To Örebro University

The artistic research project "Expanding horizons" focuses on the intersection of improvisation and 20th century classical music. The objective is to contribute with knowledge on how musicians can employ this repertoire in musical improvisation and how this encounter can contribute to the expansion of their musical vocabulary. Through the creation of musical arrangements and compositions, with constellations ranging from duos to big band, the project sets out to answer to following the research questions: • What improvisational strategies are involved when musicians approach repertoire from 20th century classical music? • How do improvisers navigate and negotiate the musical languages of composers such as Hindemith, Tailleferre and Takemitsu?  • In what ways can these encounters serve as ways for improvisers to expand their musical vocabulary?

The musical work is carried out through iterative processes, similar to action research, where the created material is revisited, reflected upon, revised and reimagined for the different constellations. These processes also involve qualitative methods such as autoethnography, semi-structured interviews and stimulated recall, generating data that contributes to knowledge from a practitioner perspective as well as informing the subsequent work. The repertoire in question is mainly taken from the first half of the 20th century, a period when improvisation was generally absent from the practice of classical performers, with music from composers whose works are rarely – if ever – performed in situations with improvisations, composers such as Paul Hindemith, Henri Dutilleux and Tōru Takemitsu. The project also highlights compositions by female composers such as Lili Boulanger, Germaine Tailleferre and Ruth Crawford, music makers that often found themselves working in the shadow of their male counterparts.

Beyond outlining the project and its methods, the presentation showcases models for how the project's insights are disseminated across varied contexts, including artistic communities and music education environments, and how these processes can provide new perspectives, understandings, and even valuable material for the artistic result. One of the questions for the final phase of the work is: how can the insights and artistic results of the project contribute to the artistic practice of other performers?