Question: What do you think is the future for your project?

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Answer: For me, the future of my artistic research has two directions. 

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• Academic direction

• Artistic direction

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If I start with the academic direction, a PhD makes me a more suited candidate to obtain a position at a university or a music conservatory.  I have not been concerned about getting a job like this earlier, but if the right job shows up, this might be an option. The reflections about my work have given me a broader knowledge of several subjects; subjects like general art reflection, composition, and music history, especially related to how we in the west have used non-western cultures as inspiration. 

My work with this research has also given me valuable insight into in-depth concept focus, and through this focus, cultivating the essence of what I want to achieve. What is "the core" of the project? "The core" is how I respond to the inspiration from gamelan and how this made me create music. The part of the reflection that made the most significant impact was concerning how we, as artists, treat other cultures. I never thought my research did something wrong in terms of dis-respectfulness or inappropriate use of the gamelan culture. This reflection gave me the confidence to open up my artistic work with a more contemporary approach. Through investigating the field of contemporary gamelan music, made by Indonesian and western, I discovered similar strategies. I had earlier felt locked inside this "don't do this/do this!" context, which for me is not a positive starting point to create art. The vital learning has been to examine all part included in the project, and, when needed, look at the negative sides. Because of this reflection, it has been necessary to say something about "orientalism", "cultural appropriation" and "exotism". So I encourage everybody who works with a culture that is not a part of their adolescence to ask why they are doing this. For me, it doesn't matter if its folk music from your own culture or a non-western culture. Ask yourself questions from different perspectives.

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1. What does this culture mean to you, and why is working with this culture essential for your art?

2. By working with this culture, can you bring something new to yourself and in a bigger perspective, to the world?

3. Do you through your work respect this culture?

 

Hopefully, my art and reflection about my art, and my thought related to working with a non-western culture, answer all these questions positively.

 

But for me, it is more interesting to look at the different possibilities my artistic work in this project has in the future. 

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If I start with the first project, the "Basement session - The Bali Tapes", this project is musically brought to a conclusion. "The Bali tapes" is this group's fourth release, and we are in the development of the fifth recording with a broader multicultural approach. All the members of this group have over the years collected instruments from all over the world. The plan is to make a release with as many instruments as possible much in the world of Keith Jarrett's music from the seventies and Don Cherry's music from the sixties. This is a further development of this group's expression, where the fundament lays in the work we did with "The Bali Tapes". 

 

The second project, “Mantra” which I worked extensively on in 2016, with the following recording in 2017 as a musical conclusion. There were a few non-musical rounds in 2018, deciding the sound and text in the cover sleeve. However Ellen Lindquist has started preparing on new concerts with “Mantra”, and the piece is written for me and my instruments. I would, of course, be excited if more performances are possible. Hopefully, it will be performed together with other ensembles during 2021/2022 seasons. I recently got an inquiry from the Indonesian embassy of Norway regarding cooperation. The embassy has a Javanese gamelan, and Ellen Lindquist and I are hoping to do a rework of "Mantra" to fit this instrument together with the western instrument of Trondheim Sinfonietta.

 

The most important thing I have learned from the cooperation with Ellen Lindquist is the power of improvisation as a source for creative work between composer and performer. As I pointed out in the “Mantra” reflection, the improvisation session we had in the preparation was of importance for the finished composed material. I believe that the use of improvisation as a working method between composer and performer gives a more personal expression from the performer. I could feel that much of the phrasing and style of playing, suited my way of performing. Inspiration from this cooperation is a method for my further work with composers, regardless of what kind of percussion instruments I play. 

 

The third projects, “compositions for….” was premiered at my PhD presentation concert on 12th of October 2020, and hopefully, there will be more concerts with this music. My colleague Lars Sitter and I are talking about the possibilities of making a release with this piece.

 

The fourth project “Espen Aalberg & En En En”, was for me the highlight of my research. Maybe this is coloured by the fact that it was the last thing I did in my project. But as I said earlier, I felt that several elements fell together, like combining the idea of composition with improvisation, and working with other cultures instruments in this way has a possibility for really creating new and exciting concepts and sonical expressions. 

 

For the first, third and fourth project, I have composed much of the music. Even if these projects are different in character and concept, it has been rewarding for me to create this music. From the more strict composition "Duo for Vibraphone and Marimba" to the open and conceptual piece for improvisation performers in "Espen Aalberg & En En En". From a notated score where the intention is to perform the music as written, to an instruction based composition with some rules. Working in these different concepts has given me insight into several ways of composing. There is a considerable space between these concepts, and a place in the middle would be interesting to explore in the future.  

 

When the work with this PhD is over, I will return to my previous career as a professional musician both as a jazz musician and contemporary musician. In the contemporary field, I will continue as a percussionist in Trondheim Sinfonietta, among other projects. In this ensemble, we are regularly commissioning new works by different composers. The positive experience I had with the cooperation with Ellen is something that I hope and will suggest this ensemble will do with other composers as well. From 2020, I also hold a 40% position as a producer/concert developer at Trondheim Sinfonietta.

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As a jazz musician, several of my groups have been put on hold. The timing for the break was suitable since we had been touring a lot, and the development of new material had stagnated. One of my colleagues in The Core, Kjetil Møster, is also working on his PhD in artistic research. The Core will restart again in 2021 with the 20th anniversary. I am confident my working with this research project will colour my new composition for this ensemble. 

 

It is all a matter of being able to plan. For now, I'm just focusing on making my research as good as possible. When this is over, hopefully, different new and exciting projects will occur in the wake of my research. 

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Question: Looking back at your project, do you feel you have achieved what you wanted to explore with your research?

Answer: Both yes and no. When I applied for this artistic research project, I had no inner sonic image of how it would sound. The dominant idea behind the application was a wish to explore my new knowledge about gamelan in the framework of my musical background. In that context, I would say I have achieved my goals. I have united gamelan with my musical experience, in a way I can defend, both artistically and emotionally, IN the context of working with other cultures´ music. Though critical reflecting in the context of "Orientalism", "cultural appropriation",  "exotism" and "multicultural music", I have gained more trust in what I do. 

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I had some problems related to artistic direction and musical outcome. I was trying too hard to transfer gamelan music into western instruments or trying to merge western and gamelan instruments with gamelan music as the navigation point. The navigation point was the scale, pelog and slendro, the kotekan rhythm concept, and the element of duality. I was striving to merge everything too hard. Though the improvisation work with Ellen Lindquist and her composition "Mantra", my inner ear opened up for new ways of thinking sonically. I did not need to do everything at ones. Why not focus on just instruments? Or just kotekan? Or just dualism? This reflection opened up for new directions, and at the end, I am satisfied with the order of my different project. For me, this tells the story of a "struggle" to make something unique and new in art. "Struggle" as in a positive, creative force. There is a right way, and there is a wrong way, and to do something right, you also need to do something wrong. In the end, the right way is the sum of all experiences.