Collaborative re-creation: A case study of a pianist recording Australian women composers

This chapter adopts a qualitative case-study approach in examining the collaborative interactions between the author, a pianist, and two composers (all women) in the process of recording their works. Investigations of music collaborations tend to focus on jazz improvisation contexts or on interactions between composers and performers when creating a new work. Little is known of the nature of collaboration between composers and performers in the recording of established works. Further, little is known about the impact of gender and age on musical collaborations. The examination of Australian composing reveals many complex issues: the questions of national identity and sound, the influences of Indigenous and Asian music, and the scarcity of funding for new work commissions. A critical self-reflection on the recording process provides the context for this particular project and the investigation of the issues outlined above. Interviews with the composers focused on their educational and professional experiences, attitudes towards gender and nationalistic issues, and perceptions of the collaboration with the performer. The analysis of the interviews triggered re-evaluation of the collaboration process, a deepened understanding of the composers’ intent, enrichment of performance possibilities and crystallization of ideas about the types of collaboration possible between composers and performers. The process of working together on a recording is viewed as a collaborative re-creation.