The last six months have been a period of privity for me. Music was a guide and a healer. More and more in my life I understand that a musician must carry ingeniousness and a deep understanding of sound. Presumably these are the factors that form the aesthetics. I remember everyday that great humans and artists have lived in this planet. Thus, ultimate purpose and vision for me is to carry at least the light they showed us. To be authentic, honest, courageous and humble in front of Music and Art.
Knowledge. I love to learn, to wonder, to be curious. My main areas of study are the Early (mostly Medieval) and Contemporary Music. Considering Medieval Music, my focus is on expanding my knowledge for subjects such as Gregorian chants, troubadours, Ars Nova, Ars Subtilior. Play and sing with my gothic harp and make a collection of Medieval instruments in order to use them in recordings and performances. The subject of the research “The Evolution of the Voice” provides me with a big amount of essential knowledge regarding the last century and our epoch. Exploring the development of the aesthetics of the Voice and the important repertoire that includes Voice, affects my development as a singer and my whole approach as an artist/composer/performer/creator. This model of artist leads to my vision of the “Catholic Human”/ “Homo Universalis”, we find in the theories and ideas of the Medieval era and Renaissance.
To perform , to Sing and to Create are my artistic goals and wishes, combining the (aesthetics of the) two Eras and following my intuition, with the purpose to transmit or share a state of mind. The times are difficlut for concerts or other performances. I recently had recordings with Faos Ensemble (GR) for the 9th New Music Festival of Cyprus and published an album with the composer Andreas Moustoukis. Generally, I focus on recordings, collaborations, compositions and a creation of an Early Music Ensemble in Cyprus.
My studies and research are resulting and aiming to my Professional Integration Activities and my Professional Integration Activities are reflecting my artistic development.
A trailer of “Impatient to Assume”, a work by the composer Tasos Stylianou (CY) for our concert with Faos Ensemble (GR) at the 9th New Music Festival of Cyprus.
Cantigas de Santa Maria: Virgen Madre Groriosa (No. 340), by Anonymous. Written during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile El Sabio (1221–1284), in the medieval Galician-Portugese language.
RESEARCH TITLE
The Evolution of the VOICE : Exploring the Aesthetics
RESEARCH QUESTION
This research investigates the –as called- “Evolution of the Voice”, briefly exploring how the approach of the Human Voice developed from the beginning of the 20th century and emphasising on the period of the Second Avante-Garde to the present.
POSSIBLE SUB-QUESTIONS
IN EXPOSITION:
How did the aesthetics and the approach (by composers and performers) of the human voice as an instrument change in the 20th century? When/ why/ where did this new aesthetic start to form?
How did this new aesthetics (in the beginning of the 20th century) influence and prepare the new approach of the human voice during the 2nd Avant-Garde (middle of the 20th century)? Did the Revival of Early Music have any role in the establishment of that approach?
What was the result of the new approach of the Voice in the middle of the 20th century? How did it develop during the end of the 20th century and the 21st century?
Which were the historical events and how did they influence the so-called “extended (singing) techniques” during the 20th and 21st century?
How did the evolution of Contemporary Music transform the understanding and the approach to Contemporary singers / performers?
IN DOCUMENTARY
What are the thoughts of Contemporary Composers regarding this evolution and how do they approach the voice in their work?
What are their thoughts regarding the “Voice of the future”?
How do Singers themselves interact with the Contemporary Music and what are the requirements of performing according to their experience?
Topic/Planning/Methodology/Process
The research is a combination of an exposition, a documentary and an audio album.
The EXPOSITION, in brief, will be realised with a connection between social, artistic and musical events and a collection of musical works, thoughts and audiovisual documentation. Three chapters are going to describe three historical periods. The first chapter (THE DIVERGENTS : Leaving Verdi) is describing when/why/where these new approaches of the voice started to form in the first half of the 20th centurynand how they influenced and prepared the post-1950 Music. The Second Chapter (THE INVENTORS) deals with the Second World War that left a traumatised Europe, the development of the technology and the different genres (traditional, pop, Early Music) that influenced the aesthetics of the Voice. In the last one, the research focuses on THE CONTEMPORARIES, the merge of movements and genres, the singing techniques and performance practices.
The DOCUMENTARY of circa 30 minutes will include parts of interviews (video recordings). Composers, singers/performers and conductors talk about their approach of the Voice in an era of globalisation and technological territory, their thoughts for the Voice of the future.
The AUDIO ALBUM will be presented as the result of my own personal (artistic) research regarding the voice of the 21st century, the aesthetics and my development as an artist. Some of my recordings will be also included in the research.
The three parts are developing simultaneously. The Exposition forms with reading and collecting bibliography from books, articles, documentaries. Most importantly with listening to music. The Documentary is in the preparatory stage of confirming the participating artists and forming all the possible questions. The Audio Album keeps developing with time.
Form of documentation and presentation (during the Master Research Symposium)**
During the Master Research Symposium, the research will be presented with the combination that already characterizes it. A short talk, a performance and a presentation with some highlights of the documentary.
B D P I A
1. Describe your Professional Integration Activities.
As a result of my studies and artistic research, I would like to combine Medieval and Contemporary Music in a major performance/ performances (using historical instruments, amplified sounds, electronics etc.), in collaboration with other artists and musicians. Hopefully (under the circumstances of covid-19) it will take place in a cathedral, a factory or an underground hall. While developing this project, I also work on recordings of my projects, in order to publish audio albums, participate in concerts/performances and create other projects collaborating with colleagues.
2. What is the background and motivation of your PIA?
The backround of my PIA are the musical experiences I had as a listener and a performer (singer), my studies, my research and generally the aesthetics of the 21st century. My motivation is my interest, curiosity and love to explore and combine different genres and historical periods of music.
3. What will the final outcome be?
Performance / Performances, creation of an album/albums…
4. Describe the short-term goals for your PIA.
While preparing the Project, I research for artists who have similar spiritual or musical searches and with them explore, record and realize upcoming ideas. Also, publish audio albums or singles and forward them to different agents/ artists/ companies/ platforms etc.
5. Describe the long-term goals for your PIA.
A long-term goal could be the transformation of an audience of people and musicians who understate the “dogmas” in art and open bridges between them. Every part of art’s historical evolution to be considered as an alive part that influences, inspires and transforms our contemporary art, aesthetics and societies.
6. In what way will your PIA create value?
It connects different historical periods and simultaneously upgrades them to an alive art. The long-term goal is also the value of the PIA. Of course the PIA goes hand in hand with my development as a performer/singer/composer/artist. It creates value regarding my profession and career, the creative collaborations between artists, the endless searches of life and art.
7. Describe how your PIA is related to your own artistic development
Organizing and working for my PIA supports and demands my development as a performer. I guess they are parallel paths. It is a continuous work for me to develop my technique, knowledge and skills and also to manage projects. Moreover, my PIA is connected with the two eras (Medieval and Contemporary) I focus on.
8. Describe how your PIA is related to your research.
My PIA is an extension of my research with the perception of a performer. Researching how the approach of the voice formed through time helps me to understand the contemporary aesthetics and my own approach. Contemporary Singers are also very good musicians, performers and usually composers themselves. The “catholic human” of the Medieval ideas is reviving, as more and more medieval music is heard in the world. This model is related and aims to my PIA. The research itself supports it and expands it.