Engaged Composition, Dehierarchisation and My Politics of Practice

Abstract

All music, by its nature, is political, whether explicitly concerned with political subject matter or not. A composer's stylistic decisions, choice and treatment of material, along with who plays the music and who listens to it, are all aspects determined to a large degree by political factors. In this paper I shall explore two distinct modes of compositional practice to illustrate my position. The first mode involves the use of techniques that explore the ‘dehierarchisation’ of material. The second mode utilises a notational practice that requires a method of working in which the process of rehearsal acts as a model of political practice. I examine the creation of non-hierarchical relationships between composer and players, and look at how my choice of subject matter functions as a celebration and reminder of an alternative history of protest and social struggles. I also suggest how music can become a site for the practice of new social relations.