Exposition

Finding Home: An Exploration of South African Art Music through the Classical Saxophone and Collaborative Practice (2024)

Josie Mc Clure

About this exposition

This research project explores South African Art Music through collaborative practice and the classical saxophone. It begins by investigating the discourse surrounding South African Art Music through testimony collected from various conversations with South African composers, musicians and academics such as Dr Kevin Volans, Dr Antoni Schonken, Professor Hendrik Hofmeyr, Dr Cara Stacey and Arthur Feder. I began collecting the scores of South African saxophone compositions which led to the development of an online catalogue system to document these works -The South African Saxophone Catalogue. This catalogue forms the base - as well as the network - for how this research was developed. To further investigate the South African repertoire, I embarked on creative journeys with four South African composers through performer-composer collaboration. I decided to use this means of investigation as the relationship formed between myself and these composers shows a different level of engagement with this music, first-hand experience in the creation of this music as well as creating an open space for discourse. These collaborations were documented through reflections, audio and video recordings and are investigated in the form of case studies. The final artistic product was a concert featuring these new compositions in Cape Town, South Africa. The data collected was organised through an amalgamation of critical reflection and thematic analysis. Through this collective music-making, I discovered the variety in thought surrounding South African Art Music and paradoxically those who vigorously deny this term. I discovered the complexity both politically and socially that the term South African Art Music implies. In conjunction with my personal reflections, this exposition explores the ideas, opinions and art of individuals in various fields in the South African classical music scene who represent a variety of South African cultural backgrounds and generations.
typeresearch exposition
keywordscollaboration, south africa, performer-composer collaboration, classical saxophone, saxophone, south african art music
date22/11/2023
published18/06/2024
last modified18/06/2024
statuspublished
share statusprivate
copyrightJosie McClure
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2362084/2362085
doihttps://doi.org/10.22501/koncon.2362084
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue1. Master Research Projects


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