PhD thesis
How Pianists Programme Lesser-known Solo Repertoire: An Autoethnography through Clara Schumann’s Sonata and Interviews with Four Pianists (2024)

The Western classical music canon is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades, driven by composer anniversaries, sociopolitical movements, and diversity quotas. Despite increasing scholarship on women musicians and concert studies (Mathias et al., 2022; Tröndle, 2021), no study has examined how performers programme lesser-known repertoire, or the discourses generated by such practices. To achieve longevity and meaningful inclusivity, more open discussions of programming processes are necessary. This thesis addresses the following central question: How does the solo pianist’s sense of identity and agency as a performer interrelate with their selection and programming of lesser-known repertoire?

The line of inquiry focuses on the pianists’ approaches to women composers' music as a basis, then examines more broadly their approaches to repertoire that is lesser-known due to stylistic unfamiliarity or the composers’ other demographic characteristics. Drawing upon biographies, gender studies, historical concertising strategies, and audience research (Citron, 2000; Davies et al., 2021), Study 1 is an autoethnography where I programmed and performed Clara Wieck-Schumann’s Piano Sonata (1841–42) in four different concerts. To position performers as co-creators of meaning and value, the autoethnography is integrated with a concurrent Study 2, applying Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to the interview accounts of four pianists experienced in performing a range of lesser-known music. Five overarching themes emerged from the integration of both studies: ‘musical, social, and personal connections’, ‘repertoire interrelated with professional identity’, ‘interpretative strategies and frameworks’, ‘perceptions of role as performer and of audiences’, and ‘programming agency’. These findings offer novel insights into how performers are imbricated in the repertoire and programming choices they make, and strongly suggest that empowering the creative agency of performers is essential to lasting change in the classical music canon.

Citation:

APA

See, N. H. (2024). How pianists programme lesser-known solo repertoire: An autoethnography through Clara Schumann’s Sonata and interviews with four pianists [PhD, Royal College of Music]. https://researchonline.rcm.ac.uk/id/eprint/2532/

Chicago

See, Ning Hui. ‘How Pianists Programme Lesser-Known Solo Repertoire: An Autoethnography through Clara Schumann’s Sonata and Interviews with Four Pianists’. PhD, Royal College of Music, 2024. https://researchonline.rcm.ac.uk/id/eprint/2532/.

MLA

See, Ning Hui. How Pianists Programme Lesser-Known Solo Repertoire: An Autoethnography through Clara Schumann’s Sonata and Interviews with Four Pianists. 2024. Royal College of Music, PhD. researchonline.rcm.ac.uk, https://researchonline.rcm.ac.uk/id/eprint/2532/.

As the thesis is embargoed until March 2026, please contact me directly if you want a copy.