Program (quick overview)
10:00-10:45
Extended expectations - Novel aspects of the accordion
Kalle Moberg
Norwegian Academy of Music (1st year presentation)
Moderator: Jeremy Welsh
11:00-11:45
Expanding horizons - a jazz exploration of 20th-century art music
Peter Knudsen
NTNU: Norwegian Academy of Applied Science and Technology (1st year presentation)
Moderator: Knut Olaf Sunde
13:00-13:45
The E(c)lest(r)ic Guitar
-An expansion of the improvisational voice of the guitar
Vidar Schanche
University of Stavanger, Faculty of Performing Arts (3rd year presentation)
Moderator: Solmund Nystabakk
Extended expectations - Novel aspects of the accordion (Kalle Moberg)
The presentation will introduce the project and its many facets - the basis of the project which is several novel extended accordion techniques; the working processes, both methodical and artistic; how the project may enrich the timbral and tonal repertoire of the accordion; the artistic ideas for the project and the plans for their respective processes; how the project stands in relation to the accordion milieu, and the contemporary music field and other musical fields, and how the project may contribute to said fields; reflect on and dream about how the project - if all goes well - may be picked up and developed further by others in the worldwide contemporary accordion-milieu in due time, and how that may influence and broaden the identity of the instrument in the eyes of not only accordionists, but also listeners, instrumentalist colleagues and composers.
The project is based on Moberg’s discovery of several seemingly newfound extended techniques on the accordion, these include Stifled Tones, a new approach to bending of the notes, and split tone multiphonics. These techniques open up for a myriad of microtonal possibilities seemingly previously unexplored. In working on the project, the hope is to further develop these techniques, possibly discover new techniques, timbres and possibilities – through both methodical research and artistic practice and projects. Another focal point is to explore these timbres and techniques in the company of other instruments in different ensembles, musical settings and genres – this includes cooperating with composers for the development of new written repertoire for the instrument. To realize this, the plan is to create guides for composers on how to write notated music which includes these techniques, and for other accordionists on how to perform said techniques. See also www.kallemoberg.com
Expanding horizons - a jazz exploration of 20th-century art music (Peter Knudsen)
The artistic research project "Expanding horizons" focuses on the meeting between jazz musicians and 20th century classical music, to contribute with knowledge on how this encounter can serve as a way for jazz musicians to expand their musical language and an understanding on how improvisers approach material from another musical tradition. Through the creation of musical arrangements and compositions, with constellations ranging from duos to big band, the project sets out to answer to following research questions:
- How does the process unfold when contemporary jazz musicians approach the musical language of 20th century classical music?
- What kinds of improvisational approaches are involved in these processes?
- In what ways can these encounters serve as ways for jazz improvisers to expand their musical vocabulary?
The E(c)lest(r)ic Guitar
-An expansion of the improvisational voice of the guitar (Vidar Schanche)
My name is Vidar Schanche. I’m a guitarist, improvisor and a composer.
I’m a research fellow from the University of Stavanger, Faculty of performing arts. My project's starting point is a desire to explore new directions in guitar improvisation.
Research questions:
How can compositional concepts and techniques used in composed new music help me develop my improvisational language?
I create situations with musical interaction where we work with material inspired by compositional techniques and concepts with the goal to create new improvisational environments and new sounds.
During this presentation, I will talk about where the project came from, how it evolved and how I ended up where I am today.
I will mainly focus on my latest project, The Mechanical Forest. This project is a trilogy of concerts, ending with the third instalment in September, which will be my final artistic performance as a research fellow.
In the presentation, I will show excerpts from the first concert. The whole presentation will be prerecorded and posted as a youtube link.
The Performance Practice of Early Twentieth Century French Melodies: Researching and Performing Satie’s Three Last Song Cycles (Heloise Baldelli)
In this study I will investigate the vocal performance practice of the French modernist composers of the group Les Nouveaux Jeunes: Satie, Poulenc, Milhaud and Honegger. I will start with a comparative study of Satie’s last song cycles (Trois Mélodies, Quatre Petites Mélodies and Ludions) and apply the findings to the design of a performance including melodies by all four composers. I want to challenge myself in finding new ways to present a non “public-friendly” repertoire. To achieve that while staying true to the original spirit of the compositions, I will combine the findings previously mentioned, the analysis of the contemporary sociocultural context and current research on audience response. I will frame my project using the intervention study method applied to artistic research, in combination with an autoethnographic approach. My goal is to develop the field of vocal performance practice, and my own. One aspect I wish to focus on is the communication of the texts of the melodies using visual media, dance and/or theatre, instead of the commonly used subtitles or printed translations. Another is the relationship between the performer (myself) and the audience, breaking the traditional distance between the public and the stage. Parallel with that, I aim to shed light on Satie’s less-known compositions for voice thus contributing to his rehabilitation as a “serious” composer. On a personal level, this project will allow me to achieve a deeper understanding of vocal practice and to acquaint myself with researching methods such as HIP, relevant to the study of unfamiliar repertoire in general. The investigation of the values appreciated by a contemporary audience and their incorporation into the design of the performance will open for new possibilities in making little known repertoire more approachable. The attempt at breaking out of the traditional recital format will push me out of my comfort zone as a classical singer and lead me towards exploring different possibilities of artistic expression. Such expertise will inform in turn the way I will plan future concerts. Part of my reflection will focus on how effectively I have managed to present this repertoire in a relevant and appealing way. On a more general level I aim to add my personal contribution to the everlasting discussion about the role of artists in society. My hypothesis is that musicians have a much bigger responsibility than usually acknowledged in the dissemination of less known and appreciated repertoire. I also speculate that in planning a “successful” concert one can look past WHAT the public likes towards examining instead WHY they like it: in specific, which needs it fulfils.
What´s the point (of reference)? - improvisatoriske referansepunkt i tid og rom (Kristoffer Alberts)
This presentation will be held in Norwegian: Stipendiatprosjektet omhandler sammensetting og editering av innspilte, solistiske improvisasjoner til nye helheter. Dokumentasjon og resultat oppleves gjennom fysiske utgivelser og gjennom akusmatiske konserter, hvor lyden av de deltagende musikerne avspilles gjennom utplasserte høyttalere. Utfordringen i prosjektet handler både om å emulere improvisatorisk samspill mellom de ulike solistiske innspillingene, og om å fortelle en sonisk historie om at innspillingene ikke er utført i samme tid og i samme rom. En slik samspillsprosess hvor tid og rom er flytende er utbredt i elektronisk musikk, eksempelvis fra noisemusikken, men i liten grad utbredt i akustisk improvisert musikk. Prosessen er tredelt, hvor første fase omhandler om å fange improvisatorisk kunnskap gjennom innspilling, hvor den solistiske improvisatoriske kunnskapen og den kunstneriske identiteten må være til stede, samtidig som det må skapes plass og spillerom for at andre innspillinger kan legges ved. Den andre delen av prosessen omhandler å klippe i innspillingene og editere disse sammen, gjennom å kartlegge referansepunkt i musikken, slik som tempo, harmonikk, dynamikk og soniske teksturer, for at disse skal oppleves enhetlig eller kontrasterende i korte soniske øyeblikk og i en større musikalsk helhet. Slik kan man skape nye modeller for opplevd samspill og prosessen er i stor grad kompositorisk, hvor man kan eksperimentere med ulik musikalsk formlandskap. Tredje del av prosessen handler om ulike visningsplattformer og dokumentasjon av ferdig editert materiale, men også om hvordan dokumentere hele prosessen mot de ulike resultatene. Fram til nå har delresultatene blitt offentliggjort gjennom CD-utgivelser og konserter, og det planlegges også at publikum kan inviteres inn i innspillingsprosessene, og i klippeprosessen. Prosjektet handler i stor grad om å finne og skape improvisatoriske referansepunkt som kan være en felles opplevd musikalsk struktur eller idé, en relasjon mellom musikere eller en opplevelse av et kunstverk eller en musikalsk sjanger.