Music is theatre : devising musical performance

• Main Author: Whittle, James
• Other Authors: Marsh, Roger
• Published: University of York 2017
• Subjects: 781.4
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.714423

This portfolio comprises twelve pieces that blend music, theatre and movement, working predominantly with instrumentalists and solely in acoustic performance. The defining principle of the portfolio is that music is theatre: music is as much a visual as it is an aural art. The theatre of music – musical gestures, the musician’s body, and musical performance contexts – is treated as compositional material. The portfolio demonstrates a development from a compositional to a collaborative devising process practice that incorporates techniques from contemporary theatre, dance and performance art. This approach advocates the use of workshop activities focused on enabling musicians to develop movement material. In collaborations with musicians, dancers and performance artists, the role of the composer was merged with that of a director, dramaturg, performer and choreographer. Several site-specific and participatory works also concern the role of the audience.