Thesis title:
Redividing the Octave for Expanded Tonal Spaces: Practical Explorations of Formalised Approaches to Microtonal Composition
This research investigates innovative compositional applications of microtonal musical techniques to locate new expressive dimensions in music. Tuning systems beyond the standard twelve-tone frame, such as 24, 31 or 96 tones per octave, provide composers with increased resources for musical colour, texture, harmony and expressive nuance. For the composer the consequent vast increase in data demands advanced organisational strategies, and new or adapted musical instruments. Despite attempts to systematise microtonality, we continue to lack codified methods for dealing with microtonal tuning constructs as holistic entities, beyond microtonal ‘inflections’ of what are otherwise twelve-note contexts. Recent demonstrations show that strictly formalised techniques of musical organisation offer potential solutions to the conceptualisation and handling of microtonal tunings but lack connections to intuitive pathways to employ them in composition. Emphasising the importance of blending systematic and intuitive approaches to composition, this research will devise and synthesise formalised generative systems through which the subtleties and complexities of microtonal tunings can be effectively handled and explored in composition to discover, compare and develop the expanded harmonic and melodic principles they afford.
Research Area
Publications
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Book Chapters:
- CLIJSEN, E. (2026, forthcoming) Redividing the Octave for Expanded Tonal Spaces: Preliminary Practical Explorations of Formalised Approaches to Polymetric Polymicrotonal Composition. In: CASTILLA-ÁVILA, Á (ed.) Mikrotöne: Small is Beautiful VI: 39–52. Salzburg: Mackingerverlag.
- CLIJSEN, E. (ca. 2026, forthcoming) Redividing the Octave for Expanded Tonal Spaces: Further Practical Explorations of Formalised Approaches to (Poly)Microtonal Composition. In: Innovation in Music. Abingdon: Routledge.
- CLIJSEN, E. (2026) Redividing the Octave for Expanded Tonal Spaces: Preliminary Practical Explorations of Formalised Approaches to Microtonal Composition. In: ANDERSEN, C., GULLÖ, J-O., PATERSON, J., TOULSON, R., MARRINGTON, M. and HEPWORTH-SAWYER, R. (eds.) Innovation in Music: Innovative Creative Practice: 27–41. Abingdon: Routledge.
Music Scores:
- CLIJSEN, E. (2025) Geïsoleerd for Solo Kingma System Alto Flute. [Score] London: Tetractys.
Musical Premieres:
- Geïsoleerd (2024) for Solo Kingma System Alto Flute, c. 12'30". Premiered as part of the Hyperchromatic Music Festival (2025); Deptford Town Hall, Goldsmiths, London, 15.04.25.
- Äußern (2024) for Quarter-Tone and 19-Div Microtonal Trumpets, ca. 9'. To be premiered as part of the Hyperchromatic Music Festival (2026).
- Phi (𝜑) (2025) for Flute, Bass Clarinet, Classical Guitar, Violoncello and Piano, ca. 8'. To be premiered as part of the Bled Contemporary Music Festival (SI), 2026.
- Amsterdamned (2025) for Kingma System Alto Flute, Carrillo Piano and Fokker Organ, ca. 9'. To be premiered as part of the Huygens-Fokker Foundation Concert Series (NL), 2027.
Conferences
Public Engagement & Impact
- 28.01.25: Invited to deliver an introductory talk before the screening of Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird at the Phoenix Arts/DMU Festival of CINE MISFITS, Leicester. The talk outlined the idea of the 'alternative' in music before going on to evaluate Bixler-Zavala's and Rodriguez-Lopez's remarkable contributions to a range of musical genres.
Other Research Interests
- Innovative Guitar Performance
- Progressive Rock/Metal
- Extreme Metal Music and Subculture
- Post-Tonalism, Serialism etc.
Memberships
- Music, Technology and Innovation Research Group (MTIRG)
- International Society of Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
- International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM)
