The co-composition pendulum: Reevaluating the composer-performer relationship

The accordion is a relatively new instrument in contemporary music. Consequently, composers can rely on little literature to understand the mechanic and sonic possibilities of the accordion. Moreover, the existing repertoire for accordion is very small. Therefore, as the researcher has experienced, collaborations with composers are strongly characterized by a close relationship between composer and performer whereby the performer often takes an active role in the creation of musical material.
There are many misconceptions circulating about how musical works are composed. In the classical musical tradition, the final work is usually attached to the name of the composer but experience shows that it is usually the result of co-creation between the (intended) performer and the composer, especially in the primary phase where raw sonic material is developed that serves as a breeding ground for the rest of the creation process.
This PhD research by Luca Piovesan aims to pry open the proverbial cracks in general opinion by further obscuring the accordion’s operation from the composer, including through the use of an array of electronic sound shapers. With this personalized instrument, the researcher will set up new collaborations with composers and analyze the results of the co-creative processes with the theoretical tools of semiotic and historical analysis.