Researcher and clarinettist Christian Stene visits the Royal Conservatoire The Hague for a lecture and masterclasses. On Tuesday 21 April, he presents his research (Re)phrasing – Shaping music with modern instruments.
This artistic research project focuses on phrasing: how musicians shape musical ideas in performance. Stene explores how the properties of modern instruments influence this process. He compares historical and modern clarinets made from different types of wood, including boxwood, grenadilla and mopane, each with distinct effects on sound, response and dynamics.
By playing different instruments, Stene demonstrates how material and technique together shape the course of a musical phrase. The lecture offers a clear and engaging insight into the relationship between instrument and musical expression.