Research – Sofia Gantois

RESEARCH

the influence of scientific knowledge on extended flute techniques and their execution (2017)

The topic of this research paper are four contemporary flute techniques; whistle sounds, multiphonics, tongue ram and jet whistle. I wanted to understand these techniques from a scientific point of view and see if this knowledge can then help me improve their execution. There have been few studies done on the acoustical characteristics of these techniques and they have intrigued me for a long time. I am convinced that it is important to understand how something functions in order to be able to correct or improve it and I think this knowledge can help a lot of flutists understand their instrument better and make them more aware of the physical processes involved in executing these techniques.

First, I had to gather information about the scientific and acoustical functioning of the techniques, but this turned out to be difficult. There are few sources that deal with these from an acoustical or scientific point of view. We can only find sources about how to execute the techniques and not how they originate and function. There are more sources about multiphonics because other instruments use this technique too.

I decided to investigate this problem from my own background in acoustics and physics. I studied the basis of flute acoustics and from there on formed theories for the techniques I wanted to investigate.

To help me with my theories I went looking for an expert in the field of acoustics. I contacted several acousticians and flute builders and eventually came into contact with Michèle Castellengo who was able to assist me in my work.

After this theoretical study I had to figure out what solutions or tips I could derive from this work for improving execution of these techniques on the flute. I tested the ideas I had and also worked through a number of sources devoted to the execution of contemporary techniques. With the knowledge I had gained from acoustics I was quickly able to predict which performance solutions would work and which would not. In this way I gathered insight into each of the techniques studied. As a result, I now understand why they function and how they can be performed easily.

It was a very intriguing journey and one that remains as of yet unfinished. In my search, I discovered a number of further issues that still have to be studied; similarities of mouth cavity for whistling and flute playing, new sorts of whistle sounds based on the functioning of the jet whistle and also throat tuning needs further investigating.

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research paper

development of new extended techniques for the flute, thanks to the acoustic comprehension of the already existing techniques (2022)

The goal of this research is to elaborate new techniques or even new ways of using the flute, due to a comprehension of the functioning acoustic of the flute and its already existing extended techniques (both acoustic or electro-acoustic).

Thanks to the gathered information in acoustic research, and without forgetting the different interviews, the research main purpose will be to elaborate, at least, variations or extensions of the existing techniques and, at best, to develop completely new extended techniques.

Once these techniques will be concretized, four different composers will each create a piece, using the newly found techniques. At the end of the research, the results will be presented during a conference-concert at the Images Sonores festival 2022, but also during a longer presentation at the Royal Conservatory in Liège.

Broadening the flutistic color palette, this research will be of real interest for the flutists, in general, of course, but also for the composers. However, it is not excluded that the results of this research could be transposed to other wind instruments. It could at least inspire research towards other possibilities for other instruments.

I learned only recently of the existence of a technique that is often called: "Sciarrino Whistle Sound", "Inside Whistle Sound" or "Closed Whistle Tone". It's a technique that is used by Salvatore Sciarrino in "Opera per Flauto", he didn't give it a name, but just described how to execute it. The flutists takes the embouchure hole in between the lips, like for a jetwhistle, but the angle is slightly different. The sound that we hear is a bit similar to the sound of a whistle sound, hence the name.
After examining this technique, I started to suspect that its functioning was much closer to the normal flute sound than to the functioning of whistle sounds. This led to the discovery that in this position we can actually do much more than what is used in compositions of Sciarrino or students of him. We can do glissandi, trills, bisbigliandi, flatterzunge, singing while playing, multiphonics and use it to play melodies with less or more air! You can see some examples in the video.

My research was funded by the FRArt, part of the FNRS, and I was accompanied by the Royal Conservatory of Liège.

Article - coming out in January 2024