Harmony on the violin - internalising harmony for violinists and the role of (tonal) improvisation

Liesbeth Ackermans

Abstract Harmony on the violin – exploring ways to enhance harmonic awareness by improvisation. How can playing with basic elements of classical music help us to enter the music we perform ‘from within’, to enjoy the creative moment in connection with the repertoire we know so well and love so much, to ‘co-compose’… How can (tonal) improvisation be an aid to learn about harmony in a way that experience comes first, using, in this research, the violin as our voice? In this research my aim has been to create a toolbox of games/exercises that can be used working in the above mentioned way. At the same time the exploratory journey of the research proved to be a transformative experience with regard to my own relationship with the music I play, love and teach. In this paper those two threads – the development of educational material and the testing out of it on the one hand and my personal development as a violinist and musician on the other hand - are constantly intertwined. The one cannot do without the other. This paper is a report of all activities that added to the above mentioned two processes. The report will guide you through the origins of the research, the rich input of colleagues, masters and books on the subject, a report of the practising, imagining, exploring hours spent by myself in my garden house, information on the enjoyable sessions when trying out the material with students. At the centre of the paper you will find the games and exercises themselves – the content of the toolbox, called ‘Invitations’. A closer look at certain aspects of the research is found in Chapter 5 – Behind the scene. The paper will finish with a set of recommendations and conclusions and – above all – future plans. I do hope you will enjoy this research – a research into methods that can be used to let the playing from musical intuition and the building of harmonic consciousness meet. In doing so, enjoying the richness, benefits and pleasure that musical improvisation has to offer in music education.

Acknowledgements

Without the contributions of the following people, this research could not have happened as it happened.

A big thank you to:

Henk Borgdorff (master-circle leader) - for the clear thinking and pleasant atmosphere
Helena Gaunt (master-circle leader) - for the creativity, clarity and vision
Bert Mooiman (research supervisor) - for wonderful inspiration, support, intelligent guidance, ideas and music-making
David Dolan (research supervisor) - for wonderful inspiration, music and beautiful ideas
Karst de Jong - for such inspiring sessions, music and great help
Members of the (magic) master-circle: Eric Ineke, Wouter Turkenburg, Johan van Kraaij, Ilona Sie Dhian Ho, Wieke Karsten, Jan Willem Nelleke, Larissa Groeneveld, Stephanie Gericke, Natasja Kurek, Rixt van der Kooij, Cinthie van Eijden - for the sharing of ideas and pleasant evenings
Mieke van Dael - for music-making, togetherness and ideas
Jan Willem Nelleke and Phillipa Davies - for playing together, music, sharing ideas and for helping to get rid of Dutchisms.
Bart van Rosmalen - for creative inspiration
Kees Hülsmann - for great inspiration, ideas and playing together
Jaring Walta - for sharing thoughts and for the support
Violinists and colleagues at the Royal Conservatoire: Vera Beths and Janet Krause - for sharing thoughts on the research
My students and former students: Merel van der Meulen, Eva Lagemaat, Liesbeth van Dingenen, Placida Ho, Renán Zelada, Nathalie Vos, Alisa van Dijk, Janneke de Vries, Wera Wrzosek, Pauline Jansen, Lieke Brakkee, Femke Hempel, olanda Kuijper, Ana Criado, Else van der Steeg, Marjolein Spruit, Laura Lunansky, Janna Maurer, Dario Hulsing, Alan Mukriani, Silke Kolfschoten, Katja Naegele, Noëmi Parr - for being 'willing and lovely guinea pigs' and for their enthusiasm
Casper Schipper - for answering (quickly) all my research catalogue-questions
Henk van Voorst – for clear thinking, humor and guidance in mindfulness
Participants in ICON Seminar and Intensive project on Improvisation - for the sharing of ideas and music-making
Mariëtte Ackermans – for ‘practical support’ in different ways
My parents - for taking care, for giving me love for music and for much more
Larissa - for the permanent, 'unconditional' (animal) love that is surrounding us, a source of inspiration
Thomas - for the passionate love for music and musicality (and for answering my questions on harmony, Sibelius, and more)
Martin - for prompting me to undertake this study, for immense support, for accepting 'the hours that I spent on it' (and consequently not on something else), for the belief in it, for much, much more, above all - for the love

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