Just Do It! Exploring the musician's (use of) bodily performance

Andreas Borregaard

In the 21st century an increasing number of composers and performers include elements in their work that activate the musicians’ voice and body in ways not related to playing an instrument. The musician’s moving, dancing, touching, speaking, singing, shouting, grimacing, sounding body opens an novel and still expanding palette of expression – but its use also requires new skills that are currently not an explicit part of higher musical education or standard musical performance practice. Just Do It! is an artistic research project that seeks to explore the possibilities of bodily performance in an expanded field of music and to detect, define and describe some of the skills and knowledge needed to realize them. The project’s practice-based methodology is rooted in the creation of five new solo pieces for accordion and body and a concerto for ensemble and accordionist written by James Black, Marcela Lucatelli, Philip Venables/Ted Hufmann, Jennifer Walshe, Louise Alenius and Andreas Borregaard.

JUST DO IT!

Artistic Results – Artistic Reflection – Intro – Performing Jennifer Walshe’s SELF-CARE – Piece About Everything – Drifting Diary – My favourite piece is the Goldberg Variations – Mind the Gap – The Q/A – PERSONHOOD – Outro

ARTISTIC REFLECTION

The artistic reflection accompanying Just Do It!s artistic results is comprised of an Intro, seven work-specific reflections and an Outro. Each of the work-specific reflections is written in a format inspired by characteristics of the musical piece and will unfold one or more aspects from the proces of creating, learning and performing this piece. Although they sometimes refer to each other, the work-specific reflections are not conceived as succesive chapters and they can be read individually.

1. Intro

2. Performing Jennifer Walshe’s SELF-CARE

3. Piece About Everything

4. Drifting Diary

5. My favourite piece is the Goldberg Variations

6. Mind the Gap

7. The Q/A

8. PERSONHOOD

9. Outro

Tip

Tip

Andreas Borregaard - Just Do It! Exploring the musician's (use of) bodily performance - 2023