Towards a Performance of Tazul Izan Tajuddin's Kabus Pantun (2018)

Abstract

Although research has been conducted on the musical compositions of Tazul Izan Tajuddin, the focus has mainly been on the musical analysis of the composition itself. Supporting material such as performance guidelines on how to perform Tazul's compositions effectively is lacking. This paper focuses on the performance guidelines on a solo piano work, Kabus Pantun (2018). As a newly commissioned work, the complexity of musical material presented in Kabus Pantun appears to suggest that different playing techniques are required. Studying music of this "experimental" kind, where playing techniques owe little or nothing to the techniques of traditional repertoire, forces one to rethink one's approach to learning and practice; a performer may need to find alternative strategies to perform these contemporary pieces effectively, particularly in the execution of the notes. Encapsulated within Tazul's Kabus Pantun (2018), this article also attempts to elucidate how John Rink's idea of a performer's creative process can contribute to the preparation of a performance on works that push pianistic possibilities to the limit, if not beyond.