Using Jacques Ibert’s Concertino da Camera to explore and analyse various

memorisation techniques in preparation for a performance.

The use of memorisation has always been something I have either neglected or somewhat
feared - despite being told by tutors the importance and benefit of such a tool. I have chosen
this topic to reflect my developmental process in preparation of performing Jacques Ibert’s
Concertino da Camera for a concerto competition. Highlighted by Hsiao-Tung Susan Chou
(2017), I will use methods such as score study, mental practice and repetition. A method I
found particularly relevant to myself is to practice with no mistakes to ensure there are no
‘false impressions’ from the offset (Chou, 2017: p. 35). As well as this, i will explore theories
such as chunking theory (Williamson, 2014)

Having spent the past few months recording performances due to lockdown and other covid
restrictions, I have found the whole recording process increasingly frustrating. This is due to
performing errors or ‘slip ups’ from what I believe to be occasional lapses in concentration
resulting in me having to spend endless hours recording until I get it right. It came to my
realisation that I was not embedding the musical content effectively or efficiently into my
memory. I want to study and experiment the use of various memorisation techniques to build
confidence and fluency to achieve a very good performance standard. The Concertino da
Camera is a staple in the saxophone repertoire and showcases great musical and technical
ability when played well. I aim to use a development in memorisation and analyse these
processes to achieve this.

The main sources I will devise my research from will be a mass amount of academic work
and study into these memorisation processes. I will pay particular close attention to studies
focussing on the benefits of using memorisation as a tool in performance as well as
conducting my own research trialing different methods to see which are more compatible
with my way of learning.
Bibliography

Apostolaki, A. (2016). ‘The Significance of Familiar Structures in Music Memorisation and

Performance’ in King, E & Prior, H.M. (ed.). Music and Familiarity: Listening, Musicology and
Performance. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 217-232.
Chou, H.S. (2017). MEMORIZATION OF PIANO MUSIC AND PERFORMING FROM
MEMORY. Scholarworks [online]. Available at:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/21804/Chou,%20Hsiao-Tung%20
Susan%20(DM%20Piano).pdf?sequence=1 (Accessed on 19th November 2020).
Grobbelaar, S. (2017). Exploring memorisation and sight-reading and their interrelationship
in undergraduate piano students. MMus. Dissertation. University of Pretoria. Available at:
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/65555/Grobbelaar_Exploring_2017.pdf?se
quence=1&isAllowed=y (Accessed on 19th November 2020)
Herrera, M & Cremades, R. (2018). ‘The Study of Memorisation in Piano Students in Higher
Education in Mexico’. Musicae Scientiae. 24(3), pp. 330-341.
Williamson, V, (2014). You Are the Music: How Music Reveals What it Means to be Human.
London: Icon Books Ltd.