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• Understanding Classical and Early Romantic Dynamics 1750-1830 (2017) author(s): Bart van Oort published in: KC Research Portal
  In eighteenth century scores, dynamics were notated almost exclusively in a general way. The dynamics belonging to the melancholy or passionate development of a musical phrase or the minimal dynamical differences between a dissonant and a consonant in (for instance) a Mozart Adagio or a Chopin Nocturne are so subtle that it is even better to not notate anything. The deepest utterances of both the composer's and the pianist's soul cannot be caught in any notation. However, in my opinion many of the notated dynamical indications are not fully understood or mis-interpreted. At the same time, implied dynamics can be found (while today often not realized) in virtually every musical phrase. In this research project I have investigated classical dynamics, focusing on the local function of forte and piano, on crescendos and diminuendos, the influence of harmony, the dissonance-consonance resolution, the relative meaning of ff, the dynamics of high notes, and other factors, such as the density of the notation, the direction of the melody, the register of the phrase and the character of the work. This research is part of a larger research project on the nature of the classical language, addressing dynamics, rubato and phrasing.
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• How can aspects of the Kodály philosophy and methodology be integrated into instrumental education? (2016) author(s): Mieke van Dael published in: KC Research Portal
  Name: Mieke van Dael Main Subject: Music Education According to the Kodály Concept Research Supervisor: Renee Jonker Title of Research: Integrating aspects of the Kodály philosophy and methodology into instrumental education. Research Question: How can aspects of the Kodály philosophy and methodology be integrated into instrumental education? Summary of Results: I started this Master's study and Research while searching for tools which would allow me to develop my students' inner hearing, and while also being aware that instrumental education has remained the same for a long time even though the world around us is changing. In addition, I realised that during my career as a performing bassoonist I have seen changes which I did not understand. My study has opened the door to a wide range of possibilities and follow-up steps for me to take. I now understand why I found a number of things difficult in classical music performance. As far as I am concerned that is closely related to the fact that I was trained to reproduce music from notation, whereas I think that making music is much more than merely reproducing something. Splendid masterworks have been composed throughout musical history and I can thoroughly enjoy them if I am given the chance to play them. However, for me, that is not the only way to make my musical voice heard. I also need to speak a living musical language with my pupils and colleague musicians. If self-expression is an important part of the new learning, then I think that it is essential I develop musical expression with my pupils in order to speak a living musical language. It would be extremely interesting in a follow-up study to investigate how the language develops and then to see what is necessary to develop a living musical language-one in which you learn to listen, speak, read, write and interpret. By doing this research I have come to understand how aspects from the Kodály philosophy and methodology can be integrated into instrumental education and I can see that this is enriching. It has given me many insights and a broad palette of tools which I can use to work in the profession in a more creative and innovative manner. Biography: I studied bassoon, contrabassoon and chamber music at the conservatories of Maastricht and Amsterdam at the end of the 1980s. I began my career in the Dutch musical landscape at the start of the 1990s. I have been a bassoonist and contrabassoonist for more than 20 years and have given concerts in the Netherlands and abroad, including a number of years intensive involvement with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. My career as a bassoon teacher has also covered more than 20 years, and is nowadays at Scholen in de Kunst in Amersfoort and at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.
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• Vladislav Solotarjow and the Russian way of playing the accordion: a case study (2015) author(s): Elisa van Kesteren published in: KC Research Portal
  Abstract Name: Elisa van Kesteren Research supervisor: Stefan Petrovic Title of the Research: The Russian way of playing the accordion: a case study related to the Chambersuite of Vladislav Solotarjow Research question: Does the Russian way of playing the bayan exist and if so, how can I achive this in my own artistic practice? Summary of the results: Russian music is very particular. Through the centuries of this huge country’s history, art has always been of great importance, no matter what the political situation was. The world still honors their cultural heritage, their literature, dance and music. Russian music has always touched and inspired me so it was obvious to specialize during my master in this subject. Becoming myself a performing musician I wanted to investigate what this Russian music is about. What are the characteristics and how do Russian performers play? I wanted to get as close as possible to the ‘Russian way of playing’. Focusing on Vladislav Solotarjow’s ‘Chambersuite’ or ‘Sentimental pieces to Alexander Blok’, made me develop my Russian way of playing. I have done this through listening, analyzing and comparing recordings, from Mika Vayrynen a Scandinavian bayanist and one of Russia’s most important bayanists Friedrich Lips and making my own recordings. This research has proved to me that the Russians play very expressive, with a lot of passion and freedom. Both their music and their instrument are very colorful. I have achieved many of these characteristics in my own playing, even adding my own personal style to it in the end. Only the colorfulness of sound was still missing sometimes. Wondering about my technique and musical decisions, I took the chance to compare the two instruments with each other. My accordion built in Western Europe (Castelfidardo, Italy) versus the Russian-built Bayan (Moscow). It was really helpful to investigate the history of the instrument, the history of Russia and their music in order to get as close as possible to the Russian way of playing. Furthermore, reading about Solotarjow’s life, analysing his composition and listening to different recordings, greatly improved my understanding of this music. These things have helped me to develop my artistic practice. The part of the research that directly involved my artistic practice has been of great value for me. It has enriched my expressive pallet by including more freedom in my playing in many different aspects. I have concluded that it is possible to achieve the Russian way of playing. I have also found that besides having background information about the history of the country, knowledge about the composer and the composition, it is important to have or to imagine the Russian soul. Next to this, it is also important to be open to a different way of playing. A way of playing that might be unfamiliar to a performer. Biography: My name is Elisa van Kesteren and was born in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. I started playing the accordion at the age of eight. After graduating for the Bachelor Degree here at the Royal Conservatory in 2014, I continued studying with An Raskin and will graduate for the Master degree this year. I am a member of the very recently founded accordion ensemble “The Blackboxes”, have a great interest for Russian but also contemporary music and teach at the moment in various music schools.
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