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

• Repetetive Structures in Western Contemporary Music (2016) author(s): Jan Foote Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  In this essay, I will explore repetitive music, the compositional techniques thereof and their aesthetic goals and consequences. In order to do so, I will examine methods of composing using repetitive compositional techniques and will then explore the reasons behind why these techniques were used.
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• Performing contemporary compositions for viola (2016) author(s): Thora Sveinsdóttir Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Thora Margrét Sveinsdóttir Main Subject: Classical Viola Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Performing Contemporary Compositions for Viola Research Question: What is needed in addition to the traditional study methods for viola to meet the technical demands of the modern viola repertoire? Summary of Results: Twentieth century music idioms such as free tonality, complex rhythm and requests of different timbres are hardly ever a part of a violists musical training. By gathering information from dissertations on this subject and examining the standard repertoire, as well as more contemporary compositions, I came to the conclusion that the following subjects needed more attention in the pedagogic preparation for violists: Post tonal scales, advanced rhythm, harmonics, microtones, dissonant double stops, secondary bow techniques and extended techniques. The general perception I encountered before starting this research was that there is no pedagogic material existing that features these techniques. This was my starting point. However, my research has led me to discover over a dozen works especially written for the purpose of introducing contemporary techniques to students. Contemporary studies that prepare students for playing twentieth and twenty-first century music do exist but are not yet included in the standard pedagogic literature every student has to master to obtain a degree in music. A strong emphasis is on transcribed violin etudes that are better suited for the repertoire of the nineteenth century, which does not form a big part of the traditional repertoire for viola. Biography: Thora Margrét Sveinsdóttir was born in 1987 and grew up in Reykjavík, Iceland. Before being admitted to the Master Program at Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag, she earned a degree in Viola Performance from Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen (B.M. ‘12) with a performer and teacher profile. Her teacher during that time was Ervin Schiffer. A dedicated advocate of music by living composers, Thora has performed on contemporary music festivals in Iceland giving concerts dedicated to solo viola works in 2013 and 2014. She has performed with Iceland’s leading contemporary ensemble Caput and is currently a member of Skark String Ensemble.
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• The rise of the tuba in the first orchestral repertoire (2016) author(s): Stefan Knuijt Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Stefan Knuijt Main subject: Tuba Research supervisor: Pete Saunders Title of Research: The rise of the tuba in the first orchestral repertoire Research question: How did the tuba and its use develop in the first orchestral repertoire. Summary of Results: The tuba was invented in 1835 by Moritz and Wieprecht. There are 2 main reasons for the invention in this time period: the start of the romantic period (composers were looking for new ‘ways’ and also new instruments) and the industrial revolution (without the right machines it is impossible to build a tuba). So around this time the technical possibilities and the “composers’ psychology” were exactly right to invent the tuba. The most important ancestors of the tuba are the serpent and the ophicleide. The serpent was a wooden instrument with holes and the ophicleide a brass instrument with keys. They both don’t have valves so the invention of the valves was an important development. One of the first pieces that are written for tuba is Wagner’s Ein Faust Overture. To see the change from ophicleide to tuba it is interesting to analyze also some pieces with opicleide parts, like Wagner’s Rienzi, Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique and Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. The register in ophicleide parts is generally higher than in tuba parts (and even lower in contrabass tuba parts, like Wagner’s Rheingold). Also the doublings and the role of ophicleide can be different than the role of the tuba. The ophicleide is more a bass instruments for woodwinds while the tuba is more connected to the brass. Biography: Stefan Knuijt, born on 15 September 1992 in Nieuw -en Sint Joosland, started playing the baritone when he was 8 years old. He studied this instrument at the “Zeeuwse Muziekschool” in Middelburg, with René Passenier. When he was 9 years old, he started to play the piano. Until 2009 he studied piano and composition with Leen de Broekert, also at the “Zeeuwse Muziekschool”. After this Stefan continues his piano courses with Rien Balkenende. He studied composition from 2009 to 2011 at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, with Calliope Tsoupaki and from 2010 to 2016 tuba with Hendrik Jan Renes at this Conservatoire.
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• research on ornamentation for baroque trumpet (2016) author(s): Rudolf Weges Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Rudolf Weges Main Subject: Baroque Trumpet Research Supervisor: Kate Clark Title of Research: How to play ornaments in the late 18th century on baroque trumpet Research Question: What are the possibilities and non-possibilities for ornaments on the baroque trumpet according to Leopold Mozart’s book “A treatise on the fundamental principles of violin playing”? Summary of Results: The baroque trumpet has many technical restrictions compared with the violin. Not all notes can be played on the baroque trumpet, this is because the baroque trumpet has only the notes of its own overtone series, so not all the chromatic/diatonic notes can be played. Therefore one can also not play in all the keys and notes in diatonic sequence can only be produced in the highest “clarino” register. It is also questionable whether a (brass) wind instrument with its fixed mouth piece and limits on articulation because of this can hope to imitate the many delicate possibilities for articulation and sound achievable on the violin with its strings and many bowing techniques. The baroque trumpet also had a complete different function. It was first a ceremonial instrument and war instrument. It is likely that in these functions they weren’t suspected to add ornamentation to their music. As trumpeters’ skills improved, they started to play in the higher “clarino” register. So later the trumpet became an instrument of Art. How to play ornaments in Leopold Mozart’s concerto for clarino? And how to interpret the ornaments written in his treatise for the violin on the natural/baroque trumpet? was one of my main questions. Besides Leopold Mozarts treatise I also did research on Tartini’s “treatise on ornaments in music” and “On playing the flute” by Quantz. I do now better understand how to interpret the written ornaments and how to play them. Some ornaments you don’t see, as far as I know, in the trumpet literature. Are they impossible to play? Not all, but also not easy, mostly it could be possible in the clarino register. But it also depends on how the composers wrote for the trumpet. Biography: Rudolf Weges is an all-round professional trumpeter. He studied classical trumpet at the Conservatoire in Groningen, where he also studied conducting. Rudolf continued his studies at the Utrechts Conservatoire, where he studied jazz trumpet. He studied baroque trumpet with Susan Williams at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague but he had also private lessons with Friedemann Immer, and has given performances as both soloist and orchestral player with the Kölner Barockorchester, the Hamburger Barockorchester, Concerto Barocco, Cappella Maria Barbera and Gelders Bach Collegium. Rudolf’s playing career to date has let him to perform in a wide variety of styles as a soloist and in numerous orchestras. As such, he has toured throughout the whole of Europe as well as performing in Canada, Tasmania and New Zealand. His playing experience has encompassed baroque and symphony orchestras, bigbands, wind orchestras, musicals, pop, funk and jazz.
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• Art song in Eastern Europe (2016) author(s): Veronique van der Meijden Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Veronique van der Meijden Main Subject: Classical Voice Research supervisor: Gerda van Zelm Title of Research: Art Song in Eastern Europe - An inquiry into forgotten vocal repertoire Research Question: What is the repertoire in specified countries between 1820 and now? Summary of Results Eastern Europe holds a treasure chest of art song. Unfortunately much of this repertoire has been hidden from us for a very long time. This research gives a taste of what music is available to us. The countries discussed are Poland, Greece, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Bosnia. Each country is represented by the most important songs and cycles. Every song contains a description of musical aspects and socio-historic context. This research was conducted by collecting scores from various sources, studying and in some cases performing them. This is supported by a research into the socio-historic context in which these songs were composed. This has resulted into a preliminary reference work for singers interested to perform this repertoire in recitals themselves. Biography: Veronique van der Meijden (1992), mezzo alto, is an exciting young artist at home in various fields of classical singing. With a deep passion in unknown repertoire she is a voice for forgotten music from Eastern Europe. Current projects include participating in the opera Koeien (by Misha Mengelberg and Guus Janssen), a duo with guitarist Jelena Ratković, and performances of Arabic art song with percussionist Sattar al-Saadi. Veronique holds a great affinity for contemporary music, regularly performing works by young composers such as Cristiano Melli, Leonie Roessler, and Peter Kerkelov. She is currently finishing her master studies with Frans Fiselier and Gemma Visser.
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  A practical exploration of the historical fingerings of Baroque Recorders in England, France and Germany (2016) author(s): Koske Nozaki Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  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.
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