What is your dissertation project about?
My research is called “Plastic Extension of Music” and it's quite simple! This method allows the musician to perform music in space instead of time. The idea came by deconstructing the etymology of the word "perform" per- (towards, through) and form, that besides “form” means shape or image.
When a musician performs a music score, unique physical parameters are created in this symbiosis. What I invented is to install inside this tradition, an intervention to detect these parameters and imagine their "plasticity" by employing materials from other art disciplines (painting, sculpture, installations, etc.) to transpose and extend them in space.
In which way did the Malmö Academy of Music and IAC as the Faculty’s research infrastructure helped you to successfully carry out your artistic research?
I was able to put into practice this method with students from the Malmö Academy of Music with a workshop and a public exhibition in 2024 at IAC. But also, I was able to design and create a test using the concept of Plastic Extension of Music for the visually impaired and the blind, to unveil through their hands and imagination the absent form of tuned sound, that I call The Kléndisnky Test. IAC gave me all the cutting-edge tools to create a documentary film about these experiences. (“Unveiling the invisible” – Link to the documentary - Research Portal)
I was also able to apply my concept for an idea of a toy called NABÔKÔ for children to play with Plastic Extension of Music. (NABÔKÔ | Toy)
What's next?
Plastic Extension of Music is now officially an independent course at our faculty. Due to its simplicity, this method can be practiced by any score-based musician at any level. (Syllabus MUHI10 Plastic Extension of Music )
For The Kléndinsky Test, I am looking for funding to be able to collect and get more data from the visually impaired and the blind community to create a multisensory catalogue of sounds (close to an alphabet) to transcribe music for the hearing impaired and the deaf; the project is called “Guided by the blind to perform for the deaf”.
NABÔKÔ will surely become a company once we get funding to create the software, then we’ll start producing this toy!
ABOUT
Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete is a twice internationally award-winning composer who approaches music and sound from different perspectives such as performance, composition, poetry, sculpture, theatre or visual arts.
As a guitarist, he has released three solo albums and can look back on a 30-year active career in which he has performed in the most important halls, festivals and venues in Europe. As a composer, his music has been commissioned by Ensemble Intercontemporain, SACEM and Kulturrådet, among many others.
Read and download Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete's disputation here - portal.research.lu.se
Read more about Bertrand’s PhD in the Lund University Research Portal – portal.research.lu.se
Visit Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete’s artist website – chavarria-aldrete.com
Visit the NABÔKÔ | Toy web page – nabokouniverse.com
PhD defense exhibition: 16–23 May 2025 More information will be announced soon.
PhD defense: 22 May 2025, at 10:00
Research title: “Plastic Extension of Music”
Location: Inter Arts Center, Red Room, 4th floor, Bergsgatan 29, Malmö
Zoom: The defence is open to the public and it is possible to participate via Zoom. The link will be announced soon.
Opponent: Professor Jean-Marc Chouvel, Sorbonne University
Main supervisor: Kent Olofsson
Second supervisor: Karin Johansson, Jan Eric Olsén (co-supervisor)
Read more about Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete's public defense here.