Strengthening musical research

Currently, three projects are being developed under an agreement between the University of Cundinamarca and the National University. These projects address topics such as audience reactions to folk music adapted for piano, musical transcriptions from 30 years ago, and improvisation for musical creation, among others.

The first project is called: “Improvisation as a transversal tool for musical creation, method and practices”, whose proposal seeks to make a general synthesis of improvisation principles that can be transversal to different musical styles, to propose, evaluate and observe improvisation as a way of approaching different repertoires.

This project is led by the teachers of UCundinamarca: Tatiana Perrilla and León Salcedo, as well as the teacher and coordinator of the undergraduate Music program at the National University, Alejandro Fernández.

“To date, this project has already had significant circulation at specialized events such as research seminars at the University of Valle, research congresses at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga, and workshops at the University of Quindío; in addition to contributing to a chapter of the publication Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz, a methodology that brings together the knowledge of five of the most recognized pedagogues in the jazz genre,” stated Professor León Salcedo.

The second project is titled “Joropo and Symphonic Pajarillo: Audience Reaction to Folk Music Expanded into Academic Language Adapted for Two Pianos.” It takes an interdisciplinary approach to the audience's experience of a concert and the interpretation of symphonic works incorporating folk elements from Colombian music. This initiative, a collaboration between maestros Víctor Medina and Víctor Ojeda, will conclude in December of this year with performances at the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Theater.

The third project is “Ten Piano Works by Luis A. Calvo and Guitar Transcriptions by Álvaro Bedoya Sánchez,” led by professors Juan Felipe Ávila and Alejandro Guarín from the University of Cundinamarca, and Sonia Díaz from the National University of Colombia. This project involves the recording and concert performances of ten piano works by the Colombian composer Luis A. Calvo and guitarist Álvaro Bedoya.

“The main purpose is to record this repertoire and perform it in concerts, as well as produce a critical edition in score and digital format,” added Maestro Salcedo.

Finally, for Maestro Salcedo, research is a process that must continue to be supported. “We hope to continue with these types of projects that have allowed us, up to this point, to occupy a prominent place among musical research and creation groups in the region and the country,” he concluded.

More news from the Zipaquirá Extension at the News Agency