Modernizing European Higher Music Education Through Improvisation

Exercises

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  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

Karst de Jong

Cantus Firmus: growing and shrinking melodies

The ensemble creates one by one a growing melody, then plays backwards until the beginning note returns
  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

Karst de Jong

Cantus Firmus: variations

Further variations on the growing and shrinking melodies. Canons and solos.
  • Large Ensemble
  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

Yves Senden

How to improvise with minimal techniques

Minimal techniques are used both to provide structure and to allow freedom, within a framework.
  • Large Ensemble
  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

Yves Senden

How to integrate Messiaen's techniques into an improvisation

The musicians are informed about Messiaen's use of modes, rhythms and structural aspects. All these elements are trained in a systematical way, after which they can be applied in a final improvisation.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 1 - Classical structure - periodic phrase

Improvising with Classical structures
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

Karst de Jong

Improvising Canons

This exercise is for two players, one leader and one follower. The leader improvises a melody, which the follower plays in time exactly one bar later, like a canon.
  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

David Dolan

Series 2 - Ensemble improvisations, from baroque style to tonally free

Improvisations from Baroque style to tonally free
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

Karst de Jong

Variations on the Canon exercise

This exercise is a variation on exercise 3, with multiple followers. The leader improvises a melody, which the followers play at any time-interval agreed upon, like a canon.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 1, Ex. 4 - Enhancing active listening in chamber music

  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

David Dolan

Series 1, Ex. 3 - Trio tonal improvisations in classical structure

Trio tonal improvisations in classical structure.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Solo Instrument Specific

Bert Mooiman

Tonal duo improvisation

Free duo improvisation (violin / piano) in a romantic idiom.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 1, Ex. 2 - Classical structure - periodic phrase

Blind Date: following changing harmonic progressions with melodical instrument.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 3, Part 1 - Feeling at home within a structure

Applying an improvisational approach to chamber music repertoire performance.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Solo Instrument Specific

Bert Mooiman

Improvising melodies on a chord progression

Exercise in which improvising a melody on a repetitive tonal chord progression is developed step by step. The exercise needs at least one ‘soloist’ and one ‘accompanist’.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 3, Part 2 - Connecting further with the structure’s expressive power

Keeping the original structure tonally-free.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 1, Ex. 5 - Classical structure - Tonally free

  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

David Dolan

Series 2, Ex. 2 - Trio musical mind-reading

  • Small Ensemble
  • Tonal/Classical

David Dolan

Series 2 Ex. 3 - Tonally-free, Classical structures: string quartet, voice and piano

  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 3, Part 1- Ex. 1.2: Feeling at home within a structure (step 2)

Applying Improvisational approach to chamber music repertoire performance (step 2).
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan | Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London

Series 3; Part 1; Exercise. 3 - Feeling at home within a structure step 3

Combining full text with reduction.
  • Tonal/Classical
  • Small Ensemble

David Dolan

Series 3; Part 1; Exercise. 4 - Feeling at home within a structure step 4

Giving-up eye-contact.