Throughout this project, I have explored how to lead and compose for an ensemble that includes non-static elements, an approach that challenges traditional notions of fixed composition and predetermined performance outcomes. This has naturally led to questions about balance, interaction, and the evolving nature of the music itself. To effectively integrate composition and improvisation, I have employed strategies that include flexible notational systems, developed sign language, or shared leadership roles. These tools created a structured yet adaptable framework, allowing musicians to engage dynamically with the material while maintaining a sense of cohesion. By refining these strategies, I have sought to cultivate an environment where improvisation is not just permitted but essential to the music’s identity.
Aiming for meaningful interaction among musicians requires, in my point of view, more than just technical systems, it demands a social and artistic structure that encourages trust, responsiveness, and collective agency. This has influenced both the compositional process and the ensemble dynamics, where roles have evolved and decision-making has become increasingly decentralized. The shift in the conductor’s role, from a singular leader to a distributed responsibility—including electronics operated through Ableton which automates and randomizes samples, freeing me from manually triggering them—exemplifies this approach. This democratization of roles reflects a decentralization of authority, mirroring broader political and social structures where power is shared rather than concentrated.
Answering the question of whether music will genuinely change with each interaction, and to what extent, I have found that while structural elements provide continuity, the fluid interaction between musicians ensures that each performance is distinct. The interplay of comprovised elements, changing ensemble dynamics, and the responsiveness of the musicians create a space where the music remains alive, shaped by but never confined to its initial form. However, this transformation was not solely driven by comprovisation. The music also evolved because I continuously adapted the composed material after testing it in rehearsals, refining and reshaping it based on the ensemble’s responses. This openness to change grew alongside the project itself, as I embraced a more flexible mindset that allowed compositions to breathe and develop organically. Moreover, the collaborative nature of the ensemble fueled creativity, encouraging a constant dialogue between written ideas and spontaneous reinterpretation. Ultimately, this project has reinforced my belief that comprovisation is not just a technique but a framework for continuous exploration. It blurs the boundaries between the written and the improvised, between leadership and collective action, and between stability and transformation. Moving forward, I see this work as an ongoing dialogue—one that will continue evolving with each musician (including myself), each performance, and each reimagining of the balance between structure and spontaneity.