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

• From classicism to romanticism: the art of clarinet in chamber music (2022) author(s): Davide Simionato Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  At the beginning of the master, Davide asked himself a question: How can the Mozart clarinet quintet and the Brahms clarinet quintet be compared in an intelligible and coherent manner regarding clarinet performance practice? And it is precisely from here that Davide's research started. Through some books (including The Clarinet in the Classical Period and Notes for Clarinettist - A Guide to the Repertoire by Albert R. Rice, and "Brahms Clarinet Quintet" by Colin Lawson) and interviews with teachers, he was able to compare the differences between the Mozart quintet and the Brahms quintet. By studying these sources and going deeper into these topics, Davide has come to understand the differences in the quality of the sound, the kind of articulation, the quality of legato that a clarinettist must have to play these two quintets. One of the biggest differences between these two periods was the type of instrument: the classical instrument had few keys (it was more difficult technically) and had a simple open sound. Instead, after a century the romantic instrument was innovative because it was equipped with many more keys (therefore it exalted the virtuosity of the clarinettist) and many sound colours could be obtained. As well as covering these areas, the paper also discusses some general distinctions between the Classical and Romantic periods.
  open exposition comments (0)
• Innovative Practice - Improvisation and Composition as a tool for learning repertoire and exploring the guitar (2022) author(s): Antonio Persak Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Many classical guitarists today are unlikely to be exposed to improvisation. In my practice I have observed that we tend to be focused on mastering notated music. This is quite contrary to many other musical cultures such as those of blues, jazz and folk music. As a classically trained guitarist I got involved in improvisation and composition and this consequently changed my practice routine and performances. This led to the research question: how can classical guitarists use improvisation and composition to enhance the performance of notated music and explore the instrument in terms of rhythm, tone production, timbre and chamber music skills? In this exposition I present the exercises I accumulated, transcribed and worked through in the past few years that were born out of improvisation and composition practice and that can play a vital role in developing musical qualities like focus, flow and technique that can improve the performance of notated music. Some of these exercises are original compositions; others have been modified based on exercises by authors like Mick Goodrick, Susan Williams and Dusan Bogdanovic. The research makes use of guitar methods, compositional books and guitar etudes, for instance Mauro Giuliani’s, 24 Etudes Dusan Bogdanovic’s Polyrhytmic and Polymetric studies and Mick Goodric’s Advancing Guitarist, as well as interviews with respected composers/improvisers and educators in the field. One of the main outcomes of the research is a set of open score guitar etudes created in collaboration with composers. In this exposition I will present the exercises I accumulated in the past few years that were born out of improvisation and composition practice that I believe can enhance certain skills and performance of notated music. Some of exercises are original exercises, some are modified by me and some them are my own creation. The research is backed by many of high quality guitar methods, compositional books and guitar etudes, followed by interviews with respected composers/improvisers and educators interested in this field. Big emphasis in the research is also an open score guitar etudes created in collaboration with composers.
  open exposition comments (0)
• A modern analysis of Historical Informed Performance: considerations about the method, its past and its future (2022) author(s): Pedro Antonio Pérez Méndez Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  The results of this research will be presented to the public in the form of an exposition in which the whole analysis process will be explained and both an answer to the research question and a reflection about past and future of the Historically Informed Performance influence in the musical stage will be stated. Through this exposition we will be addressing relevant questions about the concept of Historically Informed Performance and its application as a work method that I encounter on my research, such as the use of reconstructed or modern instruments, the existence or absence of limitations of time and style frames for which the Historically Informed Performance is a useful tool or the common misconceptions about this idea by some group of musicians, aiming to establish a basis for the correct application of the Historically Informed Performance idea as a useful work method by any kind of musician and leading to a final reflection about the future development of the Historically Informed Performance ideal.
  open exposition comments (0)
• The Dancing Clarinetist (2022) author(s): Ângelo Santos Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Movement is intrinsically linked to music. As a clarinetist, how to move the body in a beneficial (good/natural) way while playing has always been an issue for me. It's very common for a clarinetist constantly move while trying to express the music, but sometimes these movements cause difficulties and hinder the performance. As such, in this research I will look for the most efficient position and the best natural way to move while playing. The research is divided in four parts. First, I did a literature review to understand how other authors approach this subject. This part is divided into two sections: the first is about movement in relation to music; the second about movement related specifically with clarinet playing. For the second chapter I interviewed Annelien van Wauwe, Carlos Ferreira and Sérgio Neves to hear different opinions on the topic. These first two parts of my research allowed me to collect information that, together with my personal experience, enabled me to find the best conclusions about the topic, identifying the common problems related with body movement while playing and pointing out solutions for those problems. The reflections, solutions and exercises exposed in this research are very important in making my way of playing stable, comfortable and an integral part of the music. Furthermore, I hope these ideas can also be useful for other musicians, particularly clarinetists.
  open exposition comments (1)
• Enhancing Practice Efficiency for Musicians (2022) author(s): Ryan Lam Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  My research is about looking for methods and tools we may apply into our practices in both physical and mental aspects to enhance our practice efficiency for musicians of all kinds of instruments.
  open exposition comments (0)
• From flamenco to classical guitar: using flamenco characteristics in Spanish classical guitar repertoire (2022) author(s): Álvaro García Peón Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  This research is about the performance of classical repertoire for guitar that is inspired by Spanish traditional music. In my experience I found that when playing repertoire inspired by Spanish traditional music, classical guitar players often lack certain character and expressive qualities that I find present in the playing of flamenco guitarists. The research process consisted of choosing a piece played by both kinds of guitarists, flamenco and classical, and comparing in detail the different performance approaches and characteristics. The piece I chose is Joaquín Rodrigo´s El concierto de Aranjuez. In my research I analysed how different guitarists play it and why flamenco players perform the piece in a different way than classical guitar players. I also gave my opinion on how I would play it and why. To complement this I made video demonstrations where I show the rhythmic patterns present in Spanish traditional music and their relation with the concerto. Throughout this work I have always tried to choose good performances and I justify all my preferences. This research is important for me because I add a different perspective to the performance of El concierto de Aranjuez and therefore to all the Spanish traditional music. I hope other colleagues could find this research useful and extrapolable to other music works.
  open exposition comments (1)