Research Catalogue

an international database for artistic research

• Arranging and performing Flamenco music for marimba (2020) author(s): Emilio Saura published in: Codarts
  When I started my bachelor, I always have had the motivation to play a flamenco piece. I thought it would be important for me and my career, to be able of playing pieces from different styles. Also because I was not really motivated with the contemporary repertoire which I was playing in my bachelor years. I have been connected with the Spanish music, given that is my own music and I have listened flamenco music since I was young, because of my culture and the location of my hometown. But I´d never listen a marimbist playing flamenco. It was in 2014 in a flamenco festival close to my hometown (el cante de las minas, La Union) when I saw for the first time a marimba player playing a piece (an accompaniment for a singer) of flamenco. Instead of guitar, there was a marimba doing the accompaniment for the singer. Sound that marimba produced when the percussionist played those chords in the Phrygian mode called my attention suddenly. For this reason, I started to investigate deeper on the flamenco, trying to play some pieces from famous composers like Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, Moraito, Paco Peña, etc. until the moment that I thought that I had to do something else because it was not enough for me. Consequently, I took one of my favourite pieces and also one of the famous pieces of Paco de Lucia: Fuente y Caudal. For all of this, I formulated my first following research question: ``How can I arrange these pieces of flamenco keeping the idea of the music but with the sound of the marimba?´´ This question was huge and without a concrete message, because I wanted to arrange pieces but I didn´t know yet how many and more important, in which shape. When I really thought about how many pieces I wanted to arrange I decided to write the new research question, which was the following: How can I create my own version and arrangement of the pieces Fuente y Caudal by Paco de Lucia and La chanca by Tomatito in the marimba? But this question still needed more information so; I decided to write another one and which the current version of the research questions is: ``How can I create and perform my own arrangement of the pieces Fuente y Caudal by Paco de Lucia and La chanca by Tomatito keeping the main features of flamenco music? With this research question, I can show also the goal which I want to arrive. How I said before, I was not really motivated with the repertoire that I was playing. I had to play always contemporary pieces which I even really liked. Then, in my master, I wanted to explore different possibilities on the marimba, and the best way to do it was playing a different repertoire. My main goal is can be able to make arrangements of flamenco pieces and create my own repertoire based in this music. Even, I would like to show that marimba is not just an instrument for contemporary or classical music. Marimba is still a new instrument which we have to discover new sounds and new possibilities.
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• A new face of the cello (2020) author(s): Belén Ruiz Vega published in: Codarts
  As a cellist, I always enjoyed the classical repertoire but since I started to play this instrument I have tried to reproduce my favourite songs in the cello. Once I developed my cello skills, I started to write transcriptions of the songs played by my favourite bands such as Metallica or Scorpions. Years later, I had the opportunity to spend time researching this topic. So I decided to base my master research on arranging and performing heavy metal songs for cello ensemble. In order to develop my research, I contacted experts related to this topic either for being in contact with heavy metal and rock or for being a cellist outside of the classical world. I listened to hundreds of songs and versions of those songs to take ideas and inspire myself for the arrangements and performances. Finally, I did experiments in order to get different sounds or techniques from other instruments such as slap from the bass or death growls from the singers. As a result of my research, I did three arrangements from different styles within the heavy metal, heavy metal itself, thrash metal and melodic death metal. Throughout this research, I developed my arrangement and performing skills, starting from a basic arrangement from cellos and drums to three cellos; and ending with an arrangement from a standard heavy metal band with new techniques included, to four cellos. During this journey, I could improve step by step my skills and show all the progress in the last part of my research combining all the knowledge acquired through the process. As this topic was unexplored, my research could be a base for musicians interested in arranging and performing heavy metal. With it, I wanted to bring closer the cello to all the people. Nowadays, classical music is losing audience and this new point of view can be a tool to have an impact on a new public. Since the last century, the cello has been included in a lot of popular songs, from The Beatles to Pink Floyd. Bands increased the use of the cello to the moment that ensembles of cellos, such as Apocalyptica or Break of Reality, decided to do something new and bring this instrument to different styles of music and showing the versatility of the cello.
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• Rite and identity of the cantaor flamenco in my own musical language (2020) author(s): ADRIÁN CRESPO BARBA published in: Codarts
  While flamenco harmony and rhythm has been widely used for creating new compositions, the use of flamenco voice in contemporary music is almost non-existent. The aim of this research was to uncodify the idiosyncrasy of the cantaor flamenco ​in order to apply it in a different musical context, starting from a solo instrumental piece and taking it to larger instrumental settings. To make this possible, the voice of the cantaor ​has been disaggregated into its melodic behaviour, its rhythm or its timbre. The process consisted of transcribing examples of flamenco vocal recordings; analyzing many hours of videos, interviews and iconography to understand the cantaor​’s rite; the participation of experts in the field like Mauricio Sotelo, Arcángel or Niño de Elche among others; and working side-by-side with the performers. The result came with three new compositions: ‘Cántico II​: A la memoria de Antonio Mairena​’, for trombone quartet, video media and soundtracks; ‘Cántico III​’, a piece for voice, delay system and large ensemble; and ‘Cántico IV: Saeta por seguiriya after Velazquez’s ‘Cristo crucificado’​’, a piece for electronic music, 3D animation and performative acting. In addition, this is probably the first study that treats in a deeper way the behaviour of the voice in the performance of cantes ​like fandangos ​or cañas​, so it can open new perspectives on the field of flamencology.
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• A Singer’s Guide to Dance - A journey from classical vocalist to interdisciplinary performer (2020) author(s): Karin Timmerman-Deddens published in: Codarts
  This research project focuses on the relationship between choreographed dance and the voice, and seeks to discover how dance can co-exist alongside a classical vocal performance as an additional channel or avenue of personal and musical expression. This research was motivated by my desire as a classical vocalist to become more connected with my body, and to better understand and train my voice as a living, breathing instrument. Additionally, this research was motivated by the possibility for dance to provide me with a wider range of expressive possibilities. In this research project I therefore explore how I, as a classical vocalist, could experiment with contemporary dance in a vocal-dance performance of Ravel’s Shéhérazade​, which served as the final artistic result of this research. In this report, I first provide an overview of my musical and dance preparation. Second, I provide an analysis of the effects of dance on my musical expression and vocal technique. Third, I examine the use of improvised dance elements versus structured choreography. Lastly, I examine and discuss how I was able to bring all of these elements together and further develop my skills as an interdisciplinary performer. In my discussion and analysis, I draw on a variety of sources of data, including experimentation, interview data, personal coaching, and literature research This report also provides a complete overview of the research ‘intervention cycles’, which explain in detail the research process and development of my final artistic result. As the contemporary performance environment increasingly demands innovative and multifaceted performers, this research can help to inspire and encourage other classical vocalists to consider the incorporation of dance as a valuable way to develop their vocal technique and musical understanding. Furthermore, for classical vocalists already interested in incorporating dance into their vocal performance, this research can provide a number of valuable practical tools and insights, and help them to become more interdisciplinary performers.
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• Turkish Makam Influences in Jazz Improvisation (2020) author(s): Meriç Çalışan published in: Codarts
  Improvisation, the art of creating at the moment, is the main reason that I started singing jazz. It allows me to express my musical thoughts, while being the biggest struggle in my musicality. I was suggested by many of my mentors and colleagues that my ideas were nice but needed to be connected. These artistic needs introduced me to taksims, improvisations based on melodic development. In this research, I demonstrate how elements such as phrasing and melodic development can be integrated into vocal improvisation of jazz and arranged folk songs by analysing selected pieces in hicaz and huseyni makams. In this context, the recordings from Refik Fersan, Salim Bey, Andon Efendi, Cemil Bey and Tanrıkorur analysed and the stylistic elements implied into my daily practice with exercises. These exercises made my improvisations more solid and consistent by prioritizing melodic development. My findings, i.e. exercises and technical explanation, will help musicians, particularly vocalists who would like to apply the makam practice into their improvisation skills. By application of this process their musicianship will profit from the linear melodic approach, odd meters and the technique.
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• Combining Greek folk with modal jazz improvisation (2020) author(s): Alkistis Lampropoulou published in: Codarts
  My personal striving for more freedom regarding melodic and rhythmic aspects in improvisation and less emphasis on functional harmony, led me to the exploration of modal jazz. At the first cycle of my research, I studied two legendary trumpet players Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard in order to learn different techniques of developing a modal jazz solo. Through this journey, I discovered a strong connection to my Greek roots. Greek music is modal and thus the idea of combining the two worlds seemed obvious. For the second cycle of my research, I studied the French-Lebanese trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf. Maalouf combines his Arabic roots with modal jazz and therefore he was a great source of inspiration to me. By arranging Greek folk songs with jazz elements and adding modal jazz improvisation to my Greek folkloric sound, I found an interesting way to combine my roots with jazz music. During my research I received valuable feedback from my research coach Dr. Dick de Graaf, my main subject teachers Bart de Win, Francien van Tuinen, Harjo Pasveer as well as from important experts Jarmo Hoogendijk, Tineke Postma, Mark van Roon, Stefan Lievestro and Eren Aksahin.
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