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

• How to understand stage fright? (2022) author(s): Matylda Adamus published in: KC Research Portal
  Exposition 2022 What is stage fright, how to understand it and successfully perform with it?
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  ECOGNOSIS: Ecological Awareness in Multimedia Composition (2022) author(s): Richard Hughes published in: KC Research Portal
  This paper is concerned with ecological awareness in multimedia composition often with the use of data as a compositional tool. It covers the philosophy of ecological awareness I wish to represent in my work and the aesthetic principles used to portray it. The philosophy is largely based on Timothy Morton’s Dark Ecology with influence from other writers and artists. The reader will be guided through my methodologies of multimedia composition (acoustic, electronic and visual), in four different works. The motivation behind this research has come from wanting to engage with environmentalism not just through writing and individual actions but through art and how understanding the importance of perception of the environment can change our behaviour to it.
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• OPTIMAL Practising: An Autonomous Journey of Exploring Enhanced Expectancies and External Focus (2022) author(s): Xavier Tan published in: KC Research Portal
  While exploring ways to improve practice methods and reduce stage anxiety, the researcher came across the OPTIMAL (Optimising Performance through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning) theory of motor learning while reading William’s 2019 research on “Finding Focus”. The theory was proposed by Wulf and Lewthwaite (2016) to utilise motivation and attentional focus in improving performance. Through a thorough theoretical review of the theory, other relevant studies, and attending workshops and courses, the researcher discovered better approaches and methods to practising for himself, enhancing his quality of practice and promoting personal growth. By developing and applying an informed method to a group of 13 musicians from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, this research also investigated the impact of the OPTIMAL theory on the practice of other musicians through a three-week intervention. The goal-coupling action from enhanced expectancies, autonomy, and external focus was found to bring about greater practice quality. The data obtained from the intervention and a retention test also revealed enhanced levels of organisation, objectiveness, mindfulness, and confidence during practice. However, some found themselves more anxious in the process. The intervention highlighted a need for more resources, as well as safe spaces to discuss practice and performance in Conservatoires. This research hopes that the findings bring about more awareness, acts as a source of information, and encourage more open discussions on the way musicians practice and perform, as more attention could be given to this in the way we shape music education.
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  Out of the "Engine Rooms" (2022) author(s): Michelle Pritchard published in: KC Research Portal
  The late Nineteenth Century saw the emergence of the viola from the ‘engine room’ of the orchestra to a solo instrument in its own right, due to champions such as English violist Lionel Tertis. The viola’s rising status paved the way for collaborations between violists and composers, resulting in an expansion of a relatively limited repertoire and placing higher demands on the performer. Through theoretical and practical based research, I identify the roles and responsibilities of the classical violist when collaborating with living composers. At the centre of my practical investigations were collaborations with four composers in the realisation of new works and exploration of pre-existing works by three composers, as part of a cross-departmental/cross-cultural collaboration. These collaborations highlight the importance of a high level of musicianship and an ability to communicate with and without the instrument. Artistic and intellectual exchange through open communication results in mutually beneficial outcomes and a deeper connection with the music. Additionally, these collaborations reveal that the viola is still emerging as a solo instrument, needing further experimentation and exploration. The final aspect of my research is the curation of a lecture-recital series showcasing these new compositions, anchored with works from the standard and lesser-known repertoire. The future aim is to perform and record these new works in order to reach a wider audience. Successful collaborations contribute to the generation, promotion, and contribution to the classical viola repertoire and the status of the instrument itself now and into the future. Bio Michelle Pritchard is an Australian violist, violinist and pedagogue, studying her Master in Classical Music (Viola) with Ásdís Valdímarsdottír at The Royal Conservatoire, The Hague. In Australia, Michelle studied with Alex Todicescu, Sydney Conservatorium. Later with Jeremy Williams, obtaining an Associate of Music Diploma with Distinction, and a Graduate Diploma of Professional Music Performance Practice through the University of Tasmania. Specialising in chamber music, Michelle established a concert series in Sydney. She has toured Europe as recitalist and as a member of the Hourglass Ensemble.  Additionally, she founded ‘Eisteddfod on the Mountain’ in the regional area north of Sydney
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• "Avec Picasso, ce matin..." (2022) author(s): Inês Lopes, Heloisa Amaral published in: KC Research Portal
  The current music scene is manifold in its means of expression. As music becomes more diverse and embraces other art forms it makes room for a new type of performers to flourish. My academic path, comprising jazz theory lessons and an uncomplete bachelor’s in composition beyond my classical piano studies, gave me the opportunity to develop a set of artistic skills that go beyond the standard performer curriculum. I saw in this artistic research the perfect chance to apply this knowledge. In my work I explore three distinct approaches to a specific piece of music: Constança Capdeville’s Avec Picasso, ce matin… (1984), starting from a more traditional analysis and progressively diverging from this path towards a subversive approach inspired by the concept of anamorphosis. Capdeville’s score is essentially an open work with a set of guiding instructions. However, the lack of documentation, clear instructions and reliable sources concerning the piece made the notated score more ambiguous than expected. This possible setback in its reconstruction turned out to be the perfect context to put my expertise to the test. While dabbling with Capedeville’s score I resorted to experimental processes, to my experience with composition, my transcription and editing skills, archive work and the use of different media in contemporary performance practice. I approached the score as a “script” rather than a “text” (Cook, Nicholas). In this research the score is no longer an end in itself, but rather an excuse towards the development of a musical project larger than it.
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  The appearance of the sound (2022) author(s): Giangiacomo Sala published in: KC Research Portal
  Luthiers throughout the centuries have always tried to adapt and improve the characteristics of the instrument to the needs of the musicians of their time. I myself, as a bassoonist, am also a luthier of my own reeds and in their construction I try to help my musical needs as much as possible. It was in trying to improve the characteristics of my reeds that I felt the need to know better how they work. I wanted to understand how my manipulations on the reeds went to influence their functioning and consequently the sound generated. So, I decided to observe a reed while it vibrates and understand its movement. I want to repeat the experiment on different reeds to note any similarities and differences.
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