Performing Classical Music in the 21st Century

Name: Alistair SungMain Subject: Classical CelloResearch Coaches: Gerard Bouwhuis, Renee JonkerTitle of Research:Performing Classical Music in the 21st CenturyResearch Question:Can a reconsideration of presentation, programming and audience relationship influencethe response to classical music?Summary of Results:The financial and cultural climate of the past 50 years has changed the way in whichclassical music is perceived. Where once it was valued as a crucial part of a healthysociety, it has now grown isolated from mainstream culture and has been relegated to theperiphery of modern cultural life. This paper will examine how these recent cultural andsocial developments occurred and focus on their effects on the performance of classicalmusic in the 21st century. Through an analysis of new and existing approaches toperformance, a framework will be established which will form the basis of a test concert.Data gained from this concert will then be analysed in order to explore the possibility ofaltering existing concert conventions to respond to the problems facing the performanceof classical music. Research will be presented in the form of a research paper.Biography:Alistair began learning the cello in Sydney Australia with Marcus Hartstein and DavidPereira. After attending Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Alistair completedhis Bachelor Music (honours I)/Bachelor Arts (philosophy) at the University of NewSouth Wales in 2010. On graduating, Alistair was awarded the university medal and hishonours thesis, ‘Variety in Performance: A Comparative Analysis of RecordedPerformances of Bach’s Sixth Suite for Solo Cello’ was co-published in the EmpiricalMusicology Review (Ohio State University). Alistair is currently completing a Mastersdegree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague with Larissa Groeneveld. keywords: cultural climate, performance, 21st century, classical music