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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  "Cultivating Ownership through Creativity: Three Curriculum-Integrated Activities for Beginner Clarinetists" (2025) author(s): Chelli Sara published in: KC Research Portal
  Cultivating a sense of ownership in beginner music students is important for fostering engagement and self-confidence in their educational journey. This study explores how integrating creative activities into a beginner clarinet curriculum promotes ownership among students aged 9–11. Focusing on three specific activities tested in multiple case studies, the research investigates students' relation with their musical development. Findings reveal that using creative activities as part of a personalized, student-centered teaching approach enhances students' motivation and engagement, ultimately fostering a stronger sense of ownership in their learning experiences. The study also offers practical insights for music educators seeking to creatively teach instrumental skills while creating a meaningful musical experience for young clarinetists.
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  Developing the ability of playing by ear to become an integral musician. Strategies for the piano teacher. (2025) author(s): Joana Maria Riera Grimalt published in: KC Research Portal
  This project aims to explore the ability of playing by ear in order to design a creative and stimulating teaching approach for the development of the skill in piano lessons. The goal is to devise effective strategies for piano instructors, offering guidance on how to effectively advance the abilities of their students. Consistent with Woody’s ideas, playing by ear has been described by educators as a relevant developmental prerequisite to becoming a truly fluent music reader. Nevertheless, making sounds by ear is often just the initial and playful approach to music, and its significance diminishes considerably in education as the skill level increases. In fact, one must not forget the crucial role of the skill, that is the direct connection between music and player (without any interference like the score).
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  Wedding in Ojców - Examination of clarinet sonorities within the first nationalistic ballet suite of Poland (2025) author(s): Wladyslaw Lech Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  In 1823, Wedding in Ojców, a ballet composed through the efforts of several prominent Warsaw-based composers, premiered to great acclaim and achieved extraordinary popularity, with over 700 performances in 19th-century Warsaw alone. Despite this success, the work has largely disappeared from the classical music canon, raising questions about its historical neglect and performance potential today. This research focuses on a suite from Wedding in Ojców as a representative example of early 19th-century nationalistic music and explores the practical and artistic considerations a clarinetist should take into account when preparing a historically informed performance of this work. To address this, the study involves an examination of surviving 19th-century scores, ethnographic documentation of the Ojców region—the setting of the ballet—and comparative analysis of modern folk performance practices, drawn from commercial and live recordings by Polish folk ensembles. By juxtaposing historical and contemporary sources, the research provides interpretive insights that inform performance practice and instrument selection. The findings support the development of a historically aware yet creatively adaptive performance approach, contributing to both the revival of neglected repertoire and the fusion of folk and early music traditions in ensemble settings.
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  You've got to dig it to dig it, you dig? (2025) author(s): Jakub Gatěk Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Main subject: Jazz trumpet Name of research supervisor: Loes Rusch Title of research: You gotta dig it to dig it, you dig? Research question: How to apply Monk’s improvisational style on trumpet playing? What are the improvisation concepts behind his playing? As a trumpet player, there are several challenges when it comes to adapting a piano player’s improvisational language. This research explores selected works from Thelonious Monk in order to increase the improvisational strategies in trumpet improvisation by acknowledging and tackling some of the challenges. Through transcription and analysis, it identifies seven strategies that can be used as an improvisational tool: 1. How to work with an interesting phrase, 2. Using voicings as material, 3. Target notes, 4. Rhythmic diversification, 5. Anchor points, 6. How to translate Monk’s second intervals, 7. Usage of free space. These strategies are used to develop exercises by using compositional, motivic, and rhythmic techniques to emphasize creativity when approaching Monk’s language as a trumpet player on any level, from beginner to advanced. This research is addressed to all trumpet players that are interested in creative approach to improvisational language, as well as those who would like to find inspiration in how to translate a different instrument’s language to their own instrument group. Jakub Gatěk comes from a town called Přerov in Czechia. He started to play a trumpet at the ago of 11, becoming a member of a local brass band for eight years shortly after. Jakub got his associate degree in Prague where he studied at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory under the leadership of some of the best Prague based musicians. Afterwards, he moved to study a BA jazz program at JAMU in Brno where he also got the great opportunity to go for Erasmus at KC, to which he later applied for MA jazz trumpet.
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• Unveiling the Cellos's Acoustic Palette: Exploring Extended Tecniques in Contemprary Music (2025) author(s): Beste Yildiz Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  This research looks into the rich soundscape of the cello, focusing on extended techniques in contemporary music. My journey began in Turkey with classical and early music traditions, but a transformative shift occurred upon my arrival in the Netherlands for further studies. Here, I engaged in collaborative projects with composers and musicians, discovering a range of auditory possibilities previously unimagined. These experiences underscored the limitations of conventional techniques in meeting modern compositions' complex sonic demands, fueling my desire to broaden my technical skills. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate education, I compiled a diverse collection of twenty-first-century works, including not only solo cello pieces but also piano trios, string orchestras, and dynamic chamber ensembles. Mastering extended techniques requires moving beyond traditional instructional methods, integrating avant-garde techniques such as sul ponticello, multiphonics, and unconventional percussive effects. These explorations enrich the cello’s expressive palette and challenge performers to adapt to contemporary music's evolving landscape. As cellists incorporate these advanced techniques, they refine their technical abilities and reveal a range of tonal colors that are often elusive. By examining the use of these techniques and their importance in both composition and performance, this inquiry seeks to highlight their essential role in advancing the modern cello repertoire and enriching musical dialogue today.
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• Tradition Meets Innovation: Balkan Folk Music in Classical Guitar Chamber Composition (2025) author(s): Vasiliki Kydoniati Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  As a Greek guitarist, I have always found inspiration in exploring Balkan music. However, the representation of this music is almost entirely by traditional folk music and very rare by classical or contemporary music. This research explores the roots and elements of traditional Balkan music and its influence on guitar with the aim of composing a new contemporary piece for guitar trio based on a traditional Greek song "To Margoudi kai o Alexandris.". In order to recognize Balkan music on guitar, first we have to define what exactly Balkan music is. The first chapter is about a deep examination of Balkan folk music, including its geographical boundaries, rhythmic and melodic patterns, characteristic instruments, and the role of improvisation. These elements are key to understanding the region's unique musical identity. Continually we identify Balkan elements in classical music and guitar, allowing us to see Balkan music as an inspiration for classical composition. Finally, with this knowledge, the study further delves into the creation of new guitar music, with a collaboration with the composer Giorgos Andrikogianopoulos to adapt the Greek folk song To Margoudi ki o Alexandris into a guitar trio piece. A new composition blending contemporary and modern elements emerged from an analysis of the song’s structure and style. By examining all of these elements, the study shows us the complex relationship between tradition and innovation and provides fresh insights into the use of folk music in modern guitar composition and performance.
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