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Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613857449508864 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lynch, Mark Michael |
| author2 | Vos, Stephanie |
| author_browse | Lynch, Mark Michael Vos, Stephanie |
| author_facet | Vos, Stephanie Lynch, Mark Michael |
| author_sort | Lynch, Mark Michael |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132635 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:48.374Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132635 Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching Lynch, Mark Michael Vos, Stephanie Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. Saxophone -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Jazz -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Code switching (Linguistics) -- Social aspects Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects Identity (Psychology) -- Music UCTD Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Lynch, M. M. 2025. Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: Navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/4733524c-8a92-47a2-b808-2de9785beef9 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers the challenges of navigating two sides of the saxophone – namely its jazz and classical performance styles – and the ideal of attaining equal levels of proficiency in both. I argue that the term ‘multi-style’ is inadequate to describe this degree of idiomatic performance abilities and therefore coin the term ‘dual-specialised’ to refer to high levels of proficiency in both styles. Traversing classical and jazz saxophone styles presents more than a technical challenge; it also entails the traversal of the social worlds of each style. While there is considerable literature on the technical and pedagogical aspects of specialising in both classical and jazz performance, the social implications thereof are rarely mentioned. To this end, I turn to the linguistic concept of code-switching to connect technical aspects of performance – such as musical gestures, sound production, and other identifiers of a particular practice (what I call ‘technique indexes’ in Chapter One) – with the prevailing context in which the gesture occurs. Specifically, the sociolinguistic concept of code-switching refers to using one linguistic utterance in another linguistic context. Adapting this sociolinguistic concept to the context of music offers a lens that I think through and – through performance – use to enact traversal strategies in switching between musical ‘languages’, which is to say between two musical traditions and the different styles contained within them. The first chapter constructs a conceptual framework for traversing jazz and classical saxophone, connecting their technical differences and respective art worlds, histories and values through the notion of code-switching. The second chapter brings the framework closer to performance practice, presenting insights from an interview with Professor Michael Shults, an internationally celebrated exemplar of dual-specialised performance and pedagogy. It concludes by considering examples of saxophone repertoire that cross over between classical and jazz saxophone styles in light of the ideas developed from my interview with Shults. The third chapter reflects on dual specialisation from a creative perspective. This chapter is a reflection on my collaboration with the South African composer Arthur Feder to compose a concerto titled Master of None, which explores dual-specialised saxophone performance through the lens of code-switching. This chapter engages deeply with the musical and social transactions that were uncovered in the creative process, including reflections on its situatedness in a South African context. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie oorweeg die uitdagings om twee kante van die saksofoon – naamlik die instrument se jazz en klassieke uitvoeringstyle – te navigeer, en die ideaal om elk tot ʼn gelyke mate te bemeester. Ek argumenteer dat die term ‘multi-styl’ onvoldoende is om hierdie hoë vlakke van idiomatiese uitvoeringsvaardigheid te beskryf, en stel daarom die term ‘tweevoudig gespesialiseerd’ (‘dual-specialised’) voor om na hoë vlakke van bekwaamheid in beide style te verwys. Om klassieke en jazz saksofoonstyle te deurkruis (‘traverse’) behels meer as ʼn tegniese uitdaging; dit behels ook die navigering van die sosiale wêreld van elke styl. Terwyl daar ʼn aansienlike vakliteratuur is wat die tegniese en pedagogiese aspekte van spesialisering in jazz en klassieke uitvoeringspraktyk bespreek, word die sosiale implikasies daarvan selde oorweeg. Met dié doel, gebruik ek die talige begrip van kodewisseling (‘code-switching’) om die tegniese aspekte van uitvoering – soos musikale gebare, klankproduksie en ander kenmerke van ʼn spesifieke praktyk (waarna ek in Hoofstuk Een as ‘tegniese indekse’ verwys) – met die konteks waarbinne die gebare plaasvind, te vebind. Meer bepaald verwys die sosiolinguistiese begrip van kodewisseling na die gebruik van ʼn linguistiese uiting binne ʼn ander talige konteks. My aanpassing van hierdie sosiolinguistiese begrip tot ʼn musikale konteks bied ʼn lens waardeur ek dink en wat ek gebruik – deur middel van uitvoering – om deurkruisingstegnieke in plek te stel wat tussen die twee musikale ‘tale’ omskakel; dit wil sê tussen twee musikale tradisies en die verskille style wat binne hulle ingesluit is. Die eerste hoofstuk stel ʼn konseptuele raamwerk op vir die deurkruising van jazz en klassieke saksofoon wat, deur die begrip van kodewisseling, hierdie twee tradisies se tegniese verskille en hulle onderskeie kunswêrelde, geskiedenisse en waardes met mekaar verbind. Die tweede hoofstuk bring hierdie gedagtes nader aan uitvoeringspraktyk met die aanbieding van insigte wat verkry is vanuit ʼn onderhoud met Professor Michael Shults, ʼn internasionaal-gevierde toonbeeld van tweevoudig-gespesialiseerde uitvoering en pedagogiek. Teen hierdie agtergrond van idees wat vanuit die onderhoud met Shults ontwikkel is, sluit die hoofstuk af deur voorbeelde binne die saksofoonrepertorium in ag te neem wat klassieke en jazz saksofoonstyle deurkruis. Die derde hoofstuk besin oor tweevoudige spesialisering vanuit ʼn kreatiewe invalshoek. Hierdie hoofstuk is ʼn nabetragting van my samewerking met die Suid-Afrikaanse komponis Arthur Feder om ʼn konsert (concerto) getiteld Master of None te komponeer, wat tweevoudige spesialisering in saksofoon-uitvoering deur die lens van kodewisseling verken. Dit bied ʼn grondige ondersoek van die musikale en sosiale transaksies wat hierdie kreatiewe proses onthul het, insluitend ʼn besinning van die werk en sy uitvoering se geseteldheid binne ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Masters 2025-06-12T07:15:28Z 2025-06-12T07:15:28Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132635 Stellenbosch University ix, 150 pages : music application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Saxophone -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Jazz -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Code switching (Linguistics) -- Social aspects Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects Identity (Psychology) -- Music UCTD Lynch, Mark Michael Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title | Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title_full | Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title_fullStr | Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title_full_unstemmed | Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title_short | Traversing the two sides of the saxophone: navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code-switching |
| title_sort | traversing the two sides of the saxophone navigating jazz and classical saxophone praxes through the lens of code switching |
| topic | Saxophone -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Jazz -- Performance -- Analysis, appreciation Code switching (Linguistics) -- Social aspects Music -- Performance -- Psychological aspects Identity (Psychology) -- Music UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132635 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lynchmarkmichael traversingthetwosidesofthesaxophonenavigatingjazzandclassicalsaxophonepraxesthroughthelensofcodeswitching |