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

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  Emancipation of the Clarinet (1720-1760) (2018) author(s): Adrianna van Leeuwen-Steghaus published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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• Diving by heart into the music (2017) author(s): Joosep Ahun Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Joosep Ahun Main Subject: Viola Research Supervisor: Liesbeth Ackermans Title of Research: Diving by heart into the music Research Question: How can different analyses make me more aware and make playing by heart easier? Summary of Results: The central focus of this research has been how finding different ways to dive into the music makes playing by heart easier. To achieve that, different analyses are created, which every musician can use to increase awareness of the music on a deeper level. The analyses will create different layers of knowing the piece and by that it will ease the studying process of learning music by heart. After a short introduction of the source of the problem of playing by heart, the research considers how memory is created and looks into the possibility of the use of mind palace technique in combination with music making. Based on experiences with other repertoire, different ways of analysing are created. A case-study with George Enescu’s ‘Konzertstück’ is provided and there is outcome on how working in this way positively connects with playing by heart. Guidelines are offered, where colleagues can find several questions they can ask themselves while studying music and suggestions are given on how to work in this way. Hopefully the outcome of the research will show a method to overcome memory difficulties by diving into the heart of the music. Biography: Joosep Ahun, born 1989 in Tallinn, Estonia, started his music studies at the age of 7 in Tallinn Music High School. In 2014 he optained his Bachelor degree in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and from 2015 he started his Masters studies under Mikhail Zemtsov in Royal Conservatory in The Hague. High interest in orchestra playing has lead him to play in top youth orchestras in Europe, which are European Union Youth Orchestra and Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. He has also played in Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Currently he is in the academy of The Hague Philharmonie.
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  Pointing out the obvious (2017) author(s): Brandt Attema Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  My main question is: ‘In which ways can I guide a student to improve as a trombone player following the framework of Jan Kagarice?’ My conclusions involve both explanations and exercises, because my research aims on being a practical reference guide for trombone and brass players. The exercises can be used for practice, but could also be examples of how to apply the conclusion in daily practice. In my paper I describe my research process and conclusions. In my presentation I will place an emphasis on the practical use of my findings as a player by presenting the results not only in words but also in live examples by myself. The main outcome of my research is that we need to pay respect to and take in account the individual needs of every student. I have found many tools to guide students to improve their playing and for every student I try to choose the required exercises or words. In relation to my research question, the way to guide the students is to focus on more efficiency and more natural playing. I can guide a student to improve as a trombone player by observing the student to find out it’s individual needs. This observation guides me to choose personalized exercises to help the student play more efficient and natural. By sharing my findings in this paper I hope to create a reference guide for other brass players and teachers. My research consists of four methods: 1. Self-reflection 2. Reflection on my teaching 3. Researching literature 4. Talks and interview
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• From Aural Teaching to Musical Literacy in the Elementary Horn Class (2017) author(s): Klaske de Haan published in: KC Research Portal
  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”.
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• Evolution of the trombone in Portugal in the last 20 years (2017) author(s): Ricardo Manuel Pinheiro Almeida Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Ricardo Manuel Pinheiro Almeida Main Subject: Classical Bass Trombone Research Supervisor: Pete Saunders Title of Research: Evolution of the trombone in Portugal in the last 20 years Research Question: How did this happen? Positive and negative points Summary of Results: This paper looks at the situation concerning Portuguese trombone players who have left their home country to study or work abroad and is written by a member of that growing community. It looks at the circumstances in Portugal over the last 20 years that have led to this exodus, and studies through interviews and a questionnaire what the consequences, both good and bad, have been for those who have taken this step. In this research certain aspects will be approached such as the importance of the bands in the development of the musician, the incentives created so that there were a growing number of students of music or analysis made to the number of music schools created in this space of time. Biography: Ricardo Almeida was born on May 21, 1990. He began his musical studies at the age of 15 in the Band of his city Seia Band. At the age of 16 he joined the music conservatory of Seia. In 2010 he started his career at ESART (Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas) - Castelo Branco, where he graduated in 2013 and joined the Master's Degree in Education that same year. In the year of 2015 he entered the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in the Master in Performance. He was a member of JOP - Young Portuguese Orchestra in the year 2014. In 2016 he was part of the IFFR - International Film Festival Rotterdam project. He also collaborated with Orquestra XXI in the year 2016 and with the ESART Orchestra as a student of this institution.
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• The Mental Effect of the (Temporary) Tonic: a study of tones in jazz tunes through John Curwen's Tonic Sol-fa (2017) author(s): Patricia Wisse published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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