The Reflective Musician
(2014)
author(s): Håkon Austbø, Darla Crispin, Jonas Howden Sjøvaag
published in: Norwegian Artistic Research Programme
The relationship between performance and reflection is rich and complex. Great performances can sometimes seem the spontaneous products of mysterious inspiration; however, most musicians would agree that, to attain its full potential, a performance must arise from a thorough investigation of the artistic acts of interpretation and expression appropriate to the work.
When this investigation becomes an overt research process, artistic choices begin to be based on conscious critical and self-reflective evaluations and decisions — and the resulting performance to be informed by a wide range of hermeneutic and analytical approaches. But the promise of such a multi-stranded approach is vulnerable, and sometimes compromised, when the performer’s skill and knowledge in the associated disciplines does not measure up to their performative artistry and insight. Since Artistic Research, in particular, often posits a model in which all associated knowledge should reside within the performer, this can be problematic.
So, is there an alternative model that, nonetheless, maintains the skills of artist and scholar in a mutually beneficial configuration?
And, if so, how does such a model uncover the kinds of performing knowledge that may lead to a specific, unique interpretation?
This exposition reveals a constellation of approaches around a central premise, namely that musical interpretation may be read as an inherently creative activity based on its own systems of knowledge which, whether conscious or intuitive, ought to be capable of being articulated in words as well as in practical music-making. In articulating this premise within the project, the process of interpretation is seen as emerging, ideally, as a form of co-creation, as it were, in which the performer ‘composes’ the work anew from inside the act of performance and, in doing so, works in a creative partnership with both composer and audience. Among the possibilities offered by such a model is the prospect that the term ‘performer’ can become a multiple entity of individuals engaged in a creative partnership of their own and articulating in words the impulses and mechanisms at work in this partnership.
On the Edge – improvisers on music and methods
(last edited: 15/12/2016)
author(s): Ivar Grydeland, Jonas Howden Sjøvaag
This exposition is in progress.
The Norwegian Academy of Music, the Arne Nordheim Centre for Artistic Research (NordART) and Victoria – Nasjonal Jazzscene collaborates on the symposium "On the Edge – improvisers on music and methods". A fine selection of improvisers meets at this mini-festival with concerts, interviews, presentations and discussions. This year’s theme is Improvisation in Studio.
At On the Edge practitioners meet to perform on stage, give presentations, interviews and to discuss these matters. Confirmed artists are:
Sidsel Endresen & Jan Bang -- Helge Sten & Ståle Storløkken of Supersilent
Stian Westerhus -- Tone Åse/Thomas Strønen : VOXPHERIA -- Monkeyplot
Skrap -- Kjell Bjørgeengen / Keith Rowe duo -- Maja Ratkje -- Bugge Wesseltoft -- Petter Wettre
David Sylvian has curated an ensemble for On the Edge: Keith Rowe, David Toop, Rhodri Davies, Rie Nakajima and Phil Durrant.
This exposition will be updated both before and after the symposium dates: 30 November - 2 December, 2016
The soloist in contemporary piano concerti
(last edited: 21/03/2017)
author(s): Ellen Kristine Ugelvik, Jonas Howden Sjøvaag
This exposition is in progress.
The project grew out of a need to improve my ability to tackle challenges I had faced playing contemporary piano concerti. The embodying of new aesthetics is a great challenge in premieres of new works. While the soloist has great potential for expressing personal artistic ideas within a large-scale concert-hall environment, the classical pianist education just does not cover all challenges of performing brand new concerti. The new music suffers. The general lack of contemporary music in educational repertoires has consequences for how the field of classical music develops, what kind of music we value, how we work and what kind of music we play and listen to in a musical society.
I wanted to explore the potential of my role and investigate how I could behave and play to help to improve the sounding result of new piano concerti. I created this project with the overarching research question: Which abilities do I need to develop further, and to enable a progressive soloist role when faced with challenges in entirely new music, and what are the extended effects of such an expanded role awareness?
As the project moved forward, this progressive role awareness, I discovered, was useful to me by giving me greater flexibility and confidence about the massive collective apparatus surrounding the new piano concerti.
The project is based around five new piano concerti I have premiered at national and international venues: Diamond Dust by D. Fujikura, Konsertstykke i tre deler by M. Hegdal, at the tips of my fingers / on the tip of my tongue by B.L. Thorsen, Wowen Fingerprints by T.B. Ulvo and Theory of the Subject by T. Reinholdtsen. Through the evolution of these works, I examine the role of the soloist in all the processes of musical creation, from initialization to realisation in performance.
The research material provides insights into how new music is dealt with in the standard classical music world. I provide rare awareness of the role of the soloist and suggest several improvements of how we lay the foundations for premiering new music. A central outcome of my project is a ‘toolbox’ of proposed techniques and approaches for pianists encountering new works. The toolbox, I argue, is also valuable when applied to older music and to how we approach any musical situation on a general level.
NARP Research Fellows
(last edited: 20/06/2017)
author(s): Geir Strøm, Jonas Howden Sjøvaag, Ingrid Milde
This exposition is in progress.
This exposition shows information on projects and project results from research fellows who have done their artistic research within the frame of the Norwegian Artistic Research Fellowship Programme. This Fellowship Programme is parallel to other research educations organised as academic PhD programmes.
Its intention is to secure high level artistic research, and leads to expertise as Associate Professor. The Artistic Research Fellowships Programme is among the first in this field in Europe.
The research fellows have completed their projects at one of the Norwegian Institutions that offer one or more creative and/or performative art education programmes and have participated in a common research school run by the Programme Board.
This exposition present research fellows that have graduated, and the aim for the exposition is to make visible the artistic research funded, or otherwise supported, by the programme.
The author is the administrative leader at the programme and there has been no review on the exposition.
