Artistic Reflection

The school year of 2020-2021 was unfortunately, extremely affected not only by the Covid-19
evolution along the year, as well by physical problems that conditioned my studies, especially
in my main subject classical guitar. Due to a couple of injuries in my right hand, I had to stop
during some periods of the year, such as from November – January, as well May and June,
which meant big interruptions in the process of technical and artistic development as a
performer, creating difficulties in defining clear and achievable goals.

Nevertheless, I did have the chance to work in live lessons in the beginning of the year, as well
in many online lessons (when I was not physically limited).

It was, without a doubt, an enriching experience. Professor Zoran Dukic has showed me an
insightful approach to music of every different styles, helping me understand how to better
combine the details and properties of the score, with the performing strategies and processes
that will have the best result in live concerts. The demanding mentality that Zoran presented
has also motivated me to improve even more each day, paying a higher attention to all the
important aspects of a solid performance: sound quality, exploring colors that fit the different
characters; exercises to improve technical control of the instrument; etc.

We have worked in various genres, such as baroque, romantic, folk music, including
transcriptions, and even my own composition, which I will perform in my exam (prelude 7,
from 10 Preludes).

Some of these transcriptions include repertoire from composers such as Scriabin and Rameau,
music which I personally highly admire. In these works, Zoran has made realize several times
the details and existing differences between the guitar transcriptions with the original scores
and called my attention for the many harmonical and melodical features we should try to
reproduce at maximum in the guitar, even with the obvious limitations of our instrument. This
analysis not only provided me a deeper comprehension of the pieces (which will be visible in
my performances), as well inspired me even more to proceed in transcribing more works for
the classical guitar.

In my main subject lessons, I have also worked in one of my compositions, prelude 7, which
was extremely helpful, since it was an opportunity to evaluate what would be the reaction
from an informed audience, as well how to better transmit my musical ideas in the most
efficient manner.

Composing as been a component of my artistic development since a young age, and it is very
connected to my research topic: which learning paths can lead to a faster improvement of
Improvisation on classical guitar.

Along this year, I have researched online, read books and diverse papers related to Classical
Improvisation, an art that seems each day to be more in decline among our artistic
environment.

During this research work, I have interviewed the famous guitarist and pedagogue, Dusan
Bogdanovic, who has said himself, “no doubts, composition and improvisation are two
components that come together”. I sincerely agree and have experienced, not only this year
but along my studies, that Improvisation is a great path towards composing. When we engage
in the art of spontaneous creation, we are composing on the spot. It is through the practice of
this feature that many times we reach the motivic or thematical ideas that inspire you to write
pieces, which can later take a longer form and structure. In that sense, I believe that the
prelude 7 (as the remaining preludes) is no exception.

All these transcriptions and compositions will be included in my website, which consists in my
PIA. This project will not only be very important to expose and spread my work, as well to
eventually gain some feedback about how other guitarists feel playing these pieces; if they find
them innovating, if they find It pleasing to play; too difficult; how is the relation between
original scores and transcriptions; etc.

As for my near future, I sincerely hope that I do not have the same limitations and conditions
that I sadly had this year, so I can be able to invest more time on my performing level
(technical and musical development), as well too, along this research, understand more deeply
Improvisation in classical music, hopefully also evolving my own improvising techniques, and
achieving more methods on how to better transmit this knowledge to other guitar players.