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

• A holistic approach to flute vibrato (2022) author(s): Guido Petter Scur Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  This research aims to explore one of the most controversial topics in flute playing: vibrato. For centuries, this subject has been the source of frequent disagreements, with unforgiving diatribes at one side and fervent supporters at the other. The nature of these disputes isn’t always clear and one often gets tangled up in their semantic chaos. As an example, Paul Taffanel (1844-1908) stated in his Méthode that ‘vibrato is an artifice used by inferior musicians’. It is difficult to understand what exactly he meant by that remark when the recordings of his pupils clearly show a predilection for that sort of tone quality. An integrated approach to tone production and body awareness is employed to investigate this matter. Chapter I provides a historical and stylistic frame of reference; Chapter II is dedicated to breathing; Chapter III introduces a technical device for tone production that relies on the propositions put forth in the previous chapters. The ultimate goal of this research is to suggest ways of mastering the subjective qualities of flute playing through objective technical control.
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• Orchestral brass stereotypes and roles within music (2022) author(s): Abigail Rowland Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Stereotypes exist in every facet of life, and the orchestra world is no exception. While previous research has shown distinctive perceptions of musicians in the brass section versus other sections of the orchestra, my own investigation discovers the unique differences in stereotypes between each brass instrument aside from some general overlap of traits. Origins of these stereotypes are explained by several factors: the historical function of each brass instrument, the development of their roles in orchestral music throughout history, interactions between the brass section in both a musical and social context, instrument selection, and gender inequality. Interviews were conducted with four professional brass musicians with a diversity of backgrounds and experience in order to get a better sense of their personal perceptions of the aforementioned factors, and how their personalities may or may not connect with the stereotypes.
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• USING KANDINSKY PAINTINGS AS GRAPHIC SCORES (2022) author(s): Diederik Smulders Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Master Research - Diederik Smulders
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• Why can't I sleep?: A psychoanalysis of the manifestation of unattainable control through the art of composition. (2022) author(s): Franki Dodwell Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  After nearly two decades of sleep problems, one question haunts me. Why can’t I sleep? Like many composers, sleep and its mysteries have become an obsession that for myself personally, has inspired an exploration between the conscious and unconscious in relation to the works of The Surrealists, Sigmund Freud and John Zorn. Using autobiographical experiences of insomnia; close analysis of scholarly texts and musical scores I will explore the various ways in which musical expression is informed by the concept of sleep. Through this exploration I will establish how the lack of control I experience due to my inability to sleep can aid my own compositional process. I will investigate how these specific artists use psychodynamic theories to take control away from their audiences and identify what drives their desire to musically capture, embody and control what is at its core, the uncontrollable.
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• Rediscover the Structure of Goldberg Variations (2022) author(s): Shengqi Chen  Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Goldberg Variations represents Bach’s most extraordinary single achievement in the art of variation-writing. The uniqueness of this piece can be described in various ways. However, its essential beauty for me comes from two factors which in a way stand at two points of extremes. Its simplicity of its sincere music language and its labyrinthine structure. The piece is like a gigantic and mazy architecture which is built with Bach’s purest spiritual trueness and longing. My primary research questions are led by the second factor which is the structure. What are the structural elements in this music? How can we discover them in different scales and dimensions? How do interpretation and structure interact? As a performer, how can we react and cope with this huge structure in the performance practice of Goldberg variations? In this research, I aim to put structure at the center of my study. By isolating these structural elements and combining with performance practice, my final outcome will be a creative insight of the structure and an informed interpretation of Goldberg Variations which can bring the structure strategies’ superiority into full play.
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• Musical caves. Le chant d'Isturitz, towards an ecology of music creation (2022) author(s): Jean-Baptiste des Boscs Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  In the caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya were founded some pieces of art (paintings, engravings mainly), objects including bone flutes, signs (red dots) on the walls left by our ancestors during the upper Paleolithic. More than an eldorado for archeologists, the Great Hall of the caves of Isturitz has very good properties of resonance (six seconds of reverberation, seven echoes, and high quality of the overtones’ reverberation). Musical improvisations were experienced in this hall with a cello and a barytone voice, and astonishing results were obtained. After the time of the experimentations, came the writing process and a piece for cellist was created and named Le chant d’Isturitz. The overall idea behind this research is the will to create and perform music by taking into account the specificities and subtleties of a resonant and natural place.
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