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

• Berio violin duets - an introduction (2019) author(s): Joseph Puglia published in: KC Research Portal
  The 34 Duetti of Luciano Berio were inspired by the 44 Duos of Bartók. Just as Bartók intended to introduce young musicians to his style, so did Berio attempt the same. Berio's focus however, was on finding a more modern set of techniques and colors that the violin could create, and he used these pieces for children to illustrate his own ideas of theater and dramaturgy in music. Because his ideas of theater consist of putting two completely different ideas together to make a third reality, the 1st and 2nd violin parts in his duets often sound as if they are in totally different worlds – with different dynamics, tone colors, and sometimes even tempi. This results in a novel approach to chamber music in which each partner is equal, but also very independent of the other. A beginning student can therefore contribute just as much musical value to a piece (indeed, sometimes much more) than a seasoned professional. Since Berio doesn't specify the level or age that the student needs to be in order to play these pieces, this allows for a lot of freedom in the choice of performers. The same piece can sound totally different if performed by two professionals, two young students, or one young student and one professional. Additionally, each duet is dedicated to a friend, musician, or person that Berio admired, and can be likened to a musical portrait. Berio said that the pieces were inspired by the “fragile thread of daily occasions” and therefore the pieces are not true portraits, but sometimes illustrations of an event which happened, a shared history between Berio and the dedicatee, or as in the case of Stravinsky, Bartók, or Boulez, an homage to a piece composed by that composer. Finally, the Duetti serve not only to introduce young musicians to Berio's style, but the full performance of the 34 duets is also a great introduction of 20th century musical concepts to audiences. Since each duet is very short, there is much variety in a performance of the works, and since each duet focuses on one or two 20th century techniques while still staying in a very familiar tonal world, audiences can be challenged while still maintaining a handhold on familiar territory.
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• Performers acoustics (2019) author(s): Rogier Tamminga Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Rogier Tamminga Main Subject: Classical Cello Research Supervisor: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Performer's Acoustics Research Question: How can you manage, as a performer, to get optimal room or hall acoustics in a given situation? Summary of Results: Acoustics have been an integral part of music ever since its first existance. Every musical piece sounds optimal in a specific acoustical environment. However, attention for acoustics has been only little. For different performances, different acoustics are required and in every place, different acoustics are apparent. In this study, acoustical theory is investigated. The basics of acoustics are explained and the acoustics of well known places for musical performances are studied and revealed. With this knowledge, a model has been created to analyse and judge the acoustics, and guidelines were set up to adjust these to the performer's needs and wishes. This model is used in the adjustment of the acoustics of studio 3, where small changes are made and compared. Biography: Rogier Tamminga moved in 2012 from Groningen to Den Haag to start his Bachelor at the Royal Conservatoire with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss. He has since done many projects and played in a variety of ensembles, among others as principal cellist in the Nationaal Jeugdorkest, at North Sea Jazz Festival, and in the European Improvisation Intensive. In 2014 Rogier started a second Bachelor with Architecture and the Built Environment at the Technical University in Delft. In some courses he integrated both worlds, in which acoustics form an interesting subject. He is currently doing an internship with Margriet Lautenbach at Peutz B.V.
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• To C or not to C: The Modern Use and Disuse of the C Clarinet (2019) author(s): Arno Rockler Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: Arno Rockler Main Subject: Classical Clarinet Research Supervisor: Susan Williams Title of Research: To C or not to C: The Modern Use and Disuse of the C Clarinet Research Question: How should clarinetists approach playing C clarinet parts effectively in modern orchestral performance? Summary of Results: Throughout the 19th century, composers' use of the C clarinet generally declined. However, its importance grew as the reasons for its inclusion moved from technical considerations towards musical ones. In modern orchestral settings, performers must carefully weigh its importance, advantages and disadvantages to come to an informed musical decision as to its inclusion or exclusion Biography: Arno Rockler is a Dutch-American clarinetist born in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. He studied clarinet performance at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under Michael Sussman, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance in 2015. Afterwards, he began study with Pierre Woudenberg at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. He has performed in varied orchestral and chamber settings throughout Europe, including concerts in Oslo, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, and Amsterdam.
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• Portugese Polyphony XVI Century (2019) author(s): André Cruz Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Name: André Cruz Main Main Subject: Early Music Singing Research Supervisor: Kate Clark Title of Research: Portuguese polyphony XVI century Research Question: What was the position of Portugal in XVI century European musical production? Summary of Results: Portugal was maybe not as important as Italy and the Low Countries on a matter of produced works, but nonetheless, Portugal did develop quite a great quantity of quality works, and was fundamental in the spreading of the polyphony and sacred music on a global scale, into three different continents, outside of Europe. 
 Biography: André Cruz (1988), tenor and choir conductor, born in Lisbon, started at a young age with piano but quickly dove into choir music. At the age of seventeen, André started with conducting and a year later began his singing studies at the conservatory in Lisbon. In 2012 he started his choir conducting bachelor education at the Conservatory of Utrecht under the guidance of Rob Vermeulen and gave his final bachelor exam in 2016. At the moment he is doing his master education in early music singing with Rita Dams, Dorothea Mields, Peter Kooij, Robin Blaze and Pascal Bertin at Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. At the end of 2016, André took part in a joint project between Royal Conservatoire and The Juilliard School of Music, resulting in a series of concerts both in the United States of America And the Netherlands under the baton of Ton Koopman. André has been/is a member of several choirs such as Lisboa Cantat Symphonic and Chamber choir, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation choir, Bachkoor Holland and 'The Sixteen' and performed, both as a chorister and as a soloist, with several other conductors such as Michel Corboz, Philippe Herreweghe, Harry Christopher and Gustavo Dudamel. In addition to his studies, André conducts the classical mixed choir Amsterdamse Händelvereniging, the choir of Church of Our Saviour, and the pop female choir 'The Lipsticks'.
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• Speaking directly in an indirect way (2019) author(s): Paul Deneer published in: KC Research Portal
  This essay focuses on the connection between personal and artistic growth. The starting point for the essay is my position as a student counsellor at the University of Arts The Hague dealing with students that have personal issues that affect their artistic development. First I take a bigger view by focussing on personal growth in general, from a dialogical perspective. I also make a connection to mental health. With the concepts derived from this wider perspective, I investigate how they could play a role in art. I present material I gathered, about artists who struggle on a personal level with a possible effect on their artistic work. Also in regard to art, I make a connection to mental health. I look back on the reports from my conversations with students, and analyse the data of an interview I did with 14 students. To illustrate my argument, throughout the essay I present cases of students that contacted me during the past years.
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• Comparing the differences and similarities of structure and performance in the Sonatas for Two Pianos and Percussionist by Hungarian composer Bela Bartok and Bulgarian composer Stefan Ikonomov. (2019) author(s): Ivan Pavlov Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
  Research Proposal Name: Ivan Pavlov Main subject: Classical Department, Piano Name of the research coach: Anna Scott Title of the research: Comparing the differences and similarities of structure and performance in the Sonatas for Two Pianos and Percussionist by Hungarian composer Bela Bartok and Bulgarian composer Stefan Ikonomov. Research question: Do comparisons between the two sonatas, especially where structure is concerned, reveal how each composer either destroys or plays with sonata form; and can such an analysis help performers to better understand and perform the two works? Motivation/ rationale and goal of the research project: My personal goal in this research project is to analyse and better understand the two sonatas, especially where form is concerned. I want to discover how the two composers either establish or destroy the structures of sonata form, how they develop their musical materials, and how they play with different timbres of the instruments, so that I can be able to perform each work better. Research process and planning: What I’m planning to include in the research: First: To discuss the lives of the two composers, the historical and musical context of each of the sonatas in question, and what inspired them to each write a sonata for two pianos and percussion. Second: To provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of each of the sonatas, with particular focus on each work’s formal properties, the materials they use, their use of sonata form, and instrumentation issues. Third: To formulate concrete examples of how these analyses have helped me to better understand and perform the two pieces. The materials from which I started are: 1. The workshop of Bartok and Kodaly, by Erno Lendva 2. I’m arranging an interview with the wife of Stefan Ikonomov. 3. Elementary theoretical knowledge of both works. 4. Article about Stefan Ikonomov: “The composer, the pianist, the teacher” written by Rostislaf Iovchev, in Magazine of Musical Horizons. Chosen format of documentation: Research Paper
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