Andy Hamilton
OVERVIEW
The Aesthetics of Imperfection
This project explores a central issue of creativity in music and other arts: understanding improvisation and spontaneity.
A key aim is to challenge received views in philosophy and music that improvising is merely ‘making it up as you go along’ and therefore of lower artistic status than interpreting composed works.
In his 2000 article 'The Art of Improvisation and the Aesthetics of Imperfection', Hamilton puts forward an ‘aesthetics of imperfection’ that values the spontaneous process of improvising over the final product.
Philosophy of Improvisation Workshop 2016
St Marys Gateshead. Photo: Lara Pearson.
With energised performance at its heart, the aesthetics of imperfection can also apply to the interpretation of composed music, and its microscopic acts of spontaneity.
This project brings together creative practitioners from music and various other forms, plus writers and promoters, to discuss their own practice with reference to the aesthetics of imperfection.
The Aesthetics of Imperfection related links.
Andy Hamilton with legendary jazz improviser Lee Konitz
New York, September 2018. Photo: George Schuller.
RECENT BRITISH SOCIETY OF AESTHETICS WORKSHOP
Philosophy of Improvisation: The Aesthetics of Imperfection
5th-6th October 2019, Newcastle
The most recent in the Aesthetics of Imperfection workshop series featured a stellar lineup of guest presenters: improvising musicians, interpreters and researchers from jazz and beyond.
Talks and demonstrations explored contrasts between process and product, the unfinished and finished work, spontaneity and structure.
Alexander Hawkins. Photo: Francesca Patella.
Part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music - full festival programme here.
With thanks to support from Durham University and British Society of Aesthetics.
Contact Samuel Horlor at s.p.horlor@durham.ac.uk for more information.
Tony Buck. Photo: Holimage.
Audio recordings of selected talks from the workshop
PAST WORKSHOP
Philosophy of Improvisation: The Aesthetics of Imperfection
6th-7th October 2018, Newcastle
In this two-day event, the idea of the aesthetics of imperfection was explored by jazz and improvising musicians in Western and non-Western music, plus practitioners from visual art, architecture, garden design and dance.
The workshop was funded by Durham University and was part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music - full festival programme here.
Contact Samuel Horlor at s.p.horlor@durham.ac.uk for more information.
Kris Tiner (trumpet) and Mike Baggetta (guitar)
2016 workshop, Durham University Music Department. Photo: Lara Pearson.
Video clips and full audio recordings of selected talks from the workshop
Plus links to commentaries written by Elisabet Dijkstra
PAST WORKSHOP
Workshop with Garibaldi Plop, April 2017
Garibaldi Plop performed a short set, which was followed by workshop discussion led by Andy Hamilton. The event continued to address and challenge the received view that improvisation in musical performance is a kind of ʻinstant compositionʼ with lower artistic status than that of composed works.
While such an aesthetics is expressed most clearly in the work of improvising musicians, it is also necessary for creative performance while following a score. The concept thus deepens our capacity to understand and appreciate both improvised and composed music.
The event was held at the Sage Gateshead’s Barbour Room, and was presented in collaboration with Jazz North East Improvisors' Workshop.
PAST WORKSHOP
Workshop, April 2016
This workshop brought together performers, promoters, producers, researchers, teachers and jazz enthusiasts.
Participants included improvising musicians Louise Gibbs and Steve Beresford from the UK; Mike Baggetta and Kris Tiner from the US; Alípio C. Neto from Brazil; writers Philip Clark and Andy Hamilton; and promoters and record producers.
The event was held at St Mary’s Gateshead and the Music Department at Durham University.
