About
This research explores the creation of new music for an amplified and surround extra-dimensional way of accordion playing. As initiated in my 2023 Master of Music's research project, where I studied directional possibilities regarding bellows movement and their impact in musical interpretations, extra-dimensional accordion playing refers to moving the bellows three-dimensionally, causing an acoustically spatial sound. Approaching the accordion bellows technique explicitly three-dimensionally instead of linearly has been a major step in finding my artistic voice as an accordionist. By moving the bellows intentionally forward or backward at different angles, I have elaborated on sound projection and discovered a lot of benefits in my playing, such as a better balance between the right and left-hand manual, more harmonics, and a clear direction and phrasing in music - reinforced by the visual perception of moving the bellows three-dimensionally. Moreover, this way of playing has become natural and characterizing to me.
Hypothetically, moving the accordion bellows three-dimensionally affects the audience in a certain way; it adds something to the experience of music listening. The spatial movements implied in playing the accordion, prompt an extra musical dimension. By making this extra dimension explicit and amplified, its meaning and strength are tested. Consequently, the role of electronics and amplification in this project lies within trialing the acoustic limits of spatializing the accordion.
As the primary aim of this research is to establish the extra-dimensional way of playing the accordion in contemporary repertoire, the perspective and approach of the composer towards this technique have been a factor of interest. Therefore, the creation of new music for this project was ideally led by various composers in different phases. However, due to practical regulations about the scope of the research project, the decision was made to work in only two phases. Being a composer myself, it was particularly interesting to approach a commission for new work from the perspective of composer-performer.
In both cases, the electronics are directly derived from the accordion part, creating different layers, in itself an enhancement or in a broader sense 'amplification'. Still, how the movements and the extra dimension are enlarged, has been a matter of the composer’s personal interpretation.
The resulting music was presented at the research discussion concert and presentation on September 22, 2023, in Studio LOOS The Hague, asking the audience members about their impressions.