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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  Master research (2015) author(s): Daan van Koppen Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Daan van Koppen Main Subject: Classical Saxophone Research Coach: Karts de Jong Titel of Research: The Dutch Saxophone and Repertoire Research Question: Is there a typical Dutch sound and what are the influences of the composers. Why do all modern saxophone players only play transcriptions? What happened with the Dutch saxophone repertoire. Summary of Results: In the beginning of my Master studies, I reached a moment that I did not know any more what kind of pieces I could study. When I was busy with searching for new pieces to play, I came out with some great Dutch pieces and I am started to wonder why a lot of these pieces are almost never played again. It’s such I pity that nowadays many new conservatory students are only busy with the French repertoire and do not realise that there are also a lot of great Dutch compositions. At the moment, most of the classical saxophone players only play transcriptions, from clarinet and oboe sonatas and string quartets arrangements. But why are we doing this? Why are we pretending like if we are on other instrument? In my research I will tell a bit about the background and how it all started and try to find out what the situation was now and then with Dutch saxophone playing and repertoire. I did an interview with the first Dutch saxophone legend Ed Bogaard and the legend from now Arno Bornamp. I give some examples of Dutch pieces from important composes like the concerto from Tristan Keuris and Hout from Louis Andriessen. And I made a Dutch repertoire catalogue to promote the Dutch music and hopefully stimulate saxophone players and make them aware how many great Dutch pieces are written. Biography: Daan van Koppen was born in 1990 in Poeldijk, Netherlands. He is studying classical Saxophone at the Royal Conservatorie in The Hague with David Kweksilber and Frank Timpe. Also he followed lessons with Leo van Oostrom. He followed masterclasses with Kyle Horch, Martin Erikson, Jörgen Pettersson and Sascha Armbuster. For three months he followed the Erasmus course at the Royal College of Music in Londen studying with Kyle Horch. Daan is a member of “The Hague Saxophone quartet” and is the main baritone saxophone player of the Trompetterkorps der Koninklijke Marechaussee. As a saxophone teacher, Daan teaches at various music schools in the South of Holland. In the summer of 2011 he went with a project saxophone quartet to Macau (China) where they gave concerts, workshops and lessons.
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• Preparing an opera role (2015) author(s): Wendeline van Houten Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Wendeline van Houten C010200 Main Subject: Classical Singing Research coach: Gerda van Zelm Title of Research: The interpretation of the role of Fiordiligi from Così fan tutte (KV 588) Research question: How can I best prepare myself for an opera role? Summary of results: To prepare an operatic role is a process that starts with finding available related source material about the opera, the composer, the librettist and the character. Due to the musical practice of the time this opera has been written, it brings one further to gather information about the singer for whom this role was written. It answers questions about how this music has to be performed and be interpreted. Gradually then, the character of the operatic role becomes clearer the interpreter is able to draw the character’s universe according to the method of David Ostwald in Acting for Singers (2005). This helps clarify the opera’s theme, the character’s objectives, subtext, conflicts and enables the performer to apply different facets of the same personality in the various scenes and develop relationships with theatrical props. Now one can work with the complete information in one’s practice. Going through this process gives one profundity in the interpretation. It makes a singer much more attached to the role, the story the era and the formation of the opera. Therewith it clarifies the theme of the opera and subsume it in the era when it was created. It can be useful to deal witch vocal challenges since it gives a singer direction why it was written like it is and what it should sound like.
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• Verwey, Erik - Research Paper - Forgotten Fingers (2015) author(s): Erik Verwey Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  RESEARCH ABSTRACT Name: Erik Verwey Main Subject: Piano, jazz Research Coach: Bert Mooiman Title of Research: ‘Forgotten Fingers, analytic research on fingerings in jazz piano music without frustration of improvisation concepts’ Research Question: In what way can fingerings be useful for playing jazz without frustration of improvisation concepts? Summary of Results: It is irrefutable not to think about fingerings when playing piano. Fingers have to touch the keys to produce sound. Simply said when playing piano, a pianist is applying a fingering. It can be very useful to think more conscious about fingerings in jazz piano music. Anatomically and biomechanically seen, some research has been done on finger strength and positions. Nevertheless, the results are not spectacular. No therapist could be found with a very clear vision on anatomic reasons for certain fingerings. Only some schools that favour more flexing fingers are opposed to the ‘flat finger school’. Indeed, forceful playing requires more flexion. Fast playing might be easier with flatter extended fingers. There is not a very ‘common ground’ among jazz pianists that thinking about fingerings is very important or not. Even though some older style pianists like Art Tatum had made up some theories and techniques on fingerings. All the contemporary pianists that were interviewed for this research had different thoughts on feeling and strength. Most importantly, these elements have the greatest effect on the sound the pianist wants to create. However a fertile ground for learning to play more economically (no unnecessary movements of the hand/fingers) and secure jazz piano can be made by thinking clearly about fingerings. Practising exercises like descending pentatonic runs, lines, thirds, double grips and so forth have proven to be useful to ban unnecessary movements of the hand. To aim for strong fingers on strong notes on strong moments in the bar can be effective to create an economic way of playing. This basis is very practical as material to proceed on. Proceed in a way that improvisation concepts would not be frustrated. In the end every pianist has to create his own favourite fingering for his desired feel and, most importantly, preferred sound. The research results in a collection of pianistic exercises in order to play and think more consciously of fingerings in jazz improvisation music. The presentation will include a look at different fingering theories and a demonstration of exercises. Biography: Erik Verwey (Arnhem, 1987) is a jazz pianist and has (a.o) studied with Bert van den Brink, Peter Beets and Juraj Stanik. He finished his bachelor of music with honours at the Conservatory of Utrecht. In 2015 he will finish his master study at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. Erik is mainly active as jazz pianist, however a big focus lies o playing in theatre. He composes songs for prize winning Dutch singer/ comedian Louise Korthals with whom he is touring around Holland for three years now.
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• DE STUDIEMETHODIEK VAN PROFESSIONELE NEDERLANDSE ORGANISTEN (2015) author(s): Dirk Jan Versluis Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Dirk Jan Versluis Main Subject: Organ Research Coach: – Title of Research: De studiemethodiek van professionele Nederlandse organisten Research Question: How do professional Dutch organists study their repertoire? Summary of Results: In this paper was investigated how professional Dutch organists study their repertoire. Professional organists were interviewed about their opinions on five topics: the attention for musical methodology, the best way to approach a new score, the importance of instruments, the role of teaching, liturgical practice and concert practice and finally, memorization. The interviewed organists do value the subject of study methodology, and consider the attention for the subject nowadays as insufficient and too much dependant of the teacher's interest. In approaching a new score several aspects can be recognized. Repetition is important, and so is analysis and understanding. The relationship between those two differs, depending on the repertoire. The choice for an appropriate study instrument is important: touch and sound have a significant influence on the quality of musical study. Pipe organs in church or home are the best options to choose. The repertoire for concerts can be played in liturgical settings too. Both worlds seem to influence each other mutually. Teaching influences the teacher as well: by reflecting on musical and technical issues it forces the teacher to be fully aware of his own decisions and interpretations. Concert preparation largely depends upon the programme, the instrument and the time available. The matter of memorization receives little attention: most of the interviewed organists never performed from memory. They do not think it is of additional value to performer or audience. The fact that organists in the Netherlands typically do not perform from memory can be explained by the large amount of mechanical organs: the performer is not visible, and stop assistants are always needed. Biography: My name is Dirk Jan Versluis (1987). I studied Organ at the Royal Conservatoire (B.M.) and Health Psychology at Dutch Open University (M.Sc.). After some years of working fulltime in healthcare settings and addiction treatment I am very happy to study at the Royal Conservatoire again, this time pursuing my Master's degree.
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• The violin-type fingering and oblique left hand position in the history of cello technique (2015) author(s): Paulina Ptak published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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  "Art of drumming within jazz piano trio" (2015) author(s): Pauls Pokratnieks published in: KC Research Portal
  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.
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