Performance section of my dissertation work
Doctoral dissertation
The ‘Musician as a narrator, researcher as a musician’ narrative series of concerts is part of my doctoral dissertation in the Department of Music Anthropology at the University of Tampere. The topic of my dissertation is the local history of dance music and its resounding interpretation. Deviating from traditional dissertations, my work combines science and art in a way that is possibly exceptional in the scientific field, while being very profitable considering my work. My personal history as a researcher, musician and pedagogue supports this scientific-artistic approach to my research topic. In addition, my work in the national researcher institute for music and stage art and the encouragement of my directors Vesa Kurkela, professor of popular music, and Heikki Laitinen, professor of folk music, have supported the aim of my scientific work towards a more artistic direction.
Series of concerts
The starting point of the plot of the performances includes my material for the biographies and music of musicians (more detailed analysis is targeted at nine musicians from southern Ostrobothnia born in 1880-1929). With regard to older musicians, the material constitutes the material of the Folklife Archive of the University of Tampere. Considering younger musicians, the material is partly obtained from the archive and partly collected by me. The musicians are born on both sides of the dance music transition. As a result, the following can be analysed from their biographies: how the transition has affected their experiences in learning to play; how the transition has affected their role as wedding musicians or later as members of dance groups. Using the music extracts, I have been able as a violinist to analyse how the musicians’ playing style has changed when playing different materials (older dance music vs. newer dance music). All of the music to be played in the performances is taken from the programmes of the musicians. Furthermore, all of the music will also be played as authentically as possible, that is, following the styles of the musicians.
The series of concerts consists of four smaller performances and eight full-length concerts. The four smaller performances are individual scenes from a larger entity and they will be performed in southern Ostrobothnia during July-August 2008. In full-length concerts the individual scenes are combined into a full concert. These concerts will be organised at the Centre for Research as Practice in Theatre in Tampere in January 2009.
The concerts will be recorded. During winter 2008 and spring 2009, the recordings will be compiled into a DVD that will be part of my dissertation.
Additional information
Tuuli Talvitie-Kella
http://vaitostyo.blogspot.com