A Little Suite For Christmas, A.D.1979 for solo piano by George Crumb: a performance designed after Laban's system.

• Grant number: 13/04140-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: September 02, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Music
• Principal Investigator: Jônatas Manzolli
• Grantee: Vânia Eger Pontes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Artes (IA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 15/11544-7 - A development of a framework to interpretative analysis, movement and sound communication, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

This research project advances the Laban System of movement organization as subsidy for designing a performance of A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 for piano solo by George Crumb. This piece requires extended techniques, so that, when playing it, the performer must move his or her upper body and arms so as to reach inside the piano. Depending on the size of the instrument, some passages may even require that the performer be standing. In order to assess the extent to which the Laban System may contribute to the development of the performer's body awareness, also regarding ergonomic aspects, the research shall follow two main methodological procedures: 1) employment of Laban Movement Analysis to the piece in order to identify, describe, and discuss the quality of the movements carried out during performance and the aspects underlying body training, and 2) application of Labanotation to passages of the piece that require extended techniques. With such a framework, supported by the notation system advanced by Laban and its legacy, the research will design body awareness exercises for the practice and training of the movements carried out in the performance of extended techniques in the Crumb piece -- exercises which may foster movement training and improvement in the performer, as well as increase his or her expressive movement range. It is hoped that the research contribute to the deftness and body awareness of piano performers in their physical and cognitive aspects, and that it promote research on expressive and creative bodily movement in the arts.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PONTES, Vânia Eger. Movement trajectories in the performance of piano extended techniques. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Artes Campinas, SP.