Laura Agnusdei studied classical saxophone in Bologna and Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire. She finished her studies with distinction in 2019 and is now a Sonology Research Associate. Furthermore, Laura regularly receives artistic residency invitations from notable institutions in Italy and the Netherlands. On Saturday, she will discuss the developments of electronic music in the Netherlands with Sonology's head of department and authority in the field of electronic music, Kees Tazelaar.
Laura started her musical education very conventional by studying the saxophone in Bologna, where classical music is taught very traditionally. However, the bright Italian musician wanted more than a path that was already laid out for her. She searched for other sounds and began to play in experimental underground rock bands. During that time, she felt that she wanted to go deeper into the world of electronic music. As she didn’t have any previous training in electronic music, she decided to take the one-year Sonology course at the Royal Conservatoire. She completed the course successfully and decided to completely dive into the world of Sonology and applied for the master's programme.
In her studies, Laura combined her knowledge of acoustic wind instruments with her new passion for electronic music. ‘The curriculum is very eclectic. You basically choose your own syllabus. The teachers at Sonology are extremely supportive but give you complete freedom in all your decisions, and the school’s facilities are amazing. There is so much you can learn and explore here.’ Laura’s eyes are sparking when she talks about Sonology. ‘I miss the school and the people so much! What was originally planned as a short timeout after her graduation in 2019, turned into almost a year, due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The Institute of Sonology is very diverse not only in terms of nationalities and backgrounds of the students and teachers, but also regarding opinions. ‘Everyone has a different way to look at sound: some do their recordings outside; some strictly use computers and others see themselves as a composer in the traditional sense.’
Laura actively participated in concerts inside and outside the Royal Conservatoire. ‘Music is my job. As a musician, you are used to constantly looking for opportunities to perform. So, when I switched to electronic music, I naturally tried to perform as often as possible. I played at known venues such as Studio LOOS, but I also found DIY venues.’ On one of those concerts, Laura was scouted for REWIRE, a very diverse and one of the biggest festivals in the electric music world. After performing at REWIRE, Laura was definitely on the radar of the Dutch electric music scene and she received invitations from the EYE Film Museum and VPRO. The network she proactively built during her studies helped Laura establish herself as an artist and even now, at times that are more challenging for freelance musicians, she still has a full agenda.
Find out more about Laura on her website.
