Research Question: How should you go about performing modern music? Summary of results: In this paper, I have approached the fundamental question of how to go about performing modern music from different perspectives. Looking at the writings of Stravinsky and Schoenberg teaches us that there are different ideas about the role a performer should have. Stravinsky would ideally have a performer execute music and not ‘interpret’ it, while Schoenberg expects more expressive input from the performer. However, we have also seen that Stravinsky’s allergy against ‘interpretation’ probably stems from bad experiences with performers interpreting his music the wrong way. Present-day performers agree that his music – or any music, for that matter: the same principles apply to music of all ages – does need to be interpreted by the performer, but in the correct style. Interpretation of a score is not an exact science. However, that does not mean it cannot go wrong. The prime directive of interpretation is that it should not go against the literal text of the score. Since notation is almost never complete, other methods of interpretation can be used to fill in the gaps. When textual interpretation does not provide enough information, the performer can resort to contextual interpretation: the context of the piece (e.g. sung text, or a structural analysis) or the context of the composer’s work in general, i.e. his style, or language. Other methods that can be used in connection with these basic types of interpretation include speaking with the composer or listening to recordings of the composer or with the composer’s approval. This last method can be problematic, since more information is always required on the value a particular recording should have: is this exactly what the composer intended or is it just acceptable to the composer within the boundaries they set? All performers I spoke with agreed that the final step a performer should take is to make the music their own. This may seem in contradiction with the principle that a performer should always aim to reproduce the composer’s wishes; a principle that we perhaps inherited from Stravinsky. However, it makes sense when you think about it. When performing a piece, you automatically interpret the score using whatever methods are appropriate when you decide for yourself what the composer must have had in mind when he wrote it down. When you have uncovered this interpretation, and have learned the language of the composer, you must then speak this language to convey the composer’s story (as you interpret it) to the audience. That last line of communication is something entirely in the hands of the performer and that automatically “implicates the performer’s personality”, as Reinbert de Leeuw puts it. This is not problematic or contradictory, as long as the performer, when speaking the language, always remains faithful to the will of the composer. Biography: Pieter van Loenen is a Dutch violinist who graduated his bachelor’s cum laude at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague as a student of Vera Beths. He won 1st prize at the Prinses Christina Competition in 2010 and was awarded 2nd prize and the Audience prize at the Dutch National Violin Competition in 2016. He has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras throughout the Netherlands, including the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Domestica Rotterdam and the Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands. He has a special affinity with performing contemporary music.

Abstract Name: Elisa van Kesteren Research supervisor: Stefan Petrovic Title of the Research: The Russian way of playing the accordion: a case study related to the Chambersuite of Vladislav Solotarjow Research question: Does the Russian way of playing the bayan exist and if so, how can I achive this in my own artistic practice? Summary of the results: Russian music is very particular. Through the centuries of this huge country’s history, art has always been of great importance, no matter what the political situation was. The world still honors their cultural heritage, their literature, dance and music. Russian music has always touched and inspired me so it was obvious to specialize during my master in this subject. Becoming myself a performing musician I wanted to investigate what this Russian music is about. What are the characteristics and how do Russian performers play? I wanted to get as close as possible to the ‘Russian way of playing’. Focusing on Vladislav Solotarjow’s ‘Chambersuite’ or ‘Sentimental pieces to Alexander Blok’, made me develop my Russian way of playing. I have done this through listening, analyzing and comparing recordings, from Mika Vayrynen a Scandinavian bayanist and one of Russia’s most important bayanists Friedrich Lips and making my own recordings. This research has proved to me that the Russians play very expressive, with a lot of passion and freedom. Both their music and their instrument are very colorful. I have achieved many of these characteristics in my own playing, even adding my own personal style to it in the end. Only the colorfulness of sound was still missing sometimes. Wondering about my technique and musical decisions, I took the chance to compare the two instruments with each other. My accordion built in Western Europe (Castelfidardo, Italy) versus the Russian-built Bayan (Moscow). It was really helpful to investigate the history of the instrument, the history of Russia and their music in order to get as close as possible to the Russian way of playing. Furthermore, reading about Solotarjow’s life, analysing his composition and listening to different recordings, greatly improved my understanding of this music. These things have helped me to develop my artistic practice. The part of the research that directly involved my artistic practice has been of great value for me. It has enriched my expressive pallet by including more freedom in my playing in many different aspects. I have concluded that it is possible to achieve the Russian way of playing. I have also found that besides having background information about the history of the country, knowledge about the composer and the composition, it is important to have or to imagine the Russian soul. Next to this, it is also important to be open to a different way of playing. A way of playing that might be unfamiliar to a performer. Biography: My name is Elisa van Kesteren and was born in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. I started playing the accordion at the age of eight. After graduating for the Bachelor Degree here at the Royal Conservatory in 2014, I continued studying with An Raskin and will graduate for the Master degree this year. I am a member of the very recently founded accordion ensemble “The Blackboxes”, have a great interest for Russian but also contemporary music and teach at the moment in various music schools.

Name: Mario García Cortizo Main Subject: Classical and Contemporary Percussion Research Coaches: Anna Scott and Richard Barrett Title of Research: Proposing Live Electronics as an Alternative to Larger Performance Set-Ups Research Question: How can the inclusion of live electronics reduce required equipment while increasing performer efficiency? Research Process: After deciding on the topic of my research, I began reading and collecting all kinds of information related to the historical relationship between the arts and artists during major social and financial crises of the 20th Century. This included books, websites, journal and magazine articles, and museum exhibitions. In a practical sense, during the first year of the research process I was mainly focused on trying out different things by experimenting with live electronics both in improvised and concert music. For my second year, I have commissioned a new piece involving percussion and live electronics to be performed by composition student Siamak Anvari. I will also be the second person ever to play Hugo Morales’ piece 150pF, “for body capacitance and amplification system.” This piece involves a new instrument that I built myself, consisting of four jack connectors that are split into a four-channel system. As a complement for the program, I am doing a reduction of Frederic Rzewski’s Coming Together for one single player and an actress. Summary of Results: Throughout this text we have seen different proposals that have come out of limitations faced by artists during crisis periods: where creativity is forced to develop in very significant ways in order to keep creating pieces, performances - art that riches everybody, regardless of culture, politics, age, or other aspects. These limitations have provided artists with a lot of new instruments, technologies and techniques: tools that have helped composers and performers to develop new languages and frameworks within which to organize many different materials. Is very important to point out that the use of non-conventional instruments and live electronics can be considered when there are limitations, but we do not have to use these resources just because of the presence of a limitation, but rather as a part of an on-going research process that leads us to these resources as part of a particular creative solution. After going through all the practical examples experimented with and contained in this research, we can conclude that live electronics and non-conventional instruments are indeed an alternative to larger performance set-ups, not only when the economic situation is unfavorable, but even as a matter of taste.

My experience teaching mandatory violin lessons during school time could have been more positive. Misbehavior, no engagement, no routine of practicing, and a deficient level of playing were some of the factors causing frustration in my teaching practice. Luckily, this frustration became an urge to change this situation and search for approaches to motivate the students in the context of mandatory music lessons. Action research and case study approaches were used for an intervention of three weeks in three different classrooms, with kids from 8-9 years old, from grade 5 at the Dutch Primary School system. Lesson plans were designed based on the principles of the Self-Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan (1985), with activities and strategies addressing the three innate psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Logbooks were also used as a way of stimulating the self-regulation of the students. The intervention showed that encouraging the students' autonomy was the best way to motivate them, and that can be done through simple activities that can be easily implemented in the lessons. Increasing their autonomy in several activities also added to their feeling of competence and relatedness. Using the logbook to track their practice was also a powerful tool to help them practice and boost their motivation.