Of instrumental value : flutist-composer collaboration in the creation of new music

Following World War II, the flute would become a major vehicle for experimental composers, resulting in a repertoire that made extensive use of techniques outside the instrument’s traditional performance lexicon. In order for composers to write effectively and idiomatically for the flute, collaboration with performers was often essential. This document discusses the contributions of three flutists to the creation of new music in the 20th and 21st centuries. Chapter One focuses on the Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni, a major figure in the postwar experimental music scene, and his contributions to the creation of two works: Sequenza I per flauto solo by Luciano Berio and Mei for solo flute by Kazuo Fukushima. Chapter Two discusses the work of the Canadian flutist Robert Aitken and his role in the genesis of Ryoanji for flute by John Cage, Idyll for the Misbegotten for flute and three percussion by George Crumb, and Scrivo in Vento for solo flute by Elliot Carter. Chapter Three addresses my own collaborations with three Canadian composers, Jeffrey Ryan, James Beckwith Maxwell, and Jocelyn Morlock, and how my interactions compared to those of my predecessors. This document also sheds light on the recent phenomenon of how many flutists have incorporated administrative roles into their careers to ensure that the works they have commissioned are presented to the highest professional standards.Arts, Faculty ofMusic, School ofGraduat