Ritualization of Concert Practice in Russian Post-Minimalist Music.

The aspiration of Russian post-minimalism to occupy a territory between music, spirituality and philosophy has often been neglected by both artistic and academic communities. In this research I will examine ritualization of the concert practice as a creative method on examples of its leading exponents, e.g. Alexander Knaifel, Vladimir Martynov and Nikolai Korndorf. This research aims to critically reflect on concepts and approaches directly related to the performance of Russian post-minimalist music, and to contribute to its wider recognition in the Western contemporary music world.

This research is driven by the necessity to investigate the subject of performing instrumental works by Russian post-minimalist composers, and to explore possibilities of incorporating the spiritual ideas that informed those works in a concert practice. The aspiration of Russian post-minimalism to occupy a territory between music, spirituality and philosophy has often been neglected by both artistic and academic communities. In this research I will examine ritualization of the concert practice as a creative method on examples of its leading exponents, e.g. Alexander Knaifel, Vladimir Martynov and Nikolai Korndorf. This research aims to critically reflect on concepts and approaches directly related to the performance of Russian post-minimalist music, and to contribute to its wider recognition in the Western contemporary music world.