[Smt-talk] Do Theorists Have A Role In The Development Of New Musical Directions?

[CARSON FARLEY]

Hello All, 


I've thought carefully about my second post in SMT-talk. Do theorists have a role in the development of new musical directions or is that more the role of the composer? Does the comprehensive understanding of musical style, techniques, history, and systems give the musical theorist a unique perspective as to where music is going or may go next based on the understanding of music's past and present models? Or is that the role of the composer or composer/theorist. On a more specific note, are there any examples of composers or theorists currently who are not only doing analytical work or composing from the creative artistic expressive perspective, but who are actually expanding composition into new territory as theorists in science and mathematics are doing (or in the expansion of musical evolution as in Schoenberg's work) ? Aside from technology in music and the possibilities if offers for sound design, microtonal resolutions, resolution in general, new types of sound generation and synthesis, etc., is there anything on the horizon that looks like interesting directions after Post Tonal music that is concerned with the conceptual elements of musical structure and not reliant on exterior computer technology? 


Sincerely, 
Carson Farley 
Composer/cellist/theorist
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