KC Research Portal
About this portal
Master students at the Royal Conservatoire use the online Research Catalogue for the communication with their supervisor, for the development and formulation of their research proposal, for their work-in-progress, and for the final documentation and publication of their research.
contact person(s):
Kathryn Cok ,
Koncon Master Coordinator ,
Casper Schipper url:
https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/517228/1588065
Recent Issues
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3. Internal publication
Research published in this issue are only for internal circulation within the Royal Conservatoire, The Hague.
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2. Royal Conservatoire Investigations
Royal Conservatoire Investigations
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1. Master Research Projects
All research in KC
Recent Activities
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Collected Creativities
(2024)
author(s): Emma Hedrick
Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
When starting a composition, waiting for the fabled “inspiration to hit” can be unreliable at best and frustrating at worst. To investigate this issue, I look at how experts in other art disciplines approach the practice of creativity, specifically when beginning a new project, which, in composition, equates to starting a new piece. This paper explores how encounters with six creativity exercises originating from the disciplines of writing, choreography, and visual art can result in new possible approaches to jazz composition. The approaches explored include a Daily Method from author Julia Cameron, an Animal Method from poet Ted Hughes, a Haiku Method from authors Linda Anderson and Derek Neale, an Improvisational Method from choreographer Twyla Tharp, a Habit Method from choreographer Jonathan Burrows, and a Modeling Method from visual artist Austin Kleon. Throughout my research, I tested these six methods in my compositional practice and recorded the musical outcomes. I then shared three methods with musical colleagues to try before collecting their thoughts. In each method, I will recount my writing process using the method, my journal entries, and my overall thoughts. In the animal, haiku, and improvisation methods, I will also compare this to the experience of my colleagues. Each section will conclude with a musical work created from the method and my own evaluation of the resulting composition. The research demonstrates viable conceptual strategies for approaching jazz composition derived from other art disciplines and suggests that creative practice can be both accessible and sustainable over the long term.
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Are you colour deaf?
(2024)
author(s): Phoebe Rousochatzaki
published in: KC Research Portal
Originating from antiquity, the idea of associating colour with music has been researched extensively in recent decades. The terms for this phenomenon include crossmodal correspondences and synaesthesia (or chromaesthesia), both of which refer to associations our brain makes from stimuli that it perceives through different senses. Correspondence between sound and music, and light and colour, has been a scholarly topic for years—mostly from a scientific point of view.
This thesis aims to investigate different views on the subject, focusing on its artistic/aesthetic rather than neurobiological components. Music-colour correspondence was born from the need of philosophers to make sense of both music and the world. Linguistics has proven ambiguous when used to explain or make sense out of music, hence colour has been a very powerful replacement. It is possible to draw parallels between sound and light because of their similar ontological nature (vibration).
The goal of this thesis is to prove that such an association can enhance a classical music performance for the audience (as related to engagement) and for the performer (as related to analysis, artistic input). As a case study, Olivier Messiaen’s Theme and Variations is analysed in this rather unconventional colour-coded way.
Keywords: synaesthesia, chromaesthesia, crossmodal correspondences, Olivier Messiaen, colour and music.
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Here I want to be - Wandering through poetic fieldnotes
(2024)
author(s): Amba Klapwijk
published in: KC Research Portal
In this research I explore how writing poetic fieldnotes relates to my (compositional) practice. I examine a method of repeatedly visiting the same locations, wherever I am at the time, and writing about and reflecting on those situations and places when I'm there. Through this process of exploring and returning I hope to wander into ideas, connections, or otherwise inspirations for my practice.
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Auctor incertus: Issues of authorship and anonymity around Missa Inviolata (ca. 1520s)
(2024)
author(s): Isaac Alonso de Molina
published in: KC Research Portal
A six-part polyphonic setting of the ordinary of the Mass survives as a unicum in manuscript 1967 of the Biblioteca Central de Barcelona, Spain. Although it is clearly the most significant piece in the manuscript, it has received considerably less attention from specialized ensembles than the rest of the repertoire contained therein. This may be due to several factors, chief among them being that the manuscript provides no indication of the composer’s identity. Such anonymity is quite common when dealing with early repertoires. This research aims to address this situation critically and offer several practical, performer-oriented strategies to overcome it.
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‘What are the most effective collaborative strategies to seamlessly integrate instrumental music and theatre in family performances?’
(2024)
author(s): Inge Mulder
Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
The aim of this research is to elaborate on the most effective collaborative strategies for seamlessly integrating instrumental music and theatre into family performances. To create context and background, this research addresses the anticipated role and dynamic evolution of instrumental music in theatre.
The theoretical framework consists out of the ‘issue of narrativity’ (Meelberg, 2008c) which focusses on frame of reference influence, according to Robert Zatorre (2005), combined with insight from the models of collaboration: ‘het Kompas’ (Bremekamp et al., 2010), ‘the five dysfunctions of a team’ (Lencioni, 2002) and the ‘forming–storming–norming–performing model of group development’ (Tuckman, 1965).
This research examines the methods of organizations such as Oorkaan and Het Houten, mapping the established frameworks for instrumental music and theatre.
Throughout these theories the complex reality of collaborations within the characteristics of family performances (i.e. a linear progression with a cyclical feel) is systematically described and analyzed, resulting in a new conceptual model. The model was tested by conducting semi-structured interviews combined with field research.
Findings were that the sharper the definition of the target group, the clearer the cooperation and the more distinctive the product. This outcome becomes a realistic goal when the direction and associated process is clear. Furthermore, the framework can be used as a tool for those wishing to enter the field of interdisciplinary collaboration between theatre and music, with a focus on family performances. It is relevant for graduates in order to achieve a successful collaboration. They need to overcome challenges at the start of their career due to lack of knowledge of each other’s discipline.
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vimu.app: Creating a visual musicology editor
(2024)
author(s): Chris Beutel
Limited publication. Only visible to members of the portal : KC Research Portal
In recent decades, the application of computers has transformed data processing across scientific disciplines, including musicology and music theory. This evolution has led to the development of computer-aided musical analysis tools, which have revolutionized music research by enabling rapid and precise analysis of extensive musical datasets. However, a significant hurdle remains: the need for technical expertise and programming skills, potentially creating a divide between musicologists proficient in technical aspects and those that are not.
This thesis explores the usage of node graphs and visual programming to bridge this gap and introduces a solution we call ’vimu’. vimu offers a graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a visual editing experience, simplifying the utilization of computational functions without requiring computer science or programming knowledge. Unlike some previous GUIs for music analysis, vimu is designed for user-friendliness, avoiding complex installations and ensuring ongoing support. vimu is fully available online and can be accessed via https://vimu.app.