Kevin Kay 

PhD candidate, Department of Music
Guiliano Fellow, Spring 2023

Towards a Holistic Theoretical Framework for Rational Tuning: The Creation of Complex Tonal Structures and the Development of a Theoretical Framework using Psychoacoustics and Physics-Based Techniques (Berlin, Germany)

Through the support of the Guiliano Fellowship I was able to come to Berlin, Germany to develop artistic  work and begin networking with a community of like-minded composers and musicians. This fellowship acted as the seed for a new journey in Berlin where I am still based – after the Guiliano Fellowship ended, I started receiving support from the DAAD Stiftung to continue my work here. During the month I was funded through the Guiliano Fellowship, I was able to experience concerts such as the Berlin Philharmonic playing one of my favorite composers, as well as other cultural events like a queer Jewish fashion show. I focused my work on two compositions: the first was a revision of a work for two percussionists titled symmetry i, and the second was a work for four double basses titled the corporeal nature of matter. While not the piece I anticipated working on, both projects were crucial for the development of my artistic practice, which revolves around the concepts of musical symmetry and psychoacoustics. the corporeal nature of matter was a critical undertaking for developing my notation of psychoacoustic principles, but also allowed me to dive deeper into more abstract concepts that are shaping me as an artist. The system of pitch organization that I use is called just intonation, and the reason for carrying out my work in Berlin is because there is a robust scene of just intonation practioners here. While there was but only so much networking I could do in a month’s time, I have since been able to meet many of them, go to their shows, and even go to a rehearsal.