The extended piano(s), the extended body(ies)

Abstract

The extended piano(s), the extended body(ies) is an ongoing research project on the piano as an extended instrument started in 2014 by the pianist and composer Hara Alonso. Over the years, it has been developed in different directions and forms ranging from composition, improvisation and installation. The research questions are: How can we rethink the piano beyond its history and technology? How can we expand it by incorporating embodied composition methods? This research intends to develop tools to augment the piano qualities in terms of sound (timbre) and the performative-conceptual elements through improvisation, composition, electroacoustic elements, and performance. These enhanced elements have changed and opened up a wide range of possibilities to interact with the piano, both sonically and physically, widening the piano practices. The pianist’s body has a fundamental value in the research as the initiator of the sound, gesture, and intention, becoming the point of departure in this research. The investigation intertwines two axes: 1) The piano as a sound generator and its expansion through digital means, and 2) The pianist’s body is the primary instrument. This article covers the research period from 2014 to 2021, in which Hara Alonso developed numerous works for extended piano that have been displayed in several public performances.