Plastic Extension of Music

This doctoral thesis in artistic research explores new methods to perform score-based Western art music, based on a transgeneric interpretation by the performer of the score.

The project, Plastic Extension of Music, is a response to the need for extending the artistic significance of the performer of score-based music, based on a creative criticism of a tradition that imposes a perpetual and canonical model of performance on performers. This is a model that has been decaying with the development of digital reproduction and the continuous socio-economic challenges that are described in the thesis.

The exploration started by investigating the performer’s plasticity in connection with the music score. This intervention in traditional performance, triggered a poietical phase to imagine new ways to perform music in space instead of time. It is through the employment and manufacture of materials from different disciplines that these new performances in the form of metaphorical containers emerge as installations, paintings, drawings, sculptures and video works.

The aim of the project was to explore how Plastic Extension of Music can be shared, to contribute to and extend the field of music performance by providing a new artistic identity to the performer, and to investigate how this practice can be employed across diverse communities in society.

The research trajectory of the project started from its concept and practice, resulting in the creation of six Plastic Extensions. This was followed by a workshop where the practice was turned into a shareable method for other musicians. Finally, it was applied as a concept for the design of two artistic research tools: a workshop for the visually impaired and blind, and an idea for a new musical toy.

This artistic research project is a first stepping stone towards a new practice. This is a practice issued from tradition that will allow the score-based music performer to rethink the potential that resides in the performative body of score-based music, and to consider it as a creative tool for new and heterogeneous music performances.