Imagine hearing a singer with phrasing excluding nuances in intonation. Or, imagine a string quartet playing only in equal temperament. These scenarios are close to unthinkable, but on the classical guitar this is current practice.
My artistic research project investigates the potential of real-time intonation as a means of enhancing melodic and harmonic expression within classical guitar performance. While the instrument is traditionally bound by the constraints of approximate equal temperament and fixed frets, I will explore whether left-hand techniques can enable more nuanced pitch control during performance. Could it be that this would allow for greater possibilities within melodic and harmonic expression, resembling the freedom of string players?
My main research question:
How can intonation be used as a tool to enhance melodic and harmonic expression on the classical guitar and which benefits can be gained in terms of sound, phrasing, volume, and different articulations?
Sub-questions:
• Which techniques can be developed to control the pitch while playing and in what ways can real-time intonation adjustments transform classical guitar performance practices?
• How could the classical guitar potentially function effectively outside the constraints of equal temperament, and which alternative tuning system(s) could be employed?
• What insights can be gained from instruments that are not constrained by equal temperament?
Kristina Vårlid (1994) is a classical guitarist whose artistic practice is rooted in a deep fascination with the instrument’s expressive potential. She regards the guitar as a treasure chest, rich with sonic possibilities waiting to be discovered, and she is committed to exploring and expanding its boundaries.
Vårlid has received international recognition through numerous awards and competition wins, including 1st prize in Antwerpen International Guitar Competition 2017. She has performed solo recitals all over Europe including venues such as the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Auditorio Alfredo Kraus in Las Palmas and Universitetets Aula in Oslo. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.
Her discography includes two solo albums released on Simax Classics: An Idea (2019) and 5 Stages of Grief (2023). A new album with the same label will release in 2026.
In addition to her performance career, she became professor of guitar at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, The Netherlands at the age of 24, where she continues to teach and mentor the next generation of classical guitarists.