dc.contributor.advisor |
Manins, Roger |
|
dc.contributor.advisor |
November, Nancy |
|
dc.contributor.author |
Baxendale, Jake |
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2022-05-24T01:20:47Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2022-05-24T01:20:47Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2021 |
en |
dc.identifier.uri |
https://hdl.handle.net/2292/59479 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
“...that’s my way of preparation - to not be prepared. And that takes a lot of preparation!” - Lee
Konitz
What does it mean to prepare to be unprepared? Lee Konitz’s deft paradox represents a
challenge to the improviser: how can one practice and prepare for improvising, while
simultaneously aspiring to spontaneity, newness and the unexpected in its performance? This
thesis describes my attempt to resolve this central tension within my own practice.
Coming from my position as a jazz improviser in Aotearoa, my research builds on ideas from
other New Zealand and Australian artist researchers1 who have identified the need to develop
personal, reflexive, and deliberate practice techniques to answer this question. I offer that
“language” and “vocabulary”, common and useful metaphors within musical improvisation, can
be practiced, learned and applied in ways that don’t inhibit spontaneity in performance, but
enhance it. I propose that “striking moments”–especially engaging musical statements
discovered during improvisation itself–can act as the genesis of new musical material to adopt
into and adapt for an improvising vocabulary.
I show how action research methods can be used to inform an iterative process designed to
change my practice, and build a framework for analysis, reflection and revision. I use a
combination of autoethnographic writing in the form of a reflective journal and informal
interviews and focus groups with peers to gather insights into how my developing practice
method interacts with multifaceted and oftentimes contradictory ideas around personal voice,
embodiment, flow, spontaneity, and musical conversation.
I present a small lexicon of tools, techniques and concepts discovered through eight months of
iterative practice using this method, and offer some ideas on how it could develop in the future. |
|
dc.publisher |
ResearchSpace@Auckland |
en |
dc.relation.ispartof |
Masters Thesis - University of Auckland |
en |
dc.relation.isreferencedby |
UoA |
en |
dc.rights |
Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. |
|
dc.rights.uri |
https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm |
en |
dc.title |
Striking Moments: Developing a Flexible Vocabulary for Improvising Using Action Research |
|
dc.type |
Thesis |
en |
thesis.degree.discipline |
Music |
|
thesis.degree.grantor |
The University of Auckland |
en |
thesis.degree.level |
Masters |
en |
dc.date.updated |
2021-11-18T03:02:02Z |
|
dc.rights.holder |
Copyright: the author |
en |
dc.rights.accessrights |
http://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess |
en |