Ecological modalities as tools at play in collaborative comprovisational works

Abstract

This thesis explores the ontologies of composition in the 20th and 21st centuries through an ecological lens, focusing on collaborative and comprovisational approaches in Eurogenetic Art Music (EAM). It examines how composers engage with performers and notation in ways that challenge hierarchical models of composition, instead fostering sonic agency, improvisation, and dynamic relational processes. The study proposes ecological modalities as a conceptual framework for understanding composition—not merely as a representational act but as a system of interconnections among composer, performer, score, and listener. Grounded in practice-based research, the study integrates methodologies from sound studies, ethnography, and artistic research to examine collaborative composition. By engaging with improvisation, indeterminacy, and soundscape composition, it explores how ecological thinking informs listening-based strategies in music-making. Central to this investigation is the idea that musical works function as ecologies, where the interplay of various agents—human and non-human—creates dynamic sonic environments. The study examines the redistribution of musical authority among composers, performers, and listeners through the concept of sonic agency, considers atmosphere and vibrancy as affective and emergent qualities of musical interactions, and explores how failure and imperfection function as productive forces within composition, challenging conventional aesthetic norms. These perspectives position music as a relational practice, where collaboration extends beyond traditional performance settings, engaging with broader ecological and social concerns. The thesis is structured into three sections across six chapters, moving from theoretical inquiry to practical applications. The first section establishes the historical, theoretical, and conceptual foundations of ecological composition. Chapter 2 traces the historical trajectory of improvisation in EAM, examining its disappearance and resurgence in the 20th century, particularly through experimental composers and jazz-influenced practices. Chapter 3 contextualizes ecological modalities within composition, drawing connections between early representations of nature, the influence of recording technology, Cagean ecological thought, and soundscape composition. The second section shifts from theoretical discussion to the examination of selected compositions that exemplify ecological modalities in music. Rather than imposing a single analytical framework, the study investigates how each work fosters collaborative dynamics, enabling diverse pathways for improvisation, notation, and sonic agency. The final section presents original artistic research projects, demonstrating how ecological modalities can shape compositional practice. Chapter 5 documents two multi-year artistic research projects, reflecting on iterative cycles of composition, performance, and analysis, while Chapter 6 synthesizes the findings and discusses the broader implications of ecological composition for contemporary music practice. Through this research, several key insights emerge regarding contemporary compositional practice. Improvisation functions as a generative compositional tool, enabling emergent musical forms and listening-based engagement. Notation, rather than serving as a rigid prescriptive system, becomes a flexible and relational platform that facilitates co-authorship between composer and performer. Comprovisation foregrounds situated knowledge and sonic agency, operating as an ecological practice that integrates collaborative structures rather than imposing fixed musical forms. Furthermore, ecological listening expands compositional frameworks beyond score-based traditions, drawing from ethnographic and soundscape methodologies to explore new ways of hearing and engaging with sound. By moving away from hierarchical structures inherited from the Common Practice period, this study reimagines composition as a fluid, adaptive process of interaction and exchange. It highlights how expanded listening practices, rooted in ecological thought, can cultivate new sonic perspectives, reinforcing the role of music as an act of empathy, connection, and co-creation. Through an ecological perspective on composition, this research underscores the potential of improvisation and comprovisation to reshape the relationships between composer, performer, and audience. It challenges traditional notions of compositional authority, advocating for postcolonial and decolonial approaches to musical scores and performance. Rather than treating ecological modalities as purely thematic concerns, this study argues that they function as structural, methodological, and ethical frameworks for composition, offering alternative models for engaging with musical materials. By embracing ecological approaches to sound, deep listening, and collaborative authorship, composers and performers can expand the ways music is created, perceived, and understood—not as an isolated object but as an evolving and relational system of interaction.