Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century

Alistair Sung

Name: Alistair Sung Main Subject: Classical Cello Research Coaches: Gerard Bouwhuis, Renee Jonker Title of Research: Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century Research Question: Can a reconsideration of presentation, programming and audience relationship influence the response to classical music? Summary of Results: The financial and cultural climate of the past 50 years has changed the way in which classical music is perceived. Where once it was valued as a crucial part of a healthy society, it has now grown isolated from mainstream culture and has been relegated to the periphery of modern cultural life. This paper will examine how these recent cultural and social developments occurred and focus on their effects on the performance of classical music in the 21st century. Through an analysis of new and existing approaches to performance, a framework will be established which will form the basis of a test concert. Data gained from this concert will then be analysed in order to explore the possibility of altering existing concert conventions to respond to the problems facing the performance of classical music. Research will be presented in the form of a research paper. Biography: Alistair began learning the cello in Sydney Australia with Marcus Hartstein and David Pereira. After attending Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Alistair completed his Bachelor Music (honours I)/Bachelor Arts (philosophy) at the University of New South Wales in 2010. On graduating, Alistair was awarded the university medal and his honours thesis, ‘Variety in Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Recorded Performances of Bach’s Sixth Suite for Solo Cello’ was co-published in the Empirical Musicology Review (Ohio State University). Alistair is currently completing a Masters degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague with Larissa Groeneveld.

Audience relationship...

The audience and a consideration of their existing level of engagement with classical music is crucial to this project. As has been outlined above, accessibility and context have been crucial considerations for the choice of repertoire. The degree to which works challenge and do not challenge the audiences existing tastes have been of critical importance.

In addition, I will attempt to increase contact between performers and the audience by greeting audience members as they arrive and encouraging my fellow performers to engage with the audience following the concert.

Lastly, the use of support material throughout the concert is designed to aid in understanding the works and to provide a more in-depth experience of the music. This material may be communicated visually (with artworks, animations or videos), aurally, (through short talks or sound samples), or through a combination of both. In the interests of continuity, certain pieces will be accompanied by no information.

Arvo Pärt – Fratres

Support material for this work will be provided by graphic designer Ming Sin Ho of cargocollective. Working together, a set of images will be developed that will reflect the designer’s own response to the music. The support material will include 9 separate images that respond to each variation. Each of the images will be animated using basic flash programming and will be controlled by Ming during the performance. In this way, the projected images will follow closely the musical performance.

Nikolai Kapustin – Impromptu Op. 66: No. 2

This work will be preceded by a short introduction by the performer, Manuel Wouthuysen. In it, Manuel will give a little information about the work as well as discussing how it relates to him personally. In this way, the audience will gain useful background info as well as being granted a more intimate connection with the performer.

Dmitri Shostakovich – Sonata for cello and piano Op. 40: Largo

This work is often associated with the highly tumultuous period in Shostakovich’s life during which he was divorced from his wife after having an affair and immediately before he was targeted by Russian authorities. In order to highlight these themes, a short video segue will be used. The main purpose of this will be to establish a mood or atmosphere. Text will be used to provide historical context while stock footage of Stalinist Russia will also be included to provide visual support. The video will end as the opening notes of the piece begin.

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