Composition and Experimental Performance
The Western聽classical聽composer of the 20th and 21st聽centuries has largely relied on the services of institutionalised orchestras, opera houses, and ensembles for commissions, realisations and performances of their work.
Whilst the opportunities聽offered by such institutions聽undoubtedly聽provide聽a platform for the work of many composers,聽arguably these platforms also apply negative constraints to the creative process, impede experimentation and result in聽stagnation聽and聽a predictable status quo.聽
Furthermore, cultural changes, such as cuts in public art funding and a general shift聽away from performing new music in institutionalised orchestras and ensembles, demand the creation of alternative pathways for composers working today.
This cluster consists of researchers who choose to reject聽this traditional model in favour of a different, more personalised vehicle for the development of their art. Examples聽include the composer-led ensemble, the composer as performer,聽or the composer as interdisciplinary practitioner. These and other alternative approaches聽result in distinctive and original聽work that would be otherwise unimaginable.
At聽Royal 探花直播聽Conservatoire Composition and Experimental Performance Cluster (CEP) we explore, examine and document the potential, difference and impact of work which is realised through alternative and more independently mediated creative processes.
Research concerns and issues:
- Alternatives to the traditional concert hall
- Queerness in/Queering of contemporary music performance
- Control of dissemination of our works (e.g. through our own label, 探花直播 Record Company)
- Intersections of sport and music
- Experimental interdisciplinary approaches
- Post-genre composition
- Composer-led collectives
- The composer-as-performer
- Composition with minimal means
- Community engagement as artistic practice
People:
- Professor Joe Cutler (Cluster lead)
- Professor Michael Wolters (Cluster lead)
- Dr Ed Bennett
- Dr Kirsty Devaney
- Dr Bobbie-Jane Gardner
- Dr Simon Hall
- Dr Andrew Hamilton
- Dr Edmund Hunt