Intimacy, authenticity and singer-songwriter aesthetics in the composition of contemporary classical music

Abstract

The artistry of singer-songwriters is often described in the language of intimacy. This is observed in public perceptions of singer-songwriter performance, in the academic discourse on singer-songwriter creative practice, and in the way singer-songwriters themselves discuss their creative work. While literature on the singer-songwriter has done much to map the craft of the artists, foregrounding discussions of narrative and particular performance practices, less work has been done in exploring the influences of singer songwriters on other genres of music making. This thesis examines how the frameworks of a singer-songwriter “performative disposition” can be applied to the creation of contemporary classical music. This creative approach is illuminated through five case studies of works presented in the composition portfolio of this thesis: two string quartets, one orchestral work, one choral work and one work solo for vibraphone and crotales. In the analysis of my composition portfolio, I demonstrate how characteristics of singer-songwriter craft are at play in my artistic practice through narrative intimacy, intimacy through concepts of breath and breathing, and intimacy through orchestration.