Andy Hamilton
BRITISH SOCIETY OF AESTHETICS WORKSHOP
Philosophy of Improvisation: The Aesthetics of Imperfection
5th-6th October 2019, Newcastle
The most recent in the Aesthetics of Imperfection workshop series featured a stellar lineup of guest presenters: improvising musicians, interpreters and researchers from jazz and beyond.
Talks and demonstrations explored contrasts between process and product, the unfinished and finished work, spontaneity and structure.
Alexander Hawkins. Photo: Francesca Patella.
Part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music - full festival programme here.
With thanks to support from Durham University and British Society of Aesthetics.
Contact Samuel Horlor at s.p.horlor@durham.ac.uk for more information.
Tony Buck. Photo: Holimage.
Audio recordings of selected talks from the workshop
Saturday 5th October: Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle, NE1 1SE
09.45-10.00: Introduction by Andy Hamilton (Philosophy Dept, Durham University)
10.00-10.30: Lara Pearson (music researcher)
'The Aesthetics of the Musical Challenge: Games and Play in Karnatak Music'
10.30-11.00: Shelly Knotts (data musician and researcher)
'Live Coding and Failure'
11.00-11.15: Break
11.15-12.00: Brodie West & Evan Cartwright (saxophone and drums improv duo)
'How to Play out of Tune'
12.00-12.30: Guy Dammann (music journalist and researcher)
'Imperfection and the Sense of Necessity'
12.30-13.30: Lunch
13.30-14.30: Achim Kaufmann (improvising pianist)
Performance and Q&A
14.30-15.00: Liila Taruffi (music psychology and aesthetics researcher)
'The Benefits of Spontaneous Thought for the Creative Brain'
Sunday 6th October: Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle, NE1 1SE
10.00-10.30: Nina Kümin (music researcher)
'Reintroducing the Improvised Cadenza: A Case Study in Vivaldi's Violin Concertos'
10.30-11.00: Pablo Seoane (aesthetics researcher)
'Naturalness and Artifice: Notes on Authorship and Musical Improvisation'
11.00-11.30: Márcio Steuernagel (music researcher)
'Imperfect Becomings: The Praxis of Musical Imperfection in Notated Composition'
11.30-11.45: Break
11.45-12.15: Evan Parker (improvising saxophonist)
'Solo Improvisation – A Special Case?'
12.15-12.45: Raymond MacDonald (music psychology and improvisation researcher)
'This Is Not Improvised But That Is: False Dichotomies and Imperfection'
12.45-13.15: Alexander Hawkins (improvising pianist)
Q&A
13.15-14.15: Lunch
14.15-14.45: Katherine Hambridge (music researcher)
'Fixity and Imperfection in 19th-century (Music) Theatre'
14.45-15.15: Tony Buck (improvising percussionist)
Interview with Andy Hamilton
15.15-15.45: Laura Leante (music researcher)
'Aesthetics of Imperfection: Responses'