Transdisciplinary Approaches: Composing Time & Space

Learning Objective
The course introduces students to hybrid performative formats that merge music/sound with other disciplines—such as theatre, movement, video and technology. It invites participants to cross the boundaries of their own discipline, rethink their creative process, and develop a more expanded, embodied approach to making and performing. 

Course Content
The course combines seminar sessions, specially guided tours to institutions such as the Muziekgebouw, and hands-on workshops. Throughout the seminars, students engage with key concepts and practices that link sound, space, presence, and performativity, by being introduced to the work of influential artists and to hybrid formats across music, theatre, movement, and media. The physical workshops function as a collective training ground rather than a rehearsal space, without the stress of producing a final performance. Students work together through structured exercises and guided explorations, focusing on listening, presence, coordination, spatial awareness, and group responsiveness. By working with their voices, bodies, sound, light, time and space, they dive into a dialogue across disciplines. Throughout the course, students are invited not only to reflect on the materials presented, but also to introduce and contextualize aspects of their own creative interests within the group. Elements from students’ artistic approaches may be incorporated in the workshops, offering space to engage with their own creative ideas and potentially develop them further. 

Course details

teachers Thanasis Deligiannis
term September 2025-April 2026
participation The course is addressed to creative instrumentalists, composers, and live electronics students. Since the assessment is based on participation, each student can only miss up to 5 seminar days, 3 tours and 5 physical workshop days.
method of instruction * Seminars (irregular): 12 days x 3 hours throughout September-April (dates t.b.a)
  * Τours (irregular): venues in Amsterdam such as the Muziekgebouw and the Dutch National Opera x 2.5 hours throughout October-March (dates t.b.a)
  * Physical workshops: 5 consecutive days x 3 hours in December, 2 consecutive days x 3 hours in February, 5 consecutive days x 3 hours in April (dates t.b.a)
readings Works & writings by Heiner Goebbels, Mauricio Kagel, Pina Bausch, Iannis Xenakis, Thierry De May, Jennifer Walshe, Ryoji Ikeda, George Aperghis, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Dimitris Papaioannou, Robert Ashley, Romeo Castellucci, Alvin Lucier, Steve Reich, Simon Steen-Andersen and others.
assessment Based on the students’ participation to the class and the assignments (e-diary of thoughts & ideas, online questionnaires).
credits 10
related electivesCreative Performance Lab
  Music Theatre and Stage Performance
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