Just lucky is a chamber work for three singers, three percussionists and saxophone quartet. It is a setting of a poem of the same name by David Bush. / text

Ribbons of Visible Air is a work of about twenty minutes duration for soprano saxophone, violin, cello, piano, one percussion, and live digital sound processing. Though the work unfolds as one continuous movement, it is conceived as being in several sections, each lasting from approximately one to four minutes. The primary ideas behind the form of Ribbons of Visible Air originate in the concerto principle (with the saxophone in the role of soloist) and variation technique; these ideas influence not only the large-scale form, but also the organization of material in respect to the different instruments and the relationship of the ensemble as a whole to the electronic processing. This composition explores a number of harmonic techniques related to the harmonic series, as well as the rhythmic possibilities inherent in multiple levels of pulsation. Of particular relevance to this work is the incorporation of extended techniques of the soprano saxophone, especially the alteration of pitch and timbre through unorthodox fingering patterns.

In this study I research and reflect on the way I have been practicing with my saxophone, how I have been collaborating with others and how I’ve worked with performance during my two master years, with a focus on improvisation. The study is a presentation of my Professional Integration Project on NAIP-European Master of Music-program. I have had many different projects that will be presented. By playing, listening, and analyzing free improvisation I wanted to learn more about myself as a musician and about improvisation in general. I am also going to present individual exercises for improvisation I’ve been using, as well as exercises for group improvisation. I am going to present time-lines of events to see how one thing leads to another. I will present the product of a piece with improvised aspects, that led me and my collaborators to find our own ways of rehearsing. By summarizing the many aspects, I present my findings by describing what I want to learn, and how I want to learn it, and how I’ve been working with free improvisation groups and music collaboration, and what is important for me while performing improvisations. The findings of my studies suggest that I have developed my improvisational skills by playing free improvisation and doing exercises. My projects has also shown that you can combine written music with improvisational aspects in a classical setting by using different ways of rehearsing. Lastly, I found that it is important that, while improvising, musicians have a total mental presence to avoid energy loss in the music. / <p>Självständiga arbete, Master, 40 hp.</p><p>Program examenskonsert:</p><p>ImprovisationKvintett</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Linnea Andreassen röst, Maiju Kopra röst, Viktor Rydén röst, Amanda Larsson röst.</p><p>Jesper ErikssonKvartett (2014), uruppförande</p><p>Alexander Rydberg violin, Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Emma Augustsson cello, Anton Svanberg tuba.</p><p>ImprovisationTrio</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Jaan Krivel röst och klarinett, Kristoffer Linder slagverk</p><p>Extranummer: Friimprovisationsorkester</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Alexander Rydberg violin, Emma Augustsson cello, Anton Svanberg tuba, Linnea Andreassen röst, Maiju Kopra röst, Viktor Rydén röst, Amanda Larsson röst, Jaan Krivel röst och klarinett, Kristoffer Linder slagverk, Bernhard Greter piano.</p>

How important is the player???s vocal tract in clarinet and saxophone performance? Acoustician???s opinions have ranged from ???negligible??? [Backus (1985), JASA 78, 17] to ???vocal tract resonance frequencies must match the frequency of the required notes??? [Clinch et al. (1982), Acustica 50, 280]. Musicians??? opinions are similarly varied. To understand how the tract-reed-bore system interacts, acoustical measurements of performers??? vocal tracts during playing were made using measurement heads mounted in the mouthpieces of a clarinet and a tenor saxophone. Acoustic impedance spectra of the tenor and soprano saxophone bores were also measured for all standard fingerings, and some others. For fingerings high in the tenor saxophone???s second register, bore impedance peaks downstream decrease with increasing pitch. Above the first 2.7 octaves, peak values fall below 30 MPa.s.m-3 and this ends the standard range available to amateurs. To play the higher altissimo notes, experts produced strong vocal tract resonances upstream with impedances 10-40 MPa.s.m-3 tuned to sound the desired note. While expert saxophonists adjust their vocal tract thus for altissimo playing, inexperienced players do not, and consequently cannot produce these notes. The smoothly rising clarinet glissando solo opening Gershwin???s Rhapsody in Blue was also investigated. Partially uncovering an open finger-hole smoothly raises clarinet resonances in the lower register, allowing continuous increases in playing pitch. When pitch bending in the second (clarino) register, experienced players produced strong tract resonances with impedances up to 60 MPa.s.m-3, comparable in magnitude with those of the clarinet bore (40-50 MPa.s.m-3). Thus during the glissando, sounding pitch is controlled by smoothly varying a strong resonance in the player???s vocal tract. The phase of the reed impedance is shown to make downwards pitch bending easier than upwards. Similar vocal tract adjustments were observed on the clarinet and saxophone for other advanced techniques such as bugling and multiphonic selection. During normal playing, although experienced players produced vocal tract impedance peaks with only moderate magnitude, these peaks were adjusted systematically to frequencies about 150 Hz higher than the sounding pitch (determined by strong bore resonances). This strategy may avoid the effects of small unwanted tract-bore interactions on sounding pitch.

Thesis (M.M.)--Ohio University, August, 2001. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / The 2nd work for piano, amplified guitar, baritone saxophone, and tuba. Accompanying disc is DVD-ROM, and contains sound files of recordings of works. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 25, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Durations: ca. 8:00 ; ca. 6:00 ; ca. 11:00-12:00. Explanatory or program notes precede each work.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / Accompanying disc is DVD-ROM, and includes sound files for 2nd and 3rd compositions. The 1st work for flute and violin, 2nd for 15 instruments, 3rd for tenor saxophone and piano. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 25, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Durations: ca. 14:00, ca. 15:00, ca. 15:00.

Graduate Recital Document (M.A. (Music))--Mahidol University, 2007. / LICL has E-Thesis 0026 ; please contact computer services.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed July 11, 2009). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Accompanying disc contains PDF file of thesis and recordings of performances.

Treatise (D.M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.