Pathways to Shaping the Future Stage for Classical Musicians

The project explores ways to develop the future of the classical music scene. The motivation is societal; it is about changing conditions. The three decades 1990-2020 represent a period characterized by major changes in terms of the supply of "scenes" for the classically trained instrumentalist/solist. From having established symphony orchestras and chamber orchestras as the primary buyers of conservatory classical instrumentalists and thus a standard for the repertoire requirements that an advanced postgraduate diploma from a music conservatory must meet, the diversity of possible "scenes" has increased and the genre concepts have expanded. At the same time, the number of permanent musician positions has decreased due to orchestra closures. The classical musician in 2020 is increasingly involved in interdisciplinary projects, for example with performing artists and musicians from other genres, works on freelance terms and will in many contexts be faced with demands:

- To be "on stage" rather than being an invisible player,

- To be a co-creator,

- To be part of new interdisciplinary contexts,

- being able to use your core repertoire for new audiences.

Expanding both the artistic content and the contexts in which it can be included places new demands on both musicians and educational institutions. Classical solo core repertoire is increasingly being played in new contexts and costumes. One of the project's theses is that there is still great, untapped potential in the core repertoire, if the musician is willing to explore other approaches to it.

CLASSICAL IMPROVISATION
This builds on the experiences from the maturation project and the practice of pianist and professor David Dolan (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), among others. The method is used for compositional processing by coupling it with 'MUSIC ON MUSIC'. Described at kuv-genkomst.dk

COMPOSITION OF "MUSIC ON MUSIC"
A methodical approach where you take a classical work, rewrite the music into a new work and synthesize selected sections from it. New music is then composed/improvised over chordal/sound and rhythmic structures in selected sections of the new work. This provides new approaches and objects to practice in relation to rehearsing the original work, and in this process you also need to work collectively.

Examples of existing 'Music on Music':

Igor Stravinsky Suite Italienne for violin and piano, 1933 (transformation of Pergolesi sonata for 2 vln & cont. in G).

Kuno Kjærbye: Kompositoriske Smuler for baritone, clarinet, violin and piano (musical interpretation of Søren Kierkegaard's 'Philosofiske Smuler' with transformed music by Mozart) 2013 - http://kunokjaerbye.dk/project/kompositoriske-smuler/

Christian Jost: Dichterliebe 2017-18 (rewriting Schumann's song cycle Dichterliebe) https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/jost-schumann-dichterliebe

DRAMATIZATION THROUGH EXPLORATION OF THE INBOUND TEXT OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
An innovative approach that the project develops by building on phenomenological approaches to the rehearsal and interpretation of classical, canonized instrumental works and adding elements of dramaturgical work. A kind of decoding "reading" of underlying layers in instrumental music, which in the process is added to the musician's own words as well as poem quotes. Such co-creative elements are expected to strengthen the acquisition process, for the benefit of both the musician's concert activities and participation in interdisciplinary productions.

CHOREOGRAPHING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC'S INBOUND MOVEMENTS AND NARRATIVE
As a parallel to dramatization through words, the close relationship between music and dance is worked with here. This is also an innovative approach in the programme for classical musicians, while "reading" the embedded movement language and underlying narrative is part of classical ballet and modern dance.
In the present, reference can be made to Hamburger Ballet's chief choreographer since 1973 John Neumeier, who has created iconic ballets set to classical music, to choreographer Kim Brandstrup, whose creative work is based on the synergy between dance and music, and to choreographer Tim Rushton, whose performances are generally inspired by music and aim for holistic experiences.

FREE IMPROVISATION
This project builds on experiences from Arne Balk-Møller's previous project "Genkomst" and the practice developed by composer and cellist Alfred Zimmerlin, professor of free improvisation at FHNW Hochschule für Musik, Basel.

Phase 1: "Music on music" - Schubert's "Sei mir gegrüsst"
Schubert's lied for voice and piano and his own variation on it (3rd movement from Fantasy in C for vl and klv) are transformed into a new work as "music on music" for sinfonietta including singers.

Phase 2: "Chamber music as stage" - Andantino as chamber play
3.The 3rd movement "Andantino" from Schubert's Sonata in A is subjected to three transformations for 2 singers, violin and piano; as "Lied", where Schubert's instrumental movement is attributed to the libretto method, so that the underlying "text" of the music is decoded via phenomenological analysis, as a dramatization of the libretto prepared in connection with the Lied transformation, and as a choreographed movement, where work is done with the music's inherent movements and with body awareness as 'choreographed solo violinist on stage'.

Phase 3: "The Old and the New Viennese School" - the return of a circle of works
As a summary of the overall project, Arne Balk-Mæller, in collaboration with pianist Christina Bjørkøe, explores canonized classical works that represent the essence of 'The Old and the New Viennese School' (ca 1770-1830 and ca 1900-30 respectively). The aim is to bring contemporary approaches to the re-emergence of a body of work through transformative creative processes.