Research Catalogue

an international database for artistic research

• 3. Internal publication Research published in this issue are only for internal circulation within the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague.
• 2. Royal Conservatoire Investigations Royal Conservatoire Investigations
• 1. Master Research Projects All research in KC

• Intentional Listening (2018) author(s): Rachel Mills published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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• Madness in music (2018) author(s): May Kristin Hegvold published in: KC Research Portal
  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”.
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• Violin Baroque Pieces on Soprano Saxophone (2018) author(s): Benjamin Falces Vaquero published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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• Hearing Double: how to use the double bass in the VI Concerti Armonici by Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer. (2018) author(s): Eva Euwe published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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• Deliver the meaning - Performance expression in a physical shape (2018) author(s): Martje van damme published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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• From publisher to public (2018) author(s): Tim Brackman published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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