Renata Kambarova - Contemporary performance practice, Flute

Intercultural music-making between Belgium and Uzbekistan

According to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Article 4.8), "interculturality" refers to the existence and equal interaction of different cultures and the possibility of creating common cultural expressions through dialogue and mutual respect.

This is the basis for my research project: I am exploring a way to create meaningful musical relationships between musicians from Uzbekistan and Belgium through an intensive study of the traditional musical culture of Uzbekistan, learning the nay and Uzbek shashmaqom from experts in the field, while at the same time interacting with the Uzbek ensemble Omnibus to learn their methods of collective resonance composition and progressive notation, which they have developed to combine contemporary music and Uzbek maqom.

At the same time, I intend to work with composers and musicians from both countries to develop mutually influenced ways and means of making music and to express a third place between two musical backgrounds. Then I intend to transfer the insights gained to Western concert flute practice and make them accessible to Western composers.

I ask: How can a Western-trained musician approach Uzbek maqom and blend it with Western contemporary music in a balanced and respectful way, where the exchange is mutual and implies a learning process based on instrumental practice and an artistic creation process that runs in two directions between two countries with different cultures, while producing new repertoire and reaching new audiences?

First supervisor: Univ.Prof. Dr.Barbara Lüneburg, ABPU
Second supervisor: Univ. Prof. Dr. Annegret Huber, mdw
Third supervisor: Dr. Lucille Lisack

Renata Kambarova was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. At the age of six she began her music studies at the V. A. Uspensky Music School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In 1999 she moved to Belgium where she continued her training on the baroque recorder and studied the flute. Early on, she won prizes at various competitions: she was a finalist at the Dexia Classics Competition (2009), received third prize at the Jmusiciens Competition (2001) and won the prize of the Concerts Permanents association (2007).

In 2015, she graduated cum laude in flute and pedagogy at the Brussels Conservatory in the class of Baudoin Giaux. She obtained a second Master's degree in music at the Fontys Hogescholen voor de Kunst in Tilburg (Netherlands) with Valerie Debaele. She then studied a specialised Master's degree in contemporary music at the Conservatoire Royal de Liège (Belgium) with Ine Vanoeveren.

Renata is a member of various classical and contemporary music ensembles and develops art projects that include improvisation, electronics and visual media. She has recorded several albums of chamber and electronic music.

Renata leads an active international career: she has performed with various ensembles and orchestras in many countries and has participated in renowned international festivals such as the Biennale de Venezia, reMuisk or Ars Musica. With her own ensemble "Ensemble Fractales" she premieres works by young and internationally acclaimed composers from all over the world.