bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No Joy in the Brilliance of Sunshine
Authors: Sean Bell
Published: September 2024

Sean Bell
Student number: 3230643
Master Early Music Voice
Research supervisor: Dr. Inês de Avena Braga
Title: No Joy in the Brilliance of Sunshine
Research question: How can I create a stage performance combining and connecting my two sound worlds/style identities as a performer?

Summary of the results of the research:
In this research I have explored the creative development of a stage performance, combining operatic music by Handel with contemporary performance art. Through this I have explored how I can combine my duality as a performer: the early music singer and the contemporary performer and creator. This project and its connected research are a part of my artistic development as a musician, creator and performer, and the urge to explore this music and questions grew out of previous projects and ideas.
I have created and developed my project through following a consequential progression of artistic choices, and through this space that has unfolded I have come to find an essential identity of myself as a performer and creator. By being honest towards myself through the critical reflection, I have been able to investigate my process, my preferences, inspirations and my distinct personal style. Through this I have been able to strengthen my artistic identity and the artistic tools I use, bringing forth a more complete performer.

Short biography:
Sean Bell is a countertenor and performance artist from Oslo. His studies centre mainly on chamber and sacred music and opera, yet also includes a focus on new ideas and methods of interpreting classical and contemporary repertoire. Through sonic imaginations and arrangements, he explores this repertoire in new ways. This has led him to a series of collaborations and solo performances on the border line between classical music and performance art. Bell also works with contemporary music and has premiered several pieces for countertenor. He is an active improviser, plays baroque guitar and engages in instrument building and music electronics.
Research and Critical Edition of Capriccio Diabolico by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Authors: Eva Calvo López
Published: September 2024

In short, the proposed work consists in a critical edition of Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Capricho diabolico, backed up by previous research in which I compare the manuscript and Andrés Segovia's interpretative edition. As a result of the significant differences between the two, I propose a version that is faithful to the original work, but without overlooking the collaboration between the two musicians.
Flow, The Optimal Experience
Authors: Francesco Siri
Published: September 2024

In this research I would like to investigate the psychological aspect related to the practice of a musical instrument, going deeper into the experience of the flow state that the musician can live intensely. It is a state of mind of complete absorption in what one is doing.

The process started by reading and informing myself as much as possible through books, articles, and personal experience. Based on these I created a strategy of work and exercises that would help me to be more focused and inside the music both in my studies and especially in my performances.

I prepared two questionnaires to be filled in after the performances:

1) Personal Questionnaire

2) Group of critical friends

To check whether the strategy I had been using over the last few months was helping me to achieve my goal or not.

From the results of the two questionnaires until now, I can deduce the most effective and useful aspects of the strategy I implemented. It is also interesting to see how the suggestions of critical friends are similar to the "criticism" I made myself in the personal questionnaire.

Over the last few weeks while analysing my latest performances and the results of the questionnaires, I have realised an increase in pleasure in playing and concentration on the task to do, which was not always present before I started this work. I am quite convinced that whatever strategy you want to use, you need patience to see over time if it really works.
The extra dimension: exploring 3D use of the accordion bellows
Authors: Kaat Vanhaverbeke
Published: September 2024

In my search for extradimensionality in accordion playing, I have explored the three-dimensional use of the accordion bellows. This concerns moving the bellows forward or backwards at different angles, instead of typically maintaining a straight line. This research dives deeper into how the 3D bellows technique influences accordion music interpretations. A survey spread to accordion teachers worldwide made clear that this technique is quite unknown and undiscovered.

In 4 case studies, video recordings of musical interpretations were compared using a linear bellows concept versus using 3D bellows. After intensive reflection, benefits of the 3D bellows technique became clear. Firstly, it allows a better balance between the right and left-hand manual. Different frequencies and harmonics could be discovered through the 3D use of the bellows, which could lead to more resonance and timbre nuances. Furthermore, the technique enhances direction and phrasing in accordion music, reinforced by the visual perception of 3D bellows. However, the technique should be reviewed in different musical styles: in baroque compositions, for instance, the 3D movements are preferably less explicit. Considering some prerequisite skills, an important concern in the practice process has been when to apply 3D bellows.

The research suggests that 3D bellows can be included more explicitly in accordion practice and pedagogy today. It was found to be a useful tool to deepen musical interpretations and musical hearing in accordion students and professionals.
The German Bow in Tango Music
Authors: Maria Alejandra Bejarano Salazar
Published: September 2024

This artistic research compares French and German bow techniques in Tango music. I have been playing for a couple of years with a German bow when I play classical repertoire, and a French bow when I play tango. Considering that Tango has changed and added many things throughout its history, I wanted to investigate why the tradition of playing with a French bow is still extremely strong. So that is why the main question of this work is how to approach Tango music for double bass using a German bow technique? To answer this question I have been studying the method "The bass in tango" published by Tango sin fin, that approaches all of the elements from the perspective of the French bow. However, I have studied this using the German bow technique. I have found that you can play Tango with both techniques, but you cannot follow the same instructions to find the same results. This is mainly because of the anatomy of the bow. Additionally, because there is not a strong tradition outside of Argentina of typical orchestras or soloists that play beyond Piazzolla the tradition of playing with a French bow is still strong. After finishing this research, I would like to continue working on this subject through a new repertoire in a personal search to improve my performance as a tango player and then share this knowledge playing concerts or teaching with other double bass players.
Classic Expression: the effect of storytelling in a classical concert for children
Authors: Vivian de Graaff
Published: September 2024

The traditional way of classical concerts – i.e. a concert of 1,5 hour, no moving or making sounds, no interaction – is not the way to attract children to classical music. There are different inviting ways to interest children in a classical performance, for example with interaction, participation or storytelling. In this research we investigate if storytelling has an effect on children’s enthusiasm for classical music and their likeability of playing an instrument themselves. Furthermore, we assess if there is a relation between musical interest, engagement and/or emotional intensity during the concert. We do this by comparing a story-condition with a technical information-condition, in which the presenter talks about the instruments or the performance location. It is executed in the Classic Express, a concert truck in which laureates of the Prinses Christina Concours, a Dutch competition for young musicians, perform and present classical music for primary school classes. Children answer questions before, directly after and one week after the concert about how much they like the music, if they want to experience it again and if they are interested in playing a musical instrument themselves. The results can support musicians wanting to give engaging performances to children, improve the quality of concerts for this target audience and raise likeability of classical music in young generations.
An Investigation of Eastern Cultural Influences in the Classical Guitar Solo Repertoire.
Authors: Samrat Majumder
Published: September 2024

Can Eastern cultures become a more integral part of the classical guitar’s cultural identity through repertoire influenced by these cultures?

In this research exposition, I explore the ways in which cultural elements from Eastern cultures may inspire repertoire for the solo classical guitar. Through this repertoire, I shall examine how such cultural influences may promote Eastern cultures to performers and audiences of the classical guitar. In doing so, the cultural horizons of the classical guitar world may be broadened to represent a greater variety of cultures that also mirrors the growing global community of the classical guitar.

In Part I, I look at some of the pre-existing works that have been influenced by Eastern cultures including works by Toru Takemitsu; arrangements of popular and folkloric music from Eastern cultures; and original compositions that have influences from Eastern cultures. Part II deals with the ethics of cultural inspiration and looks at questions like: “How can we represent cultures authentically through music?”, “Is cultural appropriation ok?”. Finally, Part III presents an overview of the new repertoire specifically written for this research. This comprises of two arrangements of songs attributed to the Bengali polymath, Rabindranath Tagore, as well as a commissioned work with an Eastern cultural influence composed by Italian composer and classical guitarist, Marco Ramelli.

The findings of this research reveal the difficulty of assigning an objective answer to the issues surrounding cultural inspiration. I implore readers to approach this research with an open mind and hope that, at the very least, I can encourage the musical community to consider different types of questions concerning the use of cultural elements in art.
The art of the violin in Verdiales
Authors: María Estela Lastre Castillo
Published: September 2024

Verdiales is the traditional music from Málaga, Spain, which is little known even within Spain. This research places verdiales in its historical and musical context looking at: the differences between styles, rhythm and harmony, and, most importantly, the role of the violin in this music.
As the main instrument in verdiales, the violin is played in a very different way than in classical music, since it is spontaneous music with a great deal of freedom for improvisation, disseminated purely by oral transmission, and with a particular technique which is suited to playing only this music.
Through the deep learning of verdiales, I have looked for different resources to face my daily practice issues in order to gain more flexibility and freedom in my way of playing. After trying several exercises and approaches in different parts of my practice, I have been self- documenting and verifying the improvement and effectiveness of certain methods, taking into account different aspects such as bow hold, ornamentation, and improvisation. As a result, I came to the conclusion that in order to achieve different results, it is necessary for more exploration and extremely different methods than the ones I have been using when practicing the violin
Clarinet Pedagogy in Times of Change and Advancement: The Evolution of Amand Vanderhagen’s Méthode Nouvelle et Raisonnée pour La Clarinette
Authors: Noa Meshulam
Published: September 2024

Name: Noa Meshulam

Main Subject: Historical Clarinet

Research Supervisor: Wouter Verschuren

Research Title: Clarinet Pedagogy in Times of Change and Advancement: The Evolution of Amand Vanderhagen’s Méthode Nouvelle et Raisonnée pour La Clarinette

Research Questions:

• How are the changes in the clarinet’s design and playing techniques, musical aesthetics, and taste being manifested in Amand Vanderhagen’s method from the first to last edition (1785-1819)?

• Has Vanderhagen changed his pedagogical model in the 34 years that passed between his first book and his last? If any changes occurred, what were the factors that contributed to that?

Summary:

During the last decades of the eighteenth century, the field of clarinet pedagogy started to blossom and rapidly developed alongside the publishing of the first comprehensive methods for the instrument. The earliest amongst these important treatises, Méthode Nouvelle et Raisonnée pour La Clarinette, by Belgian-French clarinetist Amand Vanderhagen, was published in 1785.
Throughout his lifetime, Vanderhagen edited and republished his method twice after the initial edition; In 1799, the Nouvelle Méthode de Clarinette, and in 1819, the Nouvelle Méthode de Clarinette Moderne à Douze Clés.

In this research, I demonstrate the ways in which the development of the clarinet and the changes in the musical culture in Paris affected, contributed to, and inspired Vanderhagen to modify his pedagogical model. In addition, I examine the ways changing musical aesthetics and styles are manifested throughout the three methods. During the process, I got the impression that Vanderhagen was extremely sensitive and attentive to the changes in the musical scene, as well as the advancements in the clarinet culture in Paris. Hence, between his three methods, I could spot several interesting changes in his approach, particularly in topics like embouchure, exercises, embellishments, etc.

With this comparison, I aimed to draw attention to a different thread that focuses on Vanderhagen’s approach to clarinet pedagogy in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, and appreciate the ways in which the instrument’s evolution contributed to the development of the method and practice of teaching.

Biography:

Noa Meshulam is an Israeli-Portuguese clarinetist specializing in historically informed performance. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. During her bachelor studies, she participated in the Nazarian Excellence in Chamber Music Program and played with The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra on several occasions. After graduating she moved to the USA to pursue her master’s degree at Indiana University and was awarded scholarship and fellowship grants. There, she also started studying historical clarinet with Eric Hoeprich, with whom she continued her second master’s studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.
Hindemith’s Musical Enigmas Through the Eyes of Bach
Authors: Kaat Schraepen
Published: September 2024

Taking the audience on a journey is always an important goal of mine while performing. My research was created not only to add to my knowledge but more importantly to my performance and my connection to the audience. Throughout my research I uncover the enigma of Bach as an inspiration for Hindemith. What connects these two composers living 200 years apart? How do we connect the ‘new and modern’ to the ‘old and familiar’? Is Hindemith in fact 'Bach with a modern twist'? By discovering the similarities and differences between Bach’s 6th Cello Suite and Hindemith’s Solo Sonata Op.25 No.1, through background research and putting their structure and harmony in relation to each other, a new world of interpreting both composers opened up to me. The research makes my performance more involved but also allows me to take the listener by the hand, guiding them through this more ‘modern’ music by Hindemith and his contemporaries such as Max Reger, by accompanying his music with Bach, and accompanying the music with short metaphorical stories highlighting the composers' similarities as well as different approaches. Engaging the audience, allowing them to open their ears and view the music in a new light.
The process of vihuela intabulation of sacred music in 16th century Spain
Authors: Kateřina Maňáková
Published: September 2024

The process of vihuela intabulation of sacred music by Cristóbal de Morales, using examples contained in Orphénica Lyra by Miguel de Fuenllana and instructions by Juan de Bermudo.
The Voice in Arranging - Rethinking the role of vocalists in big bands and large ensembles
Authors: Giulia Bättig
Published: September 2024

This research explores how the voice can be used creatively in large ensembles and big
bands. It is structured in five parts, starting with an introduction explaining my interest and
personal connection to this topic. I then analyzed the work of composers and arrangers that
used vocalists in their large ensembles before me - for example Kenny Wheeler, John
Hollenbeck and Martin Fondse. There I looked at how they used vocalists in their works and
found that oftentimes, the voice still is used as a doubling part for the lead melody, but
seldomly is used as an independent part in the arrangements.
I then moved on to analyzing my own compositions I’ve written for a vocal section and large
ensemble. I saw that I unconsciously often used the same kind of arrangement style, and
drew a lot of conclusions for my future works out of this analysis. In part four, I compiled my
research of others and my own work into a small handbook of arranging tools for big band
and voice section. With this, I want to inspire other composers and arrangers to write for
vocalists in new and creative ways. After this, I concluded my research with a reflection and
conclusion in the last part.
In my presentation, I want to talk about my progress working with others and my own music,
and the conclusions I drew out of it, as well as showing some examples of my analysis and
the handbook I wrote.
Towards a forgotten language I implications of prelinguistic language and aphasia in my vocal works
Authors: Nikos Galenianos
Published: September 2024

Prelinguistic language and aphasia share common ground, both in theory as in practice. Approaching the two fields as a pool of information and even more as a metaphor for composing vocal – based music, opens up a new window of tools and potentials.
This paper is a collection of concepts, originating from prelinguistic language, aphasia and from my general vocal composition practice. Application examples are given from my own work, for each of these concepts. These concepts are gathered together into one diagram, which eventually questions whether the playful deconstruction that creators often look for is a step forward or backwards in time. Eventually, the paper questions the use of existing texts in composition under the scope of Jungian theory.
Embodied Bits
Authors: Pedro Latas
Published: September 2024

The Master research “Embodied Bits” concerns how trans-human, post-digital and post-internet ideas relate to my Queer experience. It is, in a nutshell, an ongoing research on how the technological world has spilled over into the biological world and how Queer folks are front and centre when it comes to taking advantage of technological developments in order to realise their identities.

The research question is “How do we perform ourselves in the digital realm?”. Though it started as a research on the practicalities and aesthetics of internet/networked-based performances it quickly opened a Pandora’s Box of social inquiry and analysis. Performing ourselves means performing ethnicity, gender, sexuality, cultural identity... There is an inevitability in drawing a direct connection between these topics and how do we, as singular and, paradoxically, plural human beings within ourselves engage with modern day technology. Through technology we are able to build ourselves, to draft new identities, to build again if they no longer suit our needs.

As an artistic research, “Embodied Bits” looks into how digital media has influenced human experience and focuses on the experiences of non-normative bodies and identities, in which I include my own. These topics are interlaced with my own compositional and performative work, always informed and inspired by the previously mentioned ideas and historical context.
Navigating in Overlaps: Redefining Performance Space as Multi-Space
Authors: Stijn Brinkman
Published: September 2024

In this study it is advocated to perceive performance space as overlapping multiple spatial layers, all existing in the same moment, but all with different boundaries. A triangle of performer, audience and surroundings creates performance space together as co-players by activating spatial layers and redrawing spatial boundaries. A new term is coined to better understand the unstable, moving nature of performance space: multi-space. To deal with the concept of multi-space in actual performances, the use of the verbs ‘navigate’ and ‘zoom in/out’ are advocated.

Embedded in this study is an exposition of the artistic projects of Stijn Brinkman, in which the concept of multi-space is tested as new tool to create performances with more exploration, agency, imagination, and movement. By finding a way for performers to disappear and to be present at the same time, the domination of walls and the domination of a performer's body (both apparent in many traditional performances) are challenged. The concepts of multi-space, navigate and zoom in/out stimulate audiences to engage more with their surroundings, while helping performers to shape their ideas always through site-specific processes.
New (old) Music - Intercontextual Compositional Methodologies
Authors: Martín Mayo
Published: September 2024

It would be more than reductive to say that art is not created in a vacuum. Simply said, all art exists in a context, and said context includes medium, genre, style, and idiom, amongst other things. In the realm of Western music, much insight has been given regarding quotation, and less so regarding subtler applications of stylistic, generic, and idiomatic thought in composition. So, if all music exists in a specific context, how can composers creatively account for context in their compositions? This research seeks to answer this question by outlining methodologies via analysis of relevant works. Given the background and musical focus of the researcher, this research predominantly focuses on musical works that adapt or interact with Latin-American folkloric music and traditions, with many works dealing specifically with Venezuelan and Cuban folklore.
Possible Connection between the Development of Executive Functions and Music Education According to the Kodály Concept
Authors: Orsolya Toldi
Published: September 2024

This research will focus on comparing tasks that are used to measure the development of executive functions (EFs) and musicianship exercises according to the Kodály concept in order to find analogies and functional intersections between them. EFs are essential for our mental and physical health, for school and job success. Since these skills can be improved and early EFs training might help reduce social disparities in academic achievement and health, pinpointing activities that could develop EFs has become an important research topic in psychology, neuroscience, and education in recent years.

The main direction of this research will be a close examination of the tasks used for measuring the three core components of EFs - inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory alongside musicianship exercises taken from Kodály methodological books and lesson observations that work in a similar way.

This study has found similarities between EF tasks and Kodály musicianship exercises in all the three core components of EFs. These findings could indicate that with Kodály’s music education approach we are not only practising musicianship exercises but we might challenge our EF skills as well. This research, therefore, could be a first step that leads to a more complex investigation into the potential positive impact of music education according to the Kodály Concept on EFs.
Double Bass Home Recordings
Authors: João Lucas
Published: September 2024

Name: João Pedro Almeida Lucas

Main Subject: Classical Double Bass

Research Supervisor: Margaret Urquhart

Title of Research: Double bass homemade recordings

Research Question: How to get the pure sound of the double bass in a homemade recording?

Summary of Results:

Often, musicians are required to send out a recording for a competition, an audition or simply for self-promotion. Unfortunately, not everybody can afford a studio and qualified technicians to have a good final result. However, nowadays, there is low budget equipment (microphones, sound cards, hand recorders, among others) that, when used in a proper way, can provide good results. Being fascinated by the recording and studio worlds, I began to take interest in this particular matter.
During the past year and a half, I have focused on recording bass players, with different approaches to the instrument and repertoire. There are some factors to take into consideration regarding my experiences: each player was using their own instrument; the recordings were made in different environments (except the ones used for comparison); the same mic settings were used, in order to make a more precise comparison between two different instruments; and all the recordings were made in solo context, with no other instruments involved. The focus was only on capturing the sound (without editing).
In conclusion, I believe that a double bass recording can improve significantly even with low cost equipment, when used in a proper way.
My main goal with this research was to gather my experiences and recommendations into an accessible guide for double bass home recordings.

Biography:

João Pedro Almeida Lucas began his double bass studies in 2006 with Romeu Santos at EPABI (Professional Music School of Beira Interior), Covilhã, Portugal. In 2011, João was invited by his current teacher, Quirijn van Regteren Altena to become his student at the Koninklijk Conservatorium. On 2013, João Participated in “KarrKamp”, a summer camp with the world leading soloist Gary Karr in Victoria, Canada. He is a member of Ciconia Consort Orkest, a string orchestra in The Hague; Salad Ensemble, improvised music project, in Portugal; João is a regular guest in The Residentie BachOrkest and in the Rietveld Ensemble.
The Power of Long Notes
Authors: Ida Vujović
Published: September 2024

Pedal points and drones are present in almost all musical genres and styles. Although they appear in a whole variety of ways, and can have very diverse effects, music analysis rarely pays attention to these differences. The reason is, perhaps, that there are no defined concepts that would provide vocabulary to both describe and understand the power of sustained notes. My first research question addresses the ‘working’ of pedals and drones:
How can we explain the perceptual difference among instances of pedal tones and drones?
In searching for the right perspective to tackle this question I have come to two concepts that inspired the further research. The first is the concept of expectation. It is mostly promoted by the writings of Leonard B. Meyer (in the more recent time it is researched and developed by others), which I take as conceptual frame. The second is the concept of interactions that defines and organizes the musical events. The inspiration for the latter came from the social studies. The two concepts are interrelated: the expectation is a product of interactions of musical elements, and the expectations are also involved in interactions, thereby influencing the perception and understanding of a musical piece. My following research questions are:
Could the concept of musical expectation and the concept of interaction help explain the power of long notes? If yes, in which ways can these processes influence the perception of pedals and drones?
In the process of research, I have concluded that there are several categories of pedals/drones that are not labeled in music theory but are recognizable by many music theorists and musicians. Pointing at these categories and defining them could provide us with more words in pedal/drone-vocabulary. On the other hand, in case these models are recognizable as such, they have the potential to engage in various interactions with the other musical events in the piece, influencing the listener’s understanding of it. From this perspective, it is relevant to examine them. The current research aims at pointing at a number of such models. To define them, I have used the concepts of expectations and interactions. Music analysis of the chosen models and a number of musical fragments are so presenting the practical application of my theoretical research.
Violin education in middle childhood
Authors: Koosje van Haeringen
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Title of Research:
Violin education in middle childhood.

Research Question:
How can an optimal musical and violinistic development be achieved in the teaching of children in middle childhood?
Summary of Results:
In middle childhood (7-11/12 years) enter a new phase in the development of their cognitive functions, their motor skills and social behaviour. In this research I investigate how these developments should be understood from the perspective of violin teaching to children in this age group and how these developments can be used by the teacher to the benefit of their education to become all-round violinists and musicians.
For this research I studied the relevant literature in the field of development psychology and the training of young talents and I compared the scholarly theories and insights with my personal experience as a violin and violin methodology teacher of more than 20 years.
In this thesis I describe the great potential that violin teaching to children in middle childhood offers, provided that the teacher has a good understanding of the learning process of the child, a clear vision and long-term strategy for the teaching and tremendous patience. Central elements of this vision should be a clear overview and balanced approach of all the different elements that make an expert violinist and all-round musician, the flexibility to respond and adapt to the specific abilities and needs of each individual pupil and an approach that fully involves the child in his/her own learning process.
The art of auditioning
Authors: Janet Krause
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT
Main subject: Violin
Research Supervisors: Kathryn Cok
Martine van der Loo
Title of Research: The Art of Auditioning
Research Question: What aspects should be considered in preparation for a successful violin audition?
Summary of Results:
An orchestral audition, and specifically to this paper, a violin audition, is possibly the least musically satisfying experience of one’s life. However, it is a necessary part of the path leading to a fulfilling life as an orchestral musician. The preparation for an audition certainly has specific aspects which need to be considered. This paper discusses these aspects, based in large part on my experiences as a Principal in The Hague Philharmonic and as a committee member at auditions for many years. As a violin and chamber music teacher as well as the teacher of the orchestral classes at the conservatoires in The Hague and Amsterdam, I have collected a wealth of experience training students to be successful at auditions. Besides the aspects of how to apply for an orchestral audition, which repertoire needs to be prepared, (including many orchestral excerpts which I have bowed and provided with fingerings myself), how to prepare effectively and what to expect on the actual audition day, there is a large section devoted to the research I have performed concerning mental and physical preparation. Developing mental skills to withstand the stress associated with auditions is an important part of audition preparation. Finally, I have researched, by means of a series of questions online and live and Skype interviews, how experts and candidates experience auditions. This has put me in contact with leaders of orchestras from around the world. How the two groups have responded to similar questions has put me in the position to draw some conclusions as to what committees expect at auditions and how this differs from the candidates’ viewpoints. In analyzing this research, and recognizing similarities in what I written from my own research and personal experience, I am able to draw some conclusions and make recommendations about how candidates could prepare better and be more successful at auditions.
Biography:
Janet Krause is Principal Second Violinist in The Hague Philharmonic and also a violin, chamber music and orchestral studies teacher at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She is also teaching orchestral studies at the Conservatoire in Amsterdam. Born in Canada, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Toronto, having studied with Lorand Fenyves. Moving to the Netherlands, she completed her solo-diploma at the Conservatory in Amsterdam, studying with Davina van Wely. She was a member of the Salzburger Solisten for many years and. primarius of the Dufy Quartet. Presently she is also Principal of the Solistes Européens in Luxembourg.
La trompa de la salsa: the role of the French Horn in Afro-Cuban music
Authors: Ana Muñoz Koniarska
Published: September 2024

Discovering Afro-Cuban music as a classical musician was an outstanding moment in my career. Realizing how unusual it is for French Horns to be involved in this style inspired me to start this research and further develop my skills.

Even though it is usual to find trombones and trumpets in Afro-Cuban music ensembles, it is challenging to find examples with French Horn players. Currently, the most successful horn player in this genre is Sarah Willis, who fell in love with Cuban rhythms and decided to share them by creating innovative albums.

The methodology of this research includes a literature review of existing works related to Afro-Cuban music, interviews with experienced players in this field, and practical demonstrations in video form. The theoretical framework provides a brief review of Afro-Cuban music from its origins until today, paying special attention to the practically non-existent presence of French Horn players in this field. The practical framework collects data on the challenges that a classical French Horn player may encounter when playing this music and offers possible solutions.

As a result of this study, I now have a better understanding of this style and why the horn is not usually included in it. Also, having the experience of playing Afro-Cuban music as a classical musician has clarified the differences and difficulties of approaching this music but more so how it can nourish my musical practice with new skills.

The chosen format of presentation will be a public exposition of the results of the research.
The characters of the flute. A performer’s exploration of the dramatic roles of the baroque flute
Authors: Maria Florencia Gomez
Published: September 2024

Before the flute's ascension to rival the violin and harpsichord in repertoire and expressive character, its first defined soloistic role emanated from music in the reign of Louis XIV.
Iconography and collections of allegories, circulated in Europe since Cesare Ripa's Iconologia´s first edition in 1590, depicted the flute with two distinct figures. In the first, the flute symbolises the sweetening of the human voice in vital persuasion, while the second related to the art of pleasing.
These artistic representations influenced the composer's choices for the flute, from keys and tempi to specific technical requirements. It must follow, then, that there is a strong link between the dramatic or allegoric content of the pieces in question and the technical and expressive identity of the late Sixteenth Century and early Eighteenth Century flute.
This paper addresses this phenomenon through the French Cantate, with a primary focus on A. Camprá and N. Clérambault, in addition to further context of stylistic influence in subsequent compositions.
Chordal Continuo Realization on the Violoncello: A look at the practice of chordal accompaniment by cellists over the course of two centuries, with a focus on recitative accompaniment practices between 1774 and 1832
Authors: Eva Lymenstull
Published: September 2024

Name: Eva Lymenstull
Main Subject: Baroque Cello Research Coach: Johannes Boer
Title of Research: Chordal Continuo Realization on the Violoncello: A look at the practice of chordal accompaniment by cellists over the course of two centuries, with a focus on recitative accompaniment practices between 1774 and 1832
Research Question:
What was the practice of chordal continuo realization by cellists in the eighteenth century? What historical precedence exists, in what musical contexts would the practice be used, and how does this realization sound when used in performance?
Summary of Results:
The cello was used as a continuo instrument from the earliest days of basso continuo through the early nineteenth century. In addition to the cello being used as a single-voice continuo instrument, evidence exists that some cellists realized their continuo lines, creating multi-voice chordal accompaniments. Accounts of performances in which cellists played chordal continuo realizations exist, though very sporadically, ranging from 1657 to 1834. Despite arguments from a number of scholars and performers that the use of chordal continuo realizations by cellists was widespread during the eighteenth century, there is insufficient evidence, much of which is highly circumstantial, that the practice was common before 1774. Several treatises were published between 1774 and 1834, however, that give clear and detailed instructions, including examples of execution, for the use of chordal continuo realizations on the cello in secco recitatives in opera. The use of this practice at that time sheds an interesting light on the role of the cello, the development of cello technique, and about the virtuosity required for this type of accompaniment. The presentation will include a discussion of the various sides of the debate over chordal continuo practices in the Baroque, live demonstrations by myself and colleagues of the chordal recitative techniques outlined in the treatises I have examined, and a power point presentation.
“Invocación y Danza – Homenaje a Manuel de Falla” - a new light on the piece brought by the manuscript.
Authors: João Diogo Rosas Leitão
Published: September 2024

Name: João Diogo Rosas Leitão
Main Subject: Guitar
Research Coach: Enno Voorhorst
Title of Research: “Invocación y Danza – Homenaje a Manuel de Falla” - a new light on the piece brought by the manuscript
Research Question:
How to deal with the different editions and solve the problems in the manuscript in order to get a playable and faithful version of “Invocación y Danza – Homenaje a Manuel de Falla” by Joaquin Rodrigo?
Research Process:
Two main topics were focused on in my research:
An understanding of Joaquin Rodrigo's life, both personal and musical, focusing on his relationship with the guitar and the details behind the composing process of “Invocación y Danza” and the appearance of the manuscript. A comparison of the different editions of the score and the manuscript, noticing where each one of them differs from the other and how and trying out the different possibilities and solutions for each problematic spot.
Summary of Results:
Although I could not prove without a doubt that the manuscript available is the one that was sent for the Paris competition, I gathered strong evidence that can support this theory.
With this manuscript we can see that some of the original ideas are actually not possible to play in the guitar, since Rodrigo did not play the guitar, and there are some doubts regarding the handwriting and the fact that it was a handmade copy made in a hurry. Apparently this manuscript disappeared after the first edition and all the following editions, that were trying to solve some of the doubts and difficult passages of the piece, were based on that same first edition.
By comparing all the different details in each score and by creating and trying out new options and solutions I managed to make a new edition that is a compromise between the original idea and musical intention from the manuscript and a technically comfortable and playable score.
Intentional Listening
Authors: Rachel	Mills
Published: September 2024

Name: Rachel Mills  Main

Subject: Classical Cello  Research

Supervisor: Stefan Petrovic  

Title of Research: Intentional Listening  

Research Question:
How does listening to recordings while learning a piece affect one’s artistic interpretation?  Summary of

Results: 
Since beginning my masters, I have been intrigued with the concept of finding personal interpretations for the pieces I play. However, I found that when confronted with a standard take on a piece, I would doubt the legitimacy and usefulness of my own ideas. As a result, my research aimed to discover ways for myself and other studying musicians to find individuality in their music. Because the ease of access to recordings is such an important influence for musicians, this research focuses on how students can refer to recordings without allowing them to override personal creativity. The resulting research emphasizes the importance of intention, both in consulting recordings and in creating takes that one believes in. I have identified five ways to use recordings to help one determine a reason for consulting them. In addition, I have discovered a process of recording myself and intentionally listening to these recordings with a focus on my interpretation’s effectiveness. It is my hope that these processes will also work as a suggestion for other advance music students working towards discovering their artistic identity.  

Biography: 
Rachel Mills is pursuing a master degree at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague where she studies with Jan Ype Nota and Michel Strauss. A native of New York State, she received her bachelors from Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio under Amir Eldan. While at Oberlin, Mills performed both as a soloist and with her quartet on multiple honors recitals and collaborated on recording projects with the Contemporary Music Ensemble, Oberlin Orchestra, and Sinfoniette. She has frequently sat principle cellist in student ensembles, including the New York State All-State Orchestra and on the Oberlin Orchestra’s most recent tour to Chicago’s Symphony Center.  Mills has also participated in advanced and fellowship chamber music programs across the United States. In addition to her studies, Mills is passionate about finding ways to inspire young people to engage with classical music. In doing so, she thrice traveled to Panama to teach and perform in connection with the National Music Association there.
Entwine – finding music within a poem.
Authors: Natasza Kurek
Published: September 2024

Entwine – finding music within a poem.
Exploring musical interpretations of Japanese Tanka by Yosano Akiko

What can be the contemporary musical expressions of tanka poetry from a standpoint of an improvising jazz vocalist?
What are the elements that constitute tanka’s character and can they trigger a vocal inspiration?
What could be the place of Japanese poetry within other artistic disciplines?

In my research I have explored Japanese aesthetic sensibilities and have tried to find their translations into my own musical experimentation.

After initial study of the relevant literature and listening to the existing works of both classical Japanese music and Western contemporary compositions influenced by the Japanese arts, I have proceeded with my own vocal- instrumental Sketches in which I have experimented with improvised and written music. My source material was tanka of an early 20th century poet Yosano Akiko.

The improvisations and compositional sketches are based on some specifically chosen elements: the imagery and meaning of the tanka poem, layered Ukiyo-e printing technique, sound associations derived from the paintings, Japanese language sonority, Japanese scales and harmony used in the traditional gagaku ensemble and other inspirations.

The final research document contains audio examples of the recordings that led to the final audio-visual presentation and an extensive paper documenting the process of discovery.
Understanding Classical and Early Romantic Dynamics 1750-1830
Authors: Bart van Oort
Published: September 2024

In eighteenth century scores, dynamics were notated almost exclusively in a general way. The dynamics belonging to the melancholy or passionate development of a musical phrase or the minimal dynamical differences between a dissonant and a consonant in (for instance) a Mozart Adagio or a Chopin Nocturne are so subtle that it is even better to not notate anything. The deepest utterances of both the composer's and the pianist's soul cannot be caught in any notation.

However, in my opinion many of the notated dynamical indications are not fully understood or mis-interpreted. At the same time, implied dynamics can be found (while today often not realized) in virtually every musical phrase.

In this research project I have investigated classical dynamics, focusing on the local function of forte and piano, on crescendos and diminuendos, the influence of harmony, the dissonance-consonance resolution, the relative meaning of ff, the dynamics of high notes, and other factors, such as the density of the notation, the direction of the melody, the register of the phrase and the character of the work.

This research is part of a larger research project on the nature of the classical language, addressing dynamics, rubato and phrasing.
Intention-based Piano Pedagogy
Authors: Bastiaan van der Waals
Published: September 2024

This research focuses on the guidance of students of piano methodology ("piano pedagogy") in acquiring didactic skills. More specifically, it aims to support them in understanding and applying research-based educational principles in their internship lessons.

Recent scientific research on motor control and motor skill learning offers opportunities for evaluating current practices in piano pedagogy and coming up with innovative teaching approaches. Based on an extensive review of research results, I have formulated educational principles for achieving pianistic quality. I argue that mental auditory representations of intended musical outcomes ("musical intentions") iniate and steer musical motor control processes. Furthermore, I have summarized several research-supported teaching strategies that promote motor skill learning and presented examples of their practical application in piano pedagogy.

I have applied several interventions aimed at enhancing conveyance of these educational principles to students of piano methodology. In the first place, I have created extensive study materials (booklets, videos, slide presentations) that both explain and show practical applications of these principles in piano pedagogy. Furthermore, I have introduced peer-to-peer learning: students observe and evaluate their own and each other's internship lessons.

Results of this research show that further improvement of the methodology course is required in order to achieve its goals. Both the study material and the peer-learning opportunities have shown to be valuable additions. However, students still exhibit a lack of creativity in finding relevant teaching strategies within their internship lessons. I have formulated several additional interventions for further improvement.
La Courante Françoise. Historically Informed Performance of the French Courante For Harpsichord During the Second Half of the Seventeenth Century Following the Criteria Obtained From the Baroque Dance
Authors: Diego Ruenes Rubiales
Published: September 2024

Research Question:
How can the knowledge and practice of Baroque Dance improve our performances of Courantes in the Harpsichord?